December is a busy month for the teaching team and community relations staff at HIM. One key role is recruiting students for the upcoming year. Often we are asked how we find students, and in reality, HIM employs a wide array of methods, including those below:
- Word of mouth
- Community Outreach from HIM
- Referral – Church
- Referral – Judge (court employee)
- Signage (e.g. yard signs)
- Social Media
- Social Agency
- Flyer/postcard in the mail
- TV commercial
During the year, HIM has six class cycles, and the recruiting takes place between every cycle. December is a time to reflect on what works and ways to improve in the coming year.
One of the most effective recruiting methods is when a graduate whose life has been transformed becomes so invested in HIM that (s)he becomes a recruiter. These graduates bring passion and credibility to the recruiting process, and as HIM becomes more established in a community, more of the word of mouth recruiting happens organically.
Another effective method is the face to face outreach from HIM teaching staff. During the two-week teaching break between class cycles, HIM career and life coaches staff get out in the community and recruit in a combination of places, including: shelters, public housing neighborhoods, food distribution events, parole board meetings, etc. This method takes time, and our team always learns more about the community when we get out.
Throughout the year, the classroom and community relations staff are building relationships with agencies, non-profits, court employees, etc. and hosting on-campus tours and meetings to raise awareness and build a network of multipliers who refer individuals to the HIM program. This work is slow, steady, and productive.
There are lots of ways to get involved as a volunteer to help HIM recruit students. We would love to hear from you. Click here if you are interested in helping HIM recruit!
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