Recruitment success - your ten point plan

Raise Awareness

Events and recruitment drives will have a much greater chance of success if there is a basic awareness of ringing and ringers in the area and it is recognised as one of the normal activities in the locality.

What do you want to achieve?

Start by deciding what you want to achieve rather than what you are going to do. Have an honest look at the band's needs and aspirations and what skills and people you have to realise them.

Who to recruit

Think about who you want to recruit and how to appeal to them. You will have a much better chance of both attracting and retaining new ringers if you know what “makes them tick” and that this will fit well with your band.

What are you going to do?

What is the best way of reaching and convincing people to learn to ring? Lots of ideas peppered with people's stories and tips.

Publicity

You may have a tower open day just for public interest but if you also wish to recruit new ringers make sure you say so in your publicity literature. Again lots of ideas and some useful "how to" guides.

Holding a successful event

Whatever form your event(s) take, check your plans out with a non-ringer and see what they think. Find out what has worked for others so you don't reinvent the wheel.

The follow-up

Be personal, be quick.

Intensive training

It’s what new recruits expect, so plan how you’re going to deliver intensive bell handling training before you get your recruits. High quality, intensive bell handling training, typically has a retention rate of about 80%

Keeping your new ringers interested

After the excitement and fast progress of the intensive training, how do you integrate your new ringers into the band and keep them progressing? Many more ringers are lost in the period after the early bell handling stage on their way to being able to ring their first couple of methods inside. Providing the right opportunities and support to your new ringers during this stage is vitally important.

Making recruitment work for everyone in the band

With all the emphasis on the new recruit, don’t forget your band or yourself. Find out what can go wrong and how to avoid it.

» Your recruitment toolbox

Download your toolbox. A four page word document that guides you through the recruitment process, asking questions and suggesting help. Completely editable so that you can design your own recruitment plan.