Recruiting Plan 2022-2023

We all have been doing some deep soulwork* this past handful of years. CVN has changed: Our funding is different, our staffing is different, our network is different, and even how we relate to church and society is shifting. And yet we find ourselves digging our heels evermore deeply into exploring our identity as a Catholic, non-profit organization committed to social change and transformation in people and our communities.

Since we are changing, our strategies for engaging member organizations, partners, and potential participants have also needed to change.

At our Membership Call in December 2021, our Executive Director, Yonce Shelton outlined the benefits (29:12) we enjoyed from the previous Hilton Grant (2013-2021), showed a few survey results from our Annual survey to get a sense of how member organizations were understanding recruitment (31:11), and how you all are beginning to look at diversifying the pool of potential program participants (31:48) to those people and communities beyond the traditional person who is engaged in the 4-year college experience.

Now is the time to re-engage our pipeline in order to promote and recruit for community-based service opportunities, mutually beneficial partnerships, and thriving relationships.

Below is our Initial Recruitment Strategy in Three Phases.

We owe a BIG THANK YOU to those who participated in the Recruitment Task Force and Implementation Team and all those who contribute to our monthly recruitment chats and our episodic Makerspace!

(*With the help of our partner, MLC, some of the deep contemplation, listening, research and noticing we experienced in the recent last years led us to produce a Pathway Model informing our strategies and our discernment about our theory of change and a Concept Map identifying key strategies that will assist us in prioritizing how we can pursue justice more deeply in the relationships and communities we are in.We are holding these two lenses close to us as tools to help us understand the bigger context of the purpose and the practice of faith-based service as we determine and prioritize our steps forward as a network of providers, colleagues, and neighbors.)

Goal: Update our online resources so that member programs can connect to information and to others. This will include a calendar refresh and update, the removal of out-of-date resources, and opportunities to connect with campus partners in service through emails and gatherings.  

• CVN staff will publish and send the final print RESPONSE Directory to campuses, parishes, member organizations, donors, supporters.
• CVN staff will promote the online Search tool and “Create a Profile” feature via QR code with previously engaged partners and friends. Promotion via social media and additional publications will also occur.   
• CVN staff will identify which Circuit Events they will attend in order to re-engage campus partnerships and promote member organizations’ programs.  
• CVN staff will inform member organization recruiters and staff of upcoming events.  
• CVN staff will solicit support from member organization recruiters and staff to engage at events and with partners if within the member organization’s ability to travel.   
• CVN staff will outline webinar goals (for member organizations) and begin organizing

Goal: Continue to build an online strategy promoting faith-based service and our member organizations, potential partners and prospective participants.  

• CVN staff will promote the RESPONSE Directory and Search Tool beyond past recipients.   
• CVN staff will build a Handshake profile and host virtual gathering spaces and meetups to encourage member organizations to connect with one another and potential participants.  
• CVN staff will build relevant online resources for potential participants and their communities who have been minoritized (FAQ pages may include and are not limited to the following: info for families, info on benefits of service/engagement, info for how best mentors be equipped to imagine a future in service and engagement with their mentee)  
• CVN staff will announce and promote Webinar Schedule

Goal: Begin to expand the pipeline to full-time service and engagement in community  

• CVN staff will develop promotional material and curriculum to engage younger people in our communities (ages 16-24)  
• CVN staff will promote member organization volunteer stories on social media and host online and in-person events featuring alum from member organizations.  
• CVN staff will build a wireframe for the development of a CVN app (featuring our search tool)