Peer volunteers were often recruited through contact with a project outreach worker in the community or through a referral from a service organization. Peer volunteers also enlisted their friends, relatives, and other community members to participate in the project. Other methods of recruitment included newspaper ads and distribution of flyers seeking volunteers.

There are several desirable characteristics to look for in potential peer volunteers. Individuals recruited as volunteers should:

• be non-judgmental
• not have their own agendas or personal or religious philosophy that conflicts with program objectives
• live or spend time in the target community and plan on staying in that area
• be able to be located for follow-up

Various incentives were important for retaining the assistance of volunteers in distributing materials. Monetary incentives (which were generally in the range of $20-$40 a month) were useful in maintaining volunteers. These incentives were typically provided for completing debriefing interviews that were part of the research study. However non-monetary incentives also were attractive; e.g., t-shirts & baseball caps with the project logo, movie passes, restaurant coupons, and hygiene kits. Staff also provided other types of support to peer volunteers, including referral to case management or drug treatment services, phone calls, thank you cards and letters, and job referrals and references. The local projects also occasionally sponsored group activities for their volunteers, such as yearly picnics or holiday parties.