RECRUITING

[TEAM SURGE]

I am Cadet Ssgt Messman...I am in a very small squadron that has great potential to being big! i need some advice on how to get cadets in the squadron. one thing you should know is that I was brought into the program through false lies about the program. The recruiter that got me is gone noe but we just need more cadets!

Dont mind my spelling it's late and I just got home from the Rocketry weekend and am wore out

[DC]

Figure out your target audience, middle schoolers, high schoolers, both, etc. Then come up with a plan to recruit said target group. For instance, my squardon is planning a big recruiting push in late August or early September, set to be right after school starts up again. It is our intention to target the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grades at several area schools. If all goes according to plan we will have a 30 second recruiting video play at the schools during their morning announcements, preferrably several times over a week or so, then we will have a booth set up during the day at the school handing out pamphlets, the free DDR stuff, and pitching the program to the students.

Then, a week or so after we visit the schools we will have an open house at the squadron with some displays, a performance by the Honor Guard, etc.

There are some excellent articles on CadetStuff about how to plan an open house and general recruiting tips, as well as some threads on here, the Cadet Stuff Forums, and other places.

Also never neglect what I have seen bring 15 new cadets to my squadron in the last six months, simple peer to peer recruiting, where a cadet convinces a few of their friends to go to a meeting, and one or more of them join. If you can get your people to do it, it works better than you might think.

[hatentx]

word of mouth is the best way.  encourage you cadets to bring a friend.  the best spokesman for most organization is going to be someone from with in.

[TEAM SURGE]

Figure out your target audience, middle schoolers, high schoolers, both, etc. Then come up with a plan to recruit said target group. For instance, my squardon is planning a big recruiting push in late August or early September, set to be right after school starts up again. It is our intention to target the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grades at several area schools. If all goes according to plan we will have a 30 second recruiting video play at the schools during their morning announcements, preferrably several times over a week or so, then we will have a booth set up during the day at the school handing out pamphlets, the free DDR stuff, and pitching the program to the students.

Then, a week or so after we visit the schools we will have an open house at the squadron with some displays, a performance by the Honor Guard, etc.

There are some excellent articles on CadetStuff about how to plan an open house and general recruiting tips, as well as some threads on here, the Cadet Stuff Forums, and other places.

Also never neglect what I have seen bring 15 new cadets to my squadron in the last six months, simple peer to peer recruiting, where a cadet convinces a few of their friends to go to a meeting, and one or more of them join. If you can get your people to do it, it works better than you might think.

I will try and do that.....if the school can let the Army, Air Force, etc. Why can't they let C.A.P? I will talk to the high school and the Junior High.

[DC]

It's cheap and dirty, but if you have any JROTC units in your area you can steal cadets from them. Go for Freshmen though, the cadets that have been in for any amount of time are usually involved in other stuff that will limit their participation in CAP. The big instance this happened at my squadron was two years ago, we had a drill team formed up and ready to go to competition, and the JROTC kids found out there was a JRTOC drill meet the same weekend, and they decided to go to that instead, leaving us with half a drill team. Sucked, big time.

But, AFJROTC cadets are usually very interested in CAP if you can offer them something AFJROTC doesn't (ES, flying).

[TEAM SURGE]

It's cheap and dirty, but if you have any JROTC units in your area you can steal cadets from them. Go for Freshmen though, the cadets that have been in for any amount of time are usually involved in other stuff that will limit their participation in CAP. The big instance this happened at my squadron was two years ago, we had a drill team formed up and ready to go to competition, and the JROTC kids found out there was a JRTOC drill meet the same weekend, and they decided to go to that instead, leaving us with half a drill team. Sucked, big time.

But, AFJROTC cadets are usually very interested in CAP if you can offer them something AFJROTC doesn't (ES, flying).

Unfortunetly I live in a tiny town where CAP and POLICE cadets are the only two progrmas

[hatentx]

steal them from the cops then.  lol

[lordmonar]

Set up a good program first!

Then sell it.

If you sell a program that does not exist yet you will not keep your recruits.

[CadetProgramGuy]

I have a firm policy of no poaching  IOW, don't poach from the cops, get your own members

[TEAM SURGE]

steal them from the cops then.  lol

GOOD IDEA?

[TEAM SURGE]

I have a firm policy of no poaching  IOW, don't poach from the cops, get your own members

I think I like your IDEA more though!

[Pingree1492]

Good luck in your recruiting efforts.  Word of mouth works great, as well as a few well designed and well placed posters advertising an upcoming Open House.  Also try to get with your local paper and advertise in there 2-3 days before your open house.

Set up a good program first!

Then sell it.

If you sell a program that does not exist yet you will not keep your recruits.

^This is HUGE!  It will do you no good to spend all your time on recruiting and getting together a really high-speed open house and then have nothing for your new recruits to do the next meeting. 

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that having a motivated, enthusiastic group of cadets and a well-run, active program is it's own recruiting and retention device.  The more active you are, the more members you'll draw, plain and simple.  You joined to actually DO stuff, right?  So go do cool stuff, then show people the cool stuff you do, and they will want to join. [If you build it, he will come]

[hatentx]

Dont forget about Rec Centers and such in your community.  Alot of times parents will be looking for something to get there children involved in and call a Rec center or a YMCA or something.  I know back home a Girl Scout troop did it and I am sure it helped their umbers with no real work for them to do other than drop off some fliers. 

Also have a larger view in the Community as well.  Color Guard, parking cars, marching in Local Parades.  Anything and everything you can do to get CAP seen in your area.  I know  bunch of Air Force guy that have no clue what CAP is so imagine if your are not near any military how much more difficult it would be. 

Possible try some sorta drives or campaigns.  Something were you are looking for community support for a local cause.  Maybe Mimic the Toys for Tots outline.  Then you are getting your name out as well as doing something for the community.  I kinda tosses the idea of what Cap is about at the beginning.

Or try Organizing a  March of Dimes walk or something along those lines.  How easy would that be. Secure a track, set up a booth.  Plus while you are advertising for it have it state on the Radio (who will usually donate air time for charity type events) that the "Airhead Civil Air Patrol Squadron is sponsoring a March of Dimes walk at Someplace High School on such in such date.  For more info call them at ###-#### or check them out on the Web at www.airheadsquadrencap.com"  (not a real site.... I know someone is going to look)If that is the case it would be to easy to get your name out there let people know what is going on and that you organization is out there.  I heard some where that CAP is the best kept secret in the Air Force.  I think it is true but lets change it.  People Join the Boy Scouts because they know about them already.

I am just spit balling here and hope some of it could be of use. 

[Frenchie]

I see the local airport has an Air Museum.  You might see if you can hang a poster there.

If the airport ever sponsors any community events like an airshow, open house, or anything along those lines that gets the local population out to the airport, you can talk to your wing about having a CAP plane fly in as a recruiting tool.

If the local town ever has any festivals or any events that gets people out, talk to the event organizers and set up a CAP table where you can hand out recruiting information.

If the local high school has a bulletin board, posting a notice there should be pretty effective.  You should also look into local community groups like Lion's Club, Kiwanis, Toastmasters, etc. to get the word out.

[TEAM SURGE]

Good luck in your recruiting efforts.  Word of mouth works great, as well as a few well designed and well placed posters advertising an upcoming Open House.  Also try to get with your local paper and advertise in there 2-3 days before your open house.

Set up a good program first!

Then sell it.

If you sell a program that does not exist yet you will not keep your recruits.

^This is HUGE!  It will do you no good to spend all your time on recruiting and getting together a really high-speed open house and then have nothing for your new recruits to do the next meeting. 

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that having a motivated, enthusiastic group of cadets and a well-run, active program is it's own recruiting and retention device.  The more active you are, the more members you'll draw, plain and simple.  You joined to actually DO stuff, right?  So go do cool stuff, then show people the cool stuff you do, and they will want to join. [If you build it, he will come]

^Thanks for the advice. I will bring all these ideas up at the next meeting.

[TEAM SURGE]

I see the local airport has an Air Museum.  You might see if you can hang a poster there.

If the airport ever sponsors any community events like an airshow, open house, or anything along those lines that gets the local population out to the airport, you can talk to your wing about having a CAP plane fly in as a recruiting tool.

If the local town ever has any festivals or any events that gets people out, talk to the event organizers and set up a CAP table where you can hand out recruiting information.

If the local high school has a bulletin board, posting a notice there should be pretty effective.  You should also look into local community groups like Lion's Club, Kiwanis, Toastmasters, etc. to get the word out.

We do a lot for the Air Museum type stuff. We help with the drive ins and fly ins. I am going to talk to my commander about making one of those big stand up posters to put at the Air Museum. More community helping would be much help to get cadets in. I will bring up a lot of different ideas on Tuesday.

Thank you so much for your help!

[TEAM SURGE]

Dont forget about Rec Centers and such in your community.  Alot of times parents will be looking for something to get there children involved in and call a Rec center or a YMCA or something.  I know back home a Girl Scout troop did it and I am sure it helped their umbers with no real work for them to do other than drop off some fliers. 

Also have a larger view in the Community as well.  Color Guard, parking cars, marching in Local Parades.  Anything and everything you can do to get CAP seen in your area.  I know  bunch of Air Force guy that have no clue what CAP is so imagine if your are not near any military how much more difficult it would be. 

Possible try some sorta drives or campaigns.  Something were you are looking for community support for a local cause.  Maybe Mimic the Toys for Tots outline.  Then you are getting your name out as well as doing something for the community.  I kinda tosses the idea of what Cap is about at the beginning.

Or try Organizing a  March of Dimes walk or something along those lines.  How easy would that be. Secure a track, set up a booth.  Plus while you are advertising for it have it state on the Radio (who will usually donate air time for charity type events) that the "Airhead Civil Air Patrol Squadron is sponsoring a March of Dimes walk at Someplace High School on such in such date.  For more info call them at ###-#### or check them out on the Web at www.airheadsquadrencap.com"  (not a real site.... I know someone is going to look)If that is the case it would be to easy to get your name out there let people know what is going on and that you organization is out there.  I heard some where that CAP is the best kept secret in the Air Force.  I think it is true but lets change it.  People Join the Boy Scouts because they know about them already.

I am just spit balling here and hope some of it could be of use. 

This was probably one of the biggest helps yet soo far! Thanks! i am copying all this down right now, to bring to the meetings!

[hatentx]

hey give us some feed back as well with what worked, what didn't and how we can all tweek our programs as well

[RickFranz]

I have seen a lot of folks try and get Cadets from the High Schools, you might get some good Cadets.  The problem is you really will not have them very long and most are all ready involved in a lot of other activities.

I have been pushing to bring in the middle school and younger home school kids.  They are not in to as many extra activities, and you can build a squadron of Cadets that will be around awhile.

[DC]

75% of my squadron is homeschooled, the trouble is reaching them... Most of our homeschoolers were recruited by friends that were in the squadron, or by seeing us at airshows.

Middle school students are easier to recruit, and having younger cadets is good, but my squadron has found itself in a situation where we have a ton of younger cadets, and very few older more mature cadets. You need a good balance, too many younger cadets and you have maturity and discipline problems, too many older cadets and pretty soon you don't have a program...