ChildLine
Campaign message: "Whatever you do, you could do this too."
Aim: To recruit 50% more volunteers. To find a total of 500 volunteers for the free 24-hour helpline and 200 volunteers for outreach, fundraising and administrative support.
Number of people involved: A media team of 6 - plus a cross-functional working group of 10.
Launched: 2004
Research: Before devising their recruitment campaign, ChildLine surveyed their existing volunteers. 378 of 1416 volunteers responded. The survey found that 96% of volunteers felt that volunteering for ChildLine gave them "benefits in other areas of their life". The survey also found that many of their volunteers were teachers, health and social care workers and students.
Campaign description: An A4 poster was designed by ChildLine's in-house team and distributed by local teams to volunteer centres, libraries, universities etc. Local ChildLine teams were also given a limited budget to purchase advertising space in their local press. ChildLine also designed a postcard with a tear-off response slip. These were distributed to ChildLine volunteers and staff. They were asked to give the cards to friends and colleagues.
PR work: A press release was sent out to national press (and tailored for regional/local press) using the findings of their survey in October 2004 to coincide with the campaign launch. ChildLine also targeted education professionals, getting articles into the Times Education Supplement, as well as targeting health and social care workers and students.
Outside agencies involved: None
Results: In the first 8 weeks of the campaign alone there were 2,941 enquiries from potential volunteers and more than 600 people attended volunteer information meetings at ChildLine's local centres. In February 2006 ChildLine formally joined with the NSPCC.
Contact: Alison McKay www.nspcc.org.uk
