Recruitment and retention are prime concerns of many literacy programs. It is not enough simply to get individuals into the classroom; the needs of these individuals must be met in order for them to stay in the program. The two "R's" are very closely linked, and recruitment must be conducted with retention as a goal. Only when students are connected to appropriate services and are positively engaged in those services will they commit to pursuing their academic and life goals through literacy.

Recruitment At-A-Glance

• Recruitment engages potential students in available services and explains those services clearly so that students can make an informed decision about enrolling.
• Recruitment involves planning special events and ongoing efforts to raise awareness throughout the community and among the target population.
• Recruitment efforts focus on potential student outcomes and promise only what the program truly can deliver.
• Recruitment brings together staff and community partners to get the word out and to provide additional services, such as child care and transportation.
• Recruitment involves all program staff, volunteers, and others who are affiliated with the program.
• Recruitment efforts should be evaluated regularly to assess their effectiveness and to improve practices going forward.
• Positive word of mouth is the best recruitment tool.

Retention At-A-Glance

• Retention keeps students motivated and works to make services as accessible as possible so that students will remain in the program long enough to reach their goals.
• Retention uses data to let students monitor their own progress and recognizes personal, family, and class achievements.
• Retention efforts start with high-quality instruction and support services.
• Retention brings together staff and community partners to provide ongoing support services such as child care and transportation and also helps students access additional resources such as free legal aid or housing information.
• Retention involves all program staff, volunteers, and others who are affiliated with the program.
• Retention efforts and their effectiveness should be evaluated regularly to help identify areas for program improvement.
• Meaningful human interaction is the best retention strategy.

Planning for Recruitment and Retention
Creating recruitment and retention plans will help you organize and sustain efforts throughout the year so that they are effective and efficient. Planning in advance will help you keep costs down and spread responsibilities evenly across staff time.

Some recruitment activities should take place on a routine basis—don't assume they will happen on their own! You will want to plan for the following regular activities:

• Distribution of flyers or posters to community centers and businesses
• Sending follow-up postcards after an event to people who expressed an interest in the program
• Speaking to civic groups about the services your program offers
• Visiting referral agencies
• Mailing reminders to returning students about when classes start

Planning also allows you to build on other events in your community with your collaborators. Once target dates for recruitment activities are marked on your calendar, it's time to break down each activity into the steps it will take to get ready. There are four key factors to consider in the planning of each activity:

1. How soon do you need to start organizing efforts in order to meet the target date?
2. What materials or resources do you need (e.g., flyers, food, decorations, video equipment)?
3. What personnel (paid and volunteer) will be needed?
4. How much will it cost?

Retention also works best when it is carefully planned and monitored. Program staff and volunteers need to know that both the big and the little things count in keeping students enrolled:

• Spend extra time with students on the first days they attend.
• Keep students' and families' goals in mind and be aware of their needs.
• Provide instruction based on best practices in adult education, parent education, and/or children's education.
• Provide incentives for steady attendance, acknowledge successes, and recognize milestones.
• Involve students and staff in community activities.

Involving Others
Everyone who interacts with potential and returning students is responsible for recruitment and retention. However, staff and volunteers need ongoing support and direction. That's why it's a good idea to identify one person in the program to spearhead recruitment and retention efforts.

Adult students also should be part of your recruitment and retention efforts. Here are just a few ideas to engage adult learners in your recruitment and retention plan:

• Adult students make great ambassadors when staff members visit families door-to-door.
• Invite adult learners to talk about their experiences in the program on a video. Adults can then view the video to evaluate their oral language skills, and the video can be shown to potential students so they get a feel for their future classmates and the benefits the program provides.
• Ask adults as a class to create and design a display for the community center, library, school, or a partnering business. Math and computer skills, communication skills, teamwork, and creativity can all be part of the project.
• Post photos of former students around the classroom or create a scrapbook. Ask them to include their personal success story—what they are doing now and how many hours it took them to achieve their short-term and long-term goals.

Finally, your community agencies, businesses, and organizations can become strong allies in recruiting families into your program. Your community partners can help lessen the barriers of participation for students so that they can fully commit to your literacy program.

For More Information
This article was developed from Recruitment and Retention for Literacy Programs, a comprehensive recruitment and retention kit created by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL). The kit includes:

• A handy reference guidebook filled with straightforward ideas for recruitment and retention
• Posters, postcards, and bookmarks in English and Spanish that may be personalized to make sure your program is visible to potential students and partners
• A CD-Rom with useful forms and templates

To order a kit, click here to visit the NCFL Store. One-day training workshops in strengthening your recruitment and retention efforts and in maximizing the use of the kit are also available. Click here to go to the NCFL web site for the training schedule.

This information was produced by the National Center for Family Literacy for use on www.thinkfinity.org, a powerful educational platform supported by the Verizon Foundation. This information is in the public domain and may be reproduced for noncommercial purposes without permission.

Copyright © 2005 by the National Center for Family Literacy. Produced by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) (325 W. Main Street, Suite 300, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-4237).