Hi all! We're starting work on next year's budget and I've been asked to put together a plan for our volunteers. I am looking for ideas and suggestions on how you recruit, train, and reward your volunteers. Does anyone have a plan that really works? What incentives do you offer? Let's get specific! I need numbers to work with! But essentially, I'm putting together the wish list for our theatre!

G?day Elizabeth
Most venues use the ?Friends of the theatre [FOT?s] to great effect. In most cases they are a group incorporated under the wing of the venue.
In a few theatres I have organised a ?Stagecraft Guild? from the interested FOT?S organisation  to primarily assist with backstage.  I would run training sessions regularly for varying levels of achievements. They progressed from Trainee to crew  through to specialist & eventually Trainers in various disciplines. They all received the usual ?T? shirt as guild members & certificates of participation &/or achievement, as they attained levels of competence. The guild worked well because each of their efforts were acknowledge & respected - not just used & abused. The aims of the guild were for each member to inturn give back their experience & knowledge to foster others in the game. In one theatre they organised their own Guild committee & held elections annually for office bearers. I don?t say IT has to go that far but I always allowed IT to find it?s own level.  In all cases of training & levels, show work was a major factor of proceeding on to the next level & the acceptance by  the other  Guild members of their achievement.
I don?t know your set up - but noticed you have a volunteer Corps already in play!