Ways to make your job easier and your program more successful! College Blood Collections

The good and bad about college blood collection programs

Donors for life Community responsibility program First time donor fears

College website - what can you find there? addresses college calendar contacts for clubs and orgs. Online Scheduling of donors and volunteers eDonorwww.volunteer.psu.edu/redcross The Virtual World Everyone is online - especially college communities!

Information Technology Donor Scheduling e-Donor Scheduling System or  Every blood drive on campus is online  Over 20,000 appointments since September 2005  66% fill rate  Automatic confirmation and reminder  MUST have a system to honor appointments

Information Technology Penn State Student Red Cross Club Website  All campus blood drive info there  Donors go to this site to schedule  Link to e-Donor scheduling system  Eligibility info and links found there  Club happenings and events

Information Technology Volunteer Scheduling  Developed by SRCC member.  Now is Penn State’s volunteer scheduling system for for all PSU service organizations.  All volunteers schedule their own shifts.  Automatic confirmation and reminder .  Sponsor groups can enter volunteers, look at their drive list, print the volunteer schedule, or track attendance after the drive

Donations are Cyclic Fiscal Year at PSU; Goal – 7004, Collected

Events – Early Year Drives Build donor base for the year Why not in September? Get them ready to donate all year - get them to come back First drive of the year - no real student donor base-you’ll have to build it Have FOOD and giveaways!

15 th year – PSU 10, MSU PSU – 2199, MSU 1861 Over 4,000 units collected in about 2.5 weeks Events – Challenges and Competitions Penn State – Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge

Blood Drive as an Event Know what is happening on campus – partner with it. Pre-THON: 1352 units, 50 first timers 2009: 2889 units with 906 first timers! THON: Penn State Dance Marathon Partnership with THON. All blood drives during December, January and February are THON- sanctioned events. In return, $2 to THON for every presenting donor

Other Blood Drive Events Theme Blood Drives-the sky’s the limit Luau Carnival Beach Party Games Prizes Food Everyone wins!

In Between Drives Know your schools calendar of events. Plan around an event.

New sponsors each year, sometimes each semester New sponsors each year, sometimes each semester Have to start over all the time Have to start over all the time Revolving door of sponsor contacts

Campus Sponsoring Groups Community service aspect in charter. Don’t count out the faculty and staff The more the merrier

Campus Sponsoring Groups Responsibilities of a sponsor Publicity Volunteering at the drive Including day of recruitment DONOR RECRUITMENT Recruitment team or committee

Campus Sponsoring Groups Planning Meeting Verify place, time, and date Give the goal and overall picture Number needed in the door – deferral rate Number of sign ups needed Expectations How to recruit

RA Packets RA Packets Mailbox inserts Mailbox inserts Post cards through campus mail Post cards through campus mail Class announcements Class announcements Sign up tables Sign up tables Calling Calling Facebook events, Twitter etc Facebook events, Twitter etc Recruiting Outside the Box Who will do it and how?

Interns “Free labor” in exchange for experience and a recommendation! Orientation What they can do Majors – Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Health Planning Admin., Human Services, Events Management

Student Red Cross Club Co-sponsor of every blood drive on campus Reason we can do what we do on campus – underlying organization for all blood drives. SRCC does primarily Blood Services but does other RC area.

Student Red Cross Club

Unique SRCC Programs On-Site Coordinators VIP Program Freshmen Seminar Program

Conclusion Your job is to make them donors for life Your job is to make them donors for life Use information technology – don’t be afraid of it. Use information technology – don’t be afraid of it. Create campaigns/events around cyclic collections Create campaigns/events around cyclic collections Find good sponsor groups and give them the tools to do a good job Find good sponsor groups and give them the tools to do a good job Find creative recruitment techniques that will work for your campus Find creative recruitment techniques that will work for your campus This presentation is in memory of Taunia Oechslin who whole-heartedly supported Penn State’s program both financially and in allowing us to function non-traditionally.