This guide is designed to help you introduce potential volunteers to your mission and opportunities in an informal, social setting that builds community from day one. The activities and structure prioritize interaction, minimize lecture-style presentations, and create natural spaces for people to connect with your organization and each other.
Remember: Volunteers show up for the cause but stay for the community.
Format: 60-90 minute informal gathering
Setting: Outdoor park, local brewery/café, community center, or other casual venue
Participants:
Aim for a minimum number of 5 participants to encourage socializing.
Purpose: To welcome potential volunteers, introduce them to your organization's mission and work, outline volunteer opportunities, set clear expectations, and start building community connections in a relaxed, engaging environment.
This orientation is designed to be:
By the end of this orientation, you should achieve the following:
Remember most volunteers are motivated by social connections, skills development, and the impact they can make. Your promotional materials should emphasize:
Subject: Join Us! [Organization Name] Volunteer Meet-Up at [Location]
Hi [Name],
Ever wanted to make our streets safer for cyclists? Help kids learn to ride? Or just connect with other bike enthusiasts while making a difference?
Join us for a casual Volunteer Meet-Up!
🚲 [DATE] from [TIME]
🚲 [LOCATION] (family-friendly, accessible venue)
🚲 Light refreshments provided
Join us for a chance to meet our community, learn about volunteer opportunities, and find ways to contribute that match YOUR skills and availability.
No experience necessary, just bring your enthusiasm!
[RSVP BUTTON/LINK]
Questions? Contact [NAME] at [EMAIL/PHONE]
Ride on!
[Your Name]
[Your Organization]
Subject: Join Us! Volunteer Meetup for [Organization Name] 🚴♂️
Want to help make biking safer, more fun, and accessible for everyone? Join us for our upcoming Volunteer Orientation! Meet like-minded people, learn about our mission, and find out how you can contribute—whether it’s leading rides, fixing bikes, advocating for better policies, or helping at events.
📅 Date & Time: [Insert Date & Time]
📍 Location: [Insert Location or Virtual Link]
🎉 What to Expect: Fun activities, new friends, and ways to get involved!
✅ RSVP: [Insert Signup Link or Email]
Come be part of the change—see you there!
Instagram/Facebook:
🚲 CALLING ALL BIKE ENTHUSIASTS! 🚲
Want to turn your passion for cycling into community impact? Join us for a Volunteer Meet-Up on [DATE] from [TIME] at [LOCATION]!
Whether you have mechanical skills, love teaching kids, or just want to support safer streets, we have a place for you. Meet our team, connect with fellow bike lovers, and discover how you can help create a more bike-friendly [CITY/REGION].
✅ Casual, interactive format
✅ Refreshments provided
✅ No commitment required
✅ Bring a friend!
RSVP link in bio.
#BikeAdvocacy #Volunteers #[YourCity] #CommunityAction
Twitter/X:
Turn your 🚲 passion into purpose! Join our Volunteer Meet-Up on [DATE]. Meet the team, discover opportunities, enjoy refreshments. No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm! RSVP: [LINK] #BikeAdvocacy #Volunteers
For a successful orientation, assign the following roles to your team:
Responsibilities:
Skills needed: Outgoing personality, good at remembering names, comfortable speaking to groups, ability to read the room
Responsibilities:
Skills needed: Detail-oriented, problem-solver, organized
When possible, have a separate host and coordinator so each role can be completed well.
Responsibilities:
Skills needed: Deep knowledge of organization, passion for the mission, good listener
Responsibilities:
Skills needed: Friendly, approachable, good representatives of your volunteer community
🔄 Adapt these roles based on your team size and capacity
| Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00-0:10 | Arrival & Check-in | Casual greeting, name tags, refreshments |
| 0:10-0:20 | Welcome & Icebreaker | Brief welcome and interactive introduction activity |
| 0:20-0:30 | Organization Overview | Mission, impact, and programs (interactive format) |
| 0:30-0:45 | Volunteer Opportunities | Gallery walk of roles and impact points |
| 0:45-0:55 | Q&A and Next Steps | Open forum for questions and clear action steps |
| 0:55-1:00 | Wrap-up & Thanks | Collecting feedback, final remarks |
| Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00-0:15 | Arrival & Mingling | Check-in, refreshments, informal conversation |
| 0:15-0:30 | Welcome & Icebreakers | Official welcome and two short interactive activities |
| 0:30-0:40 | Mission Moment | Brief inspiring story/video + volunteer testimonial |
| 0:40-1:00 | Bike Advocacy Mapping | Interactive activity showing impact areas and needs |
| 1:00-1:15 | Volunteer Role Match | Self-assessment of skills and interests with roles |
| 1:15-1:25 | Expectations & Support | Clear outline of volunteer process and support |
| 1:25-1:30 | Next Steps & Thanks | Concrete action items and expression of gratitude |
Purpose: Help participants meet each other while identifying shared experiences and skills
Materials:
Instructions:
Give each participant a bingo card containing statements like:
Participants mingle, introducing themselves and finding people who match the descriptions.
When they find a match, the person signs that square.
The first person to complete a row (or the whole card for a longer activity) calls "Bingo!"
Ask them to share one interesting conversation they had while completing their card.
Facilitator Tips:
Purpose: Create personal connections through shared cycling experiences and practice active listening
Materials: None required
Instructions:
Facilitator Tips:
Purpose: Visually capture personal motivations and build collective inspiration while identifying shared values
Materials:
Instructions:
Facilitator Tips:
Purpose: Visualize community needs and potential impact areas while gathering perspectives
Materials:
Instructions:
Post the map in a central location.
Explain that different colored dots represent different bicycle-related characteristics.
Give each participant several dots of each color.
Ask participants to place dots on the map indicating:
After everyone has placed their dots, facilitate a brief group discussion about patterns that emerge.
Connect these observations to your organization's current projects and advocacy focus.
Facilitator Tips:
Below is a conversational script template for introducing your organization. Remember to keep this section brief (5 minutes or less) and infuse it with personal stories and authentic passion.
"Welcome, everyone! I'm [NAME], and I'm so excited to see all of you here today.
I've been involved with [ORGANIZATION] for [TIME PERIOD] as a [ROLE], and I'm
here because [PERSONAL MOTIVATION].
Our organization started [BRIEF ORIGIN STORY] because we believe that
[CORE BELIEF]. Since then, we've [1-2 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS] and worked with
[NUMBER] community members to [IMPACT].
What makes our work special is that we're focused on [UNIQUE APPROACH]. For
example, last year we [SPECIFIC STORY THAT DEMONSTRATES IMPACT].
The reason we need amazing volunteers like you is simple: [EXPLANATION OF WHY
VOLUNTEERS ARE ESSENTIAL]. Every person who gives their time helps us
[SPECIFIC RESULT OF VOLUNTEER WORK].
In a moment, you'll have the chance to learn about specific volunteer roles,
but first, I'd love to hear from a few of you—what brought you here today?"
[PAUSE FOR 2-3 BRIEF RESPONSES]
"Thank you for sharing! Those are exactly the kinds of passions and interests
that drive our community. Now, let's dive into how you can be part of this work..."
Customize completely with your organization's mission, history, and impact
Delivery Tips:
For Each Opportunity, Provide:
Role Name & Visual Icon
Impact Statement
Time Commitment & Schedule
Skills Used & Developed
Pathway to Leadership
Quick Stories/Photos
Rather than presenting volunteer opportunities lecture-style, create a mini "gallery" with visuals and interactive elements for each major volunteer role or print outs for reference
Here are common volunteer categories. Customize with specific details for your organization:
To Do: Link to doc of complete volunteer expectations / guidelines contract for quick editing and printing
Below are a few key points to consider. Adapt to the needs of your organization:
Communication Expectations
Training & Development
Safety Protocols
Inclusivity & Accessibility
Representation of the Organization
Provide small groups with real-world scenarios to discuss:
Scenario Example 1:
"You're leading a community ride and notice one participant is struggling to keep up with the group. What are some ways you might handle this situation?"
Scenario Example 2:
"A community member approaches you at an event and strongly disagrees with a recent bike lane installation your organization advocated for. How would you respond?"
Have groups discuss for 5 minutes, then share key takeaways with everyone. Organization leaders can then affirm good approaches and add any missing considerations.
If your venue, group size, or time constraints require different activities, consider these alternatives:
Human Spectrum (10 minutes)
Pair & Share Mission Connection (15 minutes)
The period immediately following orientation is crucial for volunteer retention. Here's how to maintain momentum:
Subject: Next Steps with [Organization] - Thanks for Joining Us!
Hi [Name],
Thank you for joining our Volunteer Meet-Up yesterday! Your enthusiasm for [specific interest they mentioned] was fantastic, and we're excited about the possibility of having you join our volunteer team.
Based on the interests you shared, here are some immediate opportunities that might be a great fit:
[Specific opportunity matching their interest]
Next date: [Date]
Time commitment: [Hours]
To sign up: [Link/Contact]
[Alternative opportunity]
Next date: [Date]
Time commitment: [Hours]
To sign up: [Link/Contact]
If you'd like to learn more before committing, I'd be happy to chat! You can schedule a quick call with me here: [Calendar link] or reply to this email with any questions.
Looking forward to riding alongside you soon!
[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
[Organization]
For each new volunteer, establish:
Still needed. Pelase feel free to create forms or share your organizations existing forms!
To continuously improve your orientation process, collect feedback using a simple form:
TO DO: Convert to an easy to print PDF or Word Doc and link here.
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION FEEDBACK
Date: _______________
On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your overall orientation experience?
(1 = needs improvement, 5 = excellent)
1 2 3 4 5
What part of the orientation was most valuable to you?
What questions do you still have about volunteering with us?
How likely are you to volunteer with us in the next month?
□ Very likely
□ Somewhat likely
□ Unsure
□ Unlikely
What would make you more likely to volunteer?
How did you hear about this orientation?
Any other suggestions to improve our volunteer orientation?
The most successful volunteer programs create a sense of belonging, purpose, and impact. Your orientation is just the beginning of what will hopefully be a long-term relationship between these community members and your mission.
By focusing on connection, clarity, and concrete next steps, you're setting the foundatio for a thriving volunteer community that will amplify your bicycle advocacy work for years to come.*
When working with volunteers: