From a Volunteer’s P.O.V.

This is a guest post by Cassie Hoisington, the administrative intern at TrueNorth. She is currently a senior at Fremont High School and will be going to Grand Valley in the fall to pursue a degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration.

“The first time I ever experienced a service of TrueNorth was in fifth grade. I participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and I had a Big Sister named Rachel. She would visit once or twice a week during recess and we would play games together. Her influence helped me open up to her and other people. She was a high school senior, the same age that I am now, and though I only got to spend a year with her, I think she became a role model for me. She was a girl scout, just like I am, and she ran for Baby Food Festival Queen. She didn’t win, but I still had a sense of pride knowing that she had been my Big Sister. Since then, I’ve wanted to be able to help people like Rachel helped me.

Now I’m a high school intern at TrueNorth and have experienced all sorts of different tasks. I started out as an intern because I wanted to be a social worker, but I discovered that it wasn’t for me. I figured out that I would rather help manage a program that is helping people, so now I help by doing work on the administrative side. I’ve done every sort of task that there is here; I’ve folded business cards, worked in the food pantry, planned routes for a project, and almost everything in-between. The best thing about volunteering is when I feel like I’ve truly made a difference in someone’s life, even if it’s a tiny one. Just smiling at someone or helping bag their groceries can make a person feel better, even if it’s only for just that moment. “

Thanks for the post Cassie!

Skill-Based Volunteering - the Latest Trend!

Welcome to the new TrueNorth volunteerism blog: The Volunteer Path. The purpose of this blog is to explore topics related to volunteerism and offer a venue for people to share their thoughts on volunteering. Your thoughts and opinions are always welcome!

Skill-based volunteering is a huge new trend in the volunteerism sector. Has anyone heard of this term before? Anyone? Anyone? Let’s break it down; Think about the skills you personally have. I’m not talking about math or science here. You may have an outgoing personality and enjoy talking to people… or know a lot about music… or be able to type 100 words per minute. Sports, art, technology, reading, social media. The list is endless. Skill-based volunteering harnesses those abilities and leverages them to help nonprofits like ours achieve their mission.

When most people look for volunteer opportunities, they often look for something that already exists such as a roadside cleanup or stocking food pantry shelves. While those are both very important, these types of volunteer opportunities don’t typically require a high skill level. What if you flipped that strategy upside down? Look at the skills that you have attained throughout your life and ask yourself – “Could any of those things possibly help a nonprofit?”  

Your sports talent could translate into an opportunity to teach a child to play. Your experience in human resources could help an organization recruit and train new volunteers. Maybe your ability to interact with people online could help a nonprofit advertise and advocate for their cause. Look at yourself in a new light. What do you have to offer the world?

Here are a few steps to get you started:

1. Assess the knowledge, skills and experience you can offer a nonprofit.
2. Choose an organization whose work is important to you, and identify ways you can support its mission.
3. Establish goals and expectations for each project.

Still need convincing? Check this out: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/SBV-a-new-generation-of-service.pdf

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Join Hands Day- May 7, 10am-12pm

Join Hands Day is a national volunteer day that specifically targets and develops relationships between young people and adults through volunteering. This year at TrueNorth, we will be hosting a Warm Hearts Blanket Bee on Saturday, May 7, to make warm, no-sew fleece blankets for children and families in need.  Michigan weather can be unpredictable, even in the summer. Often, the only thing that separates cold people from comfort is a warm blanket. A really neat feature of the Warm Hearts Blanket Bee is the no-sew method used to create the blankets, which ensures that almost anyone can do it; there is no sewing experience necessary! This is a day for families to come together and volunteer for the community they live in. To RSVP, please contact Lora at 231.924.0641 or lstevens@truenorthservices.org.

Challenge Course Facilitator

The purpose of the Challenge Course at Camp Newaygo is to explore group interaction, problem-solving, and leadership, as well as helping campers confront personal fears. The Challenge Course includes a climbing wall, ropes course, team-building activities, and more. A trained volunteer facilitator will help groups of campers safely complete the Challenge Course by demonstrating proper techniques and leading team-building activities. This is a great opportunity to build your resume, improve your communication and management skills, and learn how to use a ropes course and other functions of a Challenge Course. Training is on June 3, 2011. For a complete position description, please click here.