RE: Volunteer Center Structure
Very definitely you will be doing your program, students, and your
community a favor by expanding your efforts to include some form of
committees or, as we here at COOL prefer to think of it - a Coalition of
Projects. These projects should be on-going initiatives where students have
made regular (ie. weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.) commitments to service
and where there is a student leader(s) serving as the coordinator.
Typically these student coordinators are experienced volunteers who:
a) help the service office with recruitment on campus,
b) help the agency with training and scheduling of the student volunteers,
and c) meet with their peers on an regular basis to help them with
reflection planning/evaluation, getting additional training, compare
experiences, etc.
Once a coordinator is found and a group of volunteers is recruited they can
function like a committee and take on various other leadership tasks needed
to help your office year to year. (On some campuses these committees are
even registered as separate student organizations in order to help them
access campuses resources like meeting rooms, SGA funding, etc.)
In order to get started with some committees you might want to start with
projects that are somewhat easier to establish. Some ways I suggest you
might do this are:
1) Consider working with agencies you have had the most significant
relationships with already. Agencies working on issues already of noted
interest to your students will be easier to establish on-going links with.
2) Find and establish relationships with community agencies that are close
to your campus. Often students like things close to campus so that they can
easily reach them with out a car or extended ride on public transit.
Additionally, it makes it easier for some students who may like to do their
service in between classes.
3) Find out which agencies already have student volunteers working there.
Perhaps you can convince these students to share their experiences and
become your founding coordinator/committee chair. I've found in my own
experience that some of these students are the greatest asset out there.
This is also a great way for your institution to recognize people for the
work they are already doing.
Lastly, I'd encourage you to set up a system where you are constantly open
to the development of new projects. Often times student interests will
change as issues change nationally or specific problems in your community
get more attention. Because of this always be on the lookout for new
projects and new leaders that your office can help establish within your
coalition.
I'd be glad to talk with you more about this.
Be COOL,
Lloyd Jacobson
National Programs Director
Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL)
*************************************************************
* It's COOL to Serve! *
* C.O.O.L. - Campus Outreach Opportunity League *
* *
* Founded in 1984, COOL is a national non-profit *
* organization working to encourage, support and expand *
* campus-based community service efforts. *
* COOL's mission is to educate and empower students *
* to strengthen our nation through service. *
* *
* For more information contact us at: *
* 1511 K Street, NW, Suite 307 *
* Washington, DC 20005 *
* (202)637-7004 phone *
* (202)637-7021 fax *
* E-Mail: homeoffice@COOL2SERVE.org *
* Web Site: http://www.COOL2SERVE.org *
*************************************************************
>Hi everyone,
>we are currently looking at a major restructuring of our volunteer
>center. What we now have is a central system of keeping up with community
>service opportunities, and we would like to branch out into more of a
>"committee system" like we have seen at other schools.
>
>The way it now works:
>Non-profit agencies call our office looking for volunteers for an event.
>We have 5-10 opportunities each week. We sign our students up at the
>beginning of the year and then mail them occasional "upcoming event
>sheets" and try to call our students to ask them to volunteer. We have
>950 students on our database. We currently do no training or reflection.
>
>What we would like to move to:
>More of a committee system, with students to coordinate each committee.
>The committee would work with the agency or agencies to set up events, and
>we would then be able to move to some training and preparation for the
>event, and some reflection activities.
>
>Has anyone out there done anything similar? I would like any feedback and
>would be happy to answer any questions. Structurally, do we need to do
>this? Would it be a major improvement? Or not?
>Obviously, there are details still to be worked out but please let me know
>what you all think.
>
> Thanks!
> Jeanna Mastrodicasa
> Co-Director, Volunteer Center
> University of Tennessee
> (423)974-8481
> jmastro@utk.edu
*************************************************************
* It's COOL to Serve! *
* C.O.O.L. - Campus Outreach Opportunity League *
* *
* Founded in 1984, COOL is a national non-profit *
* organization working to encourage, support and expand *
* campus-based community service efforts. *
* COOL's mission is to educate and empower students *
* to strengthen our nation through service. *
* *
* For more information contact us at: *
* 1511 K Street, NW, Suite 307 *
* Washington, DC 20005 *
* (202)637-7004 phone *
* (202)637-7021 fax *
* E-Mail: homeoffice@COOL2SERVE.org *
* Web Site: http://www.COOL2SERVE.org *
*************************************************************