Community Based Recruitment Strategies
Community-based identification and recruitment establishes partnerships with community members and organizations who can assist with the identification and recruitment process. This approach includes strategies to be used outside of the schools to find eligible migrants who may not be attending school or who have no siblings in school.
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The recruiter establishes contact with local agricultural employers—at first to be allowed to interview the workers, and later to have the employer contact the recruiter when new employees are hired.
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The recruiter establishes similar contacts with agencies and businesses that serve migrant families for the purpose of having them assist by referring potential eligible families. Community agency contacts may include health clinics, day care centers, adult education program providers, government agencies, farm worker unions, legal aid agencies, and churches. Business contacts may include laundromats, stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and shopping malls.
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Newsletters, posters, and fliers are utilized to recruit potential migrant families by placing them in prominent locations throughout the community.
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The media is contacted and announcements are played on local radio and television stations. Announcements are also placed in the public service announcement section of the local newspaper.
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Other migrant families are a rich source of information. They know of other families and coworkers who may qualify, employers which may have been missed, and other places that potential migrant families may frequent, such as parks and flea markets.
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Recruiters should also conduct door-to-door surveys in high-impact neighborhoods.
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Another essential aspect of community-based identification and recruitment is the establishment of community partnerships which may yield referrals of out-of-school youth and young adults.
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Finally, flexible hours are crucial in the design of community-based recruitment efforts.
