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This page outlines the primary goals and responsibilities of a shift captain. The remaining sections of this guide will explain how to fulfill these responsibilities.
Schedule and Fill Shifts
It is the shift captain’s responsibility to schedule regular shifts, as well as to enlist canvassers to sign up. Shift captains should host at least one shift per week on average (travel and other circumstances allowing).
Act as Shift Host
During each shift, we want to ensure canvassers feel supported and that they are part of an organized group. Shift captains should kick off the shift with a briefing and plan for the day, provide support and check in with volunteers throughout the shift, and close with a discussion around successes and learnings.
Support New Canvassers
First-time canvassers will need to be set up with clipboards, petition packets, and guidance on how to get started. The shift captain should provide resources, orientation, and training for any
inexperienced canvassers at the start of each shift. We recommend shift captains spend some time giving them tips and allowing them to shadow someone before heading off on their own.
Provide Resources
It is the shift captain’s responsibility to bring all necessary materials for the shift and to supply volunteers with resources.
Take Campaign Photos
It’s important for our team to have photos of canvassing in action. Ideally, shots would include the A-frame sign or clipboards, have faces visible, and include shots of people signing the petition. We also encourage a group shot before or after your shift!
Foster a Sense of Community
Research and past experiences have shown that when volunteers feel a sense of belonging, relatedness, and community, they are more likely to stay involved. The shift captain is responsible for creating a sense of community among volunteers in their shift by providing support, feedback, and encouragement, and facilitating discussion and cohesion among the group.
To create a new canvassing shift, follow the instructions outlined below.
Navigate to the Volunteer Signup Website.
If this is your first time signing in, select the green ‘Create your own signup sheet’ button in the upper-right corner:
On the next screen, select ‘Sign In’, and log in. If you have not received the login information, you can reach out to Brent directly via Slack or email.
Under ‘My signup sheets’ select ‘Edit’ next to the ‘Pro-Animal Future Canvassing Shifts’ signup sheet:
Select the green ‘+’ button to add a row to the signup table , and fill out the necessary fields. **Note: Try to keep the rows in date order to make upcoming shifts easier to find!
What: Shift location and meeting spot with a specific address
When: Shift date, including a start and end time
People needed: Using previous shifts at the same location as a frame of reference, add how many volunteers are needed for the shift
If you need some inspiration, check out our Location Notes and Idea List.
Recruit volunteers for your shift!
This guide provides everything you’ll need to schedule shifts, recruit volunteers, and run shifts effectively.
The shift captain’s role is to support, guide, and coordinate other canvassers during shifts. The shift captain hosts shifts by providing materials, orienting new volunteers, and briefing/debriefing the group.
If you are interested in stepping up to an organizer-level role and taking on the responsibilities of a shift captain, please reach out to Brent for more information and an introductory call!
Here are the articles in this section:
Once you have created a shift, it’s up to you to fill it! This page outlines how.
To check on who has signed up for your shift, click on ‘Pro-Animal Future Canvassing Shifts’ under ‘My signup sheets’ on the main page of the Volunteer Signup Website.
This will take you to a table view, where you can review volunteer names and contact info for anyone who has signed up.
If you still have open slots available, reach out directly to volunteers to encourage them to sign up. You can do this in a few different ways:
Use the #canvass-shifts Slack channel to spread the word about your shift and encourage volunteers to sign up.
Use Action Builder to reach out to volunteers individually.
Navigate to the main page of Action Builder and log in.
**If this is your first time logging in, reach out to Brent to give you access.
Apply filters using the right-hand table labeled ‘Filter Results’.
Select 'Info'.
Open the ‘Include’ drop-down menu.
Search for and select the time frame of your shift (i.e. Sunday afternoon). This will filter your results to only show volunteers that specified availability for that day and time.
Click on ‘Run Query’ at the top of the panel to filter your results.
From the filtered list of volunteer names, select the volunteer you’d like to reach out to, and take note of their contact preferences.
Reach out via their preferred mode of contact.
For outreach to new volunteers, we recommend saying something along the lines of the scripts below, but add in some personal touches to make it your own!
If you have a back-and-forth with a volunteer about canvassing at your shift, add a short "note" to their file in Action Builder.
Hi _____,
I'm_____, and I'm helping to organize the Pro-Animal Future ballot measure campaigns in Denver. I saw you filled out the volunteer interest form. Thanks for doing that!
We have a few quick steps we still need from you: 1) Join our Slack channel so you can stay connected with the campaign. 2) Watch our short orientation video or schedule an orientation call with Brent. 3) Sign up for your first shift!
Here is the link to get you started: https://solo.to/proanimalcolorado
We currently have some shifts posted for [insert shift times]. Would you be interested in signing up for one? There will be an organizer there who will give you your materials, get you started, and help you gain confidence canvassing.
Let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do to help.
Hi ____, this is ____ with Pro-Animal Future. I’m running a canvassing shift on [date, time, and location]. I need a few more people to have the biggest impact. Will you join me? You can sign up at https://volunteersignup.org/LBJQB
If a volunteer comes to a shift but hasn’t filled out the interest form, can they still participate?
Volunteers need to complete the interest form and agree to the code of conduct before they begin canvassing. You can direct them to the link and have them complete it before they get started – it only takes a couple minutes.
What should canvassers do with completed petition packets?
Canvassers should keep their completed petition packets and let Brent or Sage know so they can arrange to collect them. Completed petitions can also be notarized and collected at social events. Canvassers should not fill out the notary form on the last page of the packet until it has been collected.
What is the average rate of signatures per hour, in case anyone asks or is looking for a rough goal?
Experienced canvassers average around 22 signatures per hour.
Can people who say they will be registered to vote soon still sign?
No, people need to be registered at the time of signature. Let them know we’ll be petitioning through October and they can find us another time.
What should I do if approached by a reporter? Can I answer their questions about the campaign?
Ask questions. Check in with the volunteers you are working with and listen to them. Report back to the team on anything we could be doing to better support volunteers.
Remind first-timers not to worry about how many signatures they get, and just focus on getting comfortable with asking people to sign.
Remind volunteers that people need to be actively approached for signatures - most people will not stop and engage on their own.
We have to operate under the assumption that people from the animal agriculture industry will be trying to gather information on our campaign. If petitioners violate the rules (found in the petition packet), they could receive a fine.
Get lots of photos throughout the event!
Pull volunteer phone numbers from Action Builder and start a group text before your shift!
See if anyone wants to meet up before or after a shift for coffee, a bite to eat, etc.
Message volunteers you have previously worked with to recruit for future shifts.
Share wins in Slack! You can do this in the #canvass-shifts or #campaign-general channels. Here are some ideas:
Share a group photo
Share the group’s overall signature count
Give a shoutout if someone got a large number of signatures
Shoutout a new volunteer after their first shift
Reference page for all organizer resources and important links.
Contact Info for Brent Johannes, Campaign Lead -- you can reach out to Brent to request additional resources, for assistance in creating shifts, or any campaign-related questions.
Brent can also be reached via our Pro Animal Slack channel
Avoid answering any questions from reporters and instead direct them to the , where they can find additional information and contact our team.
Take group photos! Be sure to upload these to our , and maybe share afterwards via a group text or Slack
- also found on via the QR code on petition clipboards