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FedWatch

Recruiting Volunteers

Recruiting Volunteers

Section titled “Recruiting Volunteers”

Recruiting trusted volunteers can feel daunting at first, but if you build it, they will come!

Recruitment Strategies

Section titled “Recruitment Strategies”

Partner with Organizations

Section titled “Partner with Organizations”

Reach out to local organizations that may have interested volunteers:

  • Immigrant rights organizations
  • Mutual aid networks
  • Faith communities
  • Labor unions
  • Community centers
  • Legal aid societies

Ask if they can:

  • Announce volunteer opportunities
  • Host training sessions
  • Connect you with interested members

Door-to-Door Canvassing

Section titled “Door-to-Door Canvassing”

Distribute Know Your Rights information in your neighborhood:

  • Introduce yourself and your network
  • Explain what rapid response does
  • Leave contact information
  • Neighbors interested in helping can be plugged into broadcast or patrol chats

Tips:

  • Go in pairs
  • Bring translated materials
  • Be respectful of people’s time
  • Don’t pressure anyone

Host Recruitment Events

Section titled “Host Recruitment Events”

Partner with values-aligned organizations to host events:

  • Places of faith
  • Schools
  • Elected officials’ offices
  • Community spaces
  • Coffee shops or restaurants

Event ideas:

  • Know Your Rights workshops (recruit helpers after)
  • “How to Start an ICE Watch” trainings
  • Community forums on immigrant rights

Routine Trainings

Section titled “Routine Trainings”

Offer regular Know Your Rights trainings:

  • Weekly or monthly
  • Advertise in community newsletters
  • Post on social media
  • At the end, invite attendees to join the network

Weekly Newsletter

Section titled “Weekly Newsletter”

Send regular communications that:

  • Offer KYR training opportunities
  • Share community resources (mutual aid, legal support)
  • Highlight recent network activity (appropriately anonymized)
  • Include volunteer opportunities

Who to Recruit For Each Role

Section titled “Who to Recruit For Each Role”

Broadcast Channel (Low Barrier)

Section titled “Broadcast Channel (Low Barrier)”
  • Anyone who wants to be informed
  • Community members at risk
  • Family and friends of network members
  • People discovered through canvassing

Patrol (Medium Barrier)

Section titled “Patrol (Medium Barrier)”
  • People in the neighborhood regularly
  • Those with flexible schedules
  • People who’ve attended training
  • Reliable communicators

Verifier (Higher Barrier)

Section titled “Verifier (Higher Barrier)”
  • People who can respond quickly
  • Mobile (car or bike)
  • Work from home or flexible jobs
  • Calm under pressure
  • Trained and vetted

Admin (Highest Barrier)

Section titled “Admin (Highest Barrier)”
  • Experienced network members
  • Strong communication skills
  • Available for consistent shifts
  • High trust level
  • Leadership abilities

Recruitment Pitfalls to Avoid

Section titled “Recruitment Pitfalls to Avoid”

Don’t

Section titled “Don’t”
  • Recruit people you don’t know at all
  • Add people to sensitive channels without vetting
  • Pressure people to take on more than they can
  • Make promises about what the network can do
  • Share sensitive information during recruitment

Do

Section titled “Do”
  • Start people in low-risk roles and build trust
  • Be clear about time commitments
  • Respect people’s limits
  • Maintain security even while growing

Recruitment Conversation Template

Section titled “Recruitment Conversation Template”

“We’re building a network of neighbors who watch out for each other, especially when ICE is in the area. We document, we alert, and we support community members who might be targeted.

There are different ways to get involved based on what you’re comfortable with - from just receiving alerts, to patrolling the neighborhood, to responding to incidents.

Would you be interested in learning more?”

After Recruitment

Section titled “After Recruitment”

Onboarding Steps

Section titled “Onboarding Steps”
  1. Add to appropriate channel (usually broadcast first)
  2. Share training materials
  3. Invite to next training session
  4. Check in after a week
  5. Offer opportunities to increase involvement as trust builds

Retention

Section titled “Retention”
  • Regular check-ins
  • Acknowledge contributions
  • Provide ongoing training
  • Host community gatherings (not just work)
  • Address concerns promptly
  • Prevent burnout by sharing load

Building a Diverse Network

Section titled “Building a Diverse Network”

Why Diversity Matters

Section titled “Why Diversity Matters”
  • Different communities face different threats
  • Multiple languages increases reach
  • Various schedules provide better coverage
  • Diverse skills make the network more effective

Reach Communities Being Targeted

Section titled “Reach Communities Being Targeted”
  • Partner with organizations serving specific communities
  • Recruit community members as leaders
  • Ensure materials are in appropriate languages
  • Be respectful of cultural differences
  • Center impacted voices in decision-making