1. Recruiting, Retention and
Recognition
of Volunteers in
The European Law Studentsâ
Association
GRUNDTVIG PARTNERSHIP PROJECT
IVISOC
âIMPROVING VOLUNTEERING IN SOCIAL
CAREâ
2. This is !
âąFounded on 4th
of May 1981 in Wien (ELSA Romania â 6th
of
December 1990)
âąInternational, independent, apolitical, nonprofit
âąThe worldsâ greatest independent law studentsâ association
âąOver 45,000 students in over 300 colleges and universities from 40
countries
âąConsultative statute for some of United Nationsâ institutions (United
Nations Economic and Social Councilâ ECOSOC, United Nations
Commission on International Trade Lawâ UNCITRAL, etc), the Council
of Europe, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization) and cooperative statute for the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of UN
3. ELSA philosophy : âA just world in which there is respect for
human dignity and cultural diversity.â
ELSA purpose :
o Promoting law studentsâ opportunities, in the spirit of critical dialogue and
scientific cooperation
o Contribution in forming bright and cultured jurists with high professional skills
o Encourage Law students and young jurists involve and act for a âhealthyâ society
4. Recruiting
âą set up the recruitment calendar and recruitment plan, with the participation of the entire
Local Board of ELSA
âą Give a presentation of the association at the academic year opening (held by the PR Director
or by the President); Give presentation of the association, held in every classroom by various
volunteers of ELSA
âą Posters that announce the start of the recruitment period
âą On the Internet
âą In the ELSA office
âą 2 or 3 volunteers stay (in shifts) in the central lobby, in the cafeteria or in other hot spots and
give students flyers and talk about ELSA
âą Organise at least 2 main events, law-themed and ELSA-specific, one before the recruitment
and the other after the recruitment (and it is actually organized by the new volunteers)
âą Students that are interested are invited to fill in a application form that reveals personal
facts, academic life and 5 or 6 trick-questions. The questionnaires are graded by ELSA
members that have had an active role in the associtaion for 2 or 3 years.
5. âąDepending on the procent of the questions answered and the answer given, the
volunteers are invited to present to an interview that will be held with older and
active ELSA members
âąThe interview consists in a discusion, with several logic quiestions and some skill-
revealing exercises, different for every single volunteer.
âąA Feedback is given to the volunteer and he is guided to choose a department that
the evaluators thought might be fit to the expectations and needs of the volunteer
âąTIE â âThis Is ELSAâ Training â held for all the newcomers. They are informed, once
again, about the association and its purpose, the departments are presented
âąTeam-building training, organised for the new volunteers: games, tips, fictive
projects. The most well organised fictive project will be actually coorinated by all new
vounteers
âąAtfer-recruitment party with all the recruits and ELSA members and ELSA Seniors
âąâCommunication is the key to great succesâ â new members bound with older
members
7. Retaining
âą Trainings: Law themed & Personal development (project management,
fundraising, negotiation skills, public speaking)
âą National and International Scholarships or Internships at the Bar or other
institutions, with renown jurists
âą National and International Summer Law Schools. A specific subject is discussed
during one or two weeks with great jurists and trainings are held. The social
impact of the Summer School is unmeasurable for the ELSA member
âą Moot Court Competitions â chance to make themselves known + great way to
find out which law career should they follow
âą Themed parties (once in a while)
âą National and International Council Meetings with all ELSA members, that are held
twice a year (disseminating, trainings, socializing, parties)
âą Promotions: a recruit is an observatory member. If he is active in organizing
project or in participating at the NCMs, he is voted by the ELSA members, in order
to become an âactive memberâ. An active member has voting rights.
8. âą After 6 months of volunteering for ELSA, a member gains the right to candidate
for vicepresident of a department, treasurer, general secretary or president.
âą Job opportunities throughout internships and relations established with jurists
âą Multitude of projects and activities â everybody can be part in any of it
âą Volunteers and the other students are always in track with the laws (discuss,
debate, rise against)
âą Equal treatment between our âplainâ volunteers and the volunteers with
responsibilities, as Vice-presidents
âą Permanent communication â internal and external newsletter (volunteers,
professors, partners, sponsors)
âą All active members that involve in organizing an event receive a diploma
9. DOs DONâTs
1. Open talk about the volunteersâ expectations
regarding the association and his present/future
activity
2. Always give orientation and training sessions
3. Peer to peer support and budding
4. Formal supervision â with a member of the
management team
5. Supervise â ordinary and from âthe shadowâ
6. Organize panel discussions with the participation
of others associationsâ members (same field or not) â
advantages and disadvantages or their activity in
that organization
7. Invite known people of the field youâre volunteering
in to keep training sessions to the other â grows
motivation
8. Always keep in touch and talk free with your
colleagues and the other volunteers â
communication is vital for self-motivation (sessions,
annual general meetings, social events)
9. A well-structured hierarchy makes a functional
organizationâ keeps up the good work (either you
cover a field or a bunch of others)
10. Design a worksheet for each project
11. Determine what information skills and tools the
volunteer must already have and what training you
will provide
12. Recruit experienced volunteers to be project team
leaders.
1. Never brake the rules, philosophy and purpose of
your association â those rules are made to be taken
into consideration!
2. Never discriminate - Everybody can be a volunteer
3. You can never compel the volunteer â after all, heâs
only volunteering!
4. Donât treat the volunteers as they would be paid
subordinates of yours!
5. Donât keep a lazy and inactive volunteer, that no
longer identifies himself with the association
philosophy and purpose
6. Donât expect a volunteer to stay longer to finish a
task
7. Assuming that everyone will volunteer when asked
to sign a sheet or raise their hands at a meeting
8. Assuming that people will say no. Instead, assume
that people will say yes, people like to be asked and
it shows that you respect their work and what they
have to offer.
9. Letting new volunteers loose on a project. Assign
low risk tasks to new volunteers until they prove to
be dependable.
10. Recognition
âą ELSA volunteers have the chance to participate at National and International project: Council
Meetings, Summer Schools, Scholarships, paid Internships. Throughout these, they improve
their knowledge, aquire specific information on a certain law area and meet renown jurists.
âą Diplomas and/or attendance certificates are given after every project they organize or
coordinate
âą âVolunteer of the monthâ and âVolunteer of the yearâ â active members with high interest
in ELSAâs activities and projects are voted by the Local Council of ELSA and are awarded with
some kind of prize, besides the title he earned.
âą Meeting influent people and renown jurists and bounding with them
âą Moot Court Competitions â chance to make themselves known. Itâs also a great way to find
out which law career should they follow
âą A successful project brings personal and professional satisfaction of the volunteers that
organized it. They will âauto-motivateâ for a while
âą Showing a free spirit and mind, helping the volunteer to grow as a human
âą Awards received in front of all ELSA members during National or International Council
Meetings
âą Our Alumni are called âseniorsâ and have a special statute among us
âą The prestige of volunteering in the only independent international studentsâ association in
the law field
âą Being elected in a local or in the national or international board of ELSA is the greatest
recognition of all!
âą Recognition for non-ELSA members: those who have helped the association in a significant
way and show respect and devotion to our association (mostly proffesors, jurists) become
Honorific Members of the association
11. DOs DONâTs
1. Peer to peer support and budding
2. Organise panel discussions with the
participation of others associationsâ
members (same field or not) - advantages
and disadvantages or their activity in that
organization
3. Always keep in touch and talk free with
your colleagues and the other volunteers
â communication is vital for self-
motivation (sessions, annual general
meetings, social events)
4. Partners and sponsors: let your partners
and sponsors know the details of every
project you organize (transparency)
5. Request feedback for a supervisor
6. Request self evaluation
1. Providing no public recognition, Or worse,
hogging it for yourself.
2. Thinking volunteers cannot be fired .
Volunteers perform essential tasks and
jobs. They must be responsible and
produce the agreed upon work, and must
be given an opportunity to improve, but if
they do not, then they must be relieved of
their job.
3. Never discriminate based on gender, age,
sex, rase, etc.
12.
13. Thank you!
Questions & Answers
Grundtvig
Improoving Volunteering in Social Care
Kilkis 2013
MÄdÄlina Marinescu