Take the following steps to orchestrate a successful volunteer speed matching experience for your program:
PLANNING
1) Audience and Partner Identification
- Determine your audience, and then partner with an appropriately targeted local organization (e.g., young-professionals group, club, company, or faith-based organization).
- Craft an MOU (memorandum of understanding) to spell out the responsibilities of the sponsoring organization.
- From 20 to 60 volunteers are needed for the speed-matching process to be successful and fun, so be certain to obtain RSVPs from potential participants.
2) Time and Place
- The venue should be a comfortable casual atmosphere with a large open space.
- After-work hours are best: 6:00–8:00 p.m. is recommended.
- Plan to offer food and beverages to make the event more enticing.
- Provide each volunteer with a bag to collect materials during the speed-matching; if possible, also provide one high-quality giveaway.
3) Volunteer Opportunities
- For HandsOn Action Centers, for RSVPs, or for an event sponsored within a single organization: Pre-select 20 organizations with opportunities that will appeal to your audience.
- Opportunities should be the best of your best... and they should be fun!
- Evening, weekend, group, one-time, and on-going opportunities are popular.
- Each agency or opportunity must be represented by an engaging and entertaining person.
- RSVPs from agencies are critical.
4) Agency Participation
- Agencies should bring one to two representatives — paid staff or volunteers who are excited to connect with the audience. Note: Coach the representatives ahead of time on how to best identify your audience.
- Representatives should bring no more than one handout — no exceptions.
- Agencies should keep the elevator pitch to 30 seconds — no longer.
- Ensure representatives bring business cards with up-to-date contact information.
5) Additional Tips
- Find an interesting, concise speaker who will welcome the group; ideally, the speaker should represent or "look like" your volunteer participants.
- Plan to bring at least four event assistants.
EVENT DAY
1) Supplies and Tools
- Cowbell or other loud indicator that rotation is happening
- Scorecards for volunteers, with names of agencies and/or volunteer opportunities
- Stopwatch
- Camera (take lots of photos!)
2) Speed-Matching Format and Rules
- Have 1–3 volunteers at each table (depending on overall group size).
- No table should be empty at the outset; visit all tables to make sure they are filled up.
- All volunteers move in the same direction at the rotation bell. Move quickly!
- Agency representatives and volunteers should spend 30 seconds each introducing themselves; the rest of the three minutes is for questions.
- If a volunteer wants to be contacted later, he/she circles that agency's name on the scorecard.
3) Sample Structure/Agenda
- 6:00–6:20 — Registration, drinks and snacks, networking opportunity
- 6:20–6:30 — Introduction:
- Welcome all participants.
- Acknowledge the sponsoring organization and partner.
- Explain the format and rules of the event (see #2 above).
- Send volunteers and agency representatives to their stations.
- 6:30–7:45 — Speed-matching:
- Each "date" lasts three minutes; depending on the size of the group, allow 30 seconds to one minute for rotation between "dates."
- 7:45–7:55 — Closing comments:
- Thank everyone for attending.
- Acknowledge the agencies (as a group) for their participation.
- Remind volunteers where to turn in their scorecards before they leave.
- Capture a group photo of the agency representatives and the volunteers all together.
- Allow attendees to mill around and chat as everyone prepares to depart.
EVENT FOLLOW-UP
- Follow up with potential volunteers immediately:
- E-mail volunteers to thank them for their participation; include contact information for agencies they were interested in.
- E-mail agency representatives to share names and contact information for volunteers who have indicated an interest in a "second date."
- E-mail evaluations to both volunteers and agency representatives.
- Send out a press release (including a photo) the day after the event.
- Post event photos online, and forward the link to all volunteers and participating agencies.
- Track your "matches"— who volunteered?
- Ask for testimonials from volunteers and agency representatives.