Center for Civic Partnerships

Volunteerism

Volunteer Facts

44% of adults aged 21 or over volunteered in 2000
Volunteer hours totaled 15.5 billion hours
Volunteer hours equaled over 9 million full time positions
Average hourly value of volunteer time equaled $15.40
Volunteer hours in 2001 were worth $239 billion
63% of volunteers contribute their time on a regularly scheduled basis
Over 20% of seniors aged 65 and over reported volunteering (www.nationalservice.org)
Volunteers, also make larger financial contributions, in addition to their contribution of time (Independent Sector’s Giving and Volunteering in the United States national survey findings- 200; see www.independentsector.org/programs/research/gvo/main/html)

Tips for Volunteers

Identify interests and issues important to you.
Determine skills you have to offer or you could teach to others.
Incorporate volunteer work with career or personal goals.
Identify agencies, community programs or individuals that need volunteer support.
Determine your availability- be realistic! Don’t overextend or over-commit yourself.
Be prepared to interview for a volunteer position.
Clearly understand what is expected of you as a volunteer.
Enjoy!

Tips for Organizations

Identify the organization’s needs that volunteers can fulfill.
Determine costs, benefits and liabilities of a volunteer program. Identify what skills are required or desired from volunteers.
Recruit potential volunteers through outreach, local media, professional and personal contacts, newsletters and community events.
Screen applicants carefully through an application and interview process.
Develop volunteer orientation and training programs.
Provide supervision and feedback on volunteer’s work.
Celebrate volunteers’ contributions frequently- they’re worth it!

Online Resources and Tools

Americorps
www.americorps.org
This national service program addresses community issues in education, public safety, health and human needs and the environment through volunteerism.

Community Tool Box
www.ctb.ku.edu/en
Provides tips, tools and resources on all aspects of community building including: visioning, facilitation, collaboration, media and communication, participation, planning and evaluation.
www.ctb.ku.edu/tools/chapter_1011.htm
Toolbox chapter that discusses recruiting and training volunteers.

Corporation for National Service
www.cns.gov
Engages more than a million Americans each year in service to their communities.

Do Something
www.dosomething.org
Program that trains, funds and mobilizes young people to be community leaders.

Energize, Inc.
www.energize.com
Assists organizations of all types with their volunteer efforts. Extensive resources on volunteer management are included in their library.

Idealist
www.idealist.org
A project of Action Without Borders, a global coalition of individuals and organizations which focuses on practical solutions to social and environmental problems. Click on 'Volunteer Opportunities' to search for opportunities in your area.

Neighborhoods Online
www.neighborhoodsonline.net
Promotes neighborhood empowerment.

Network for Good
www.networkforgood.org/volunteer
Online resource designed to help people find volunteer and giving opportunities in their own communities.

Points of Light
www.pointsoflight.org
This Foundation's mission is to engage people more effectively in volunteer community service to help solve serious social problems.

Servenet
www.servenet.org
Information and resources on service and volunteering.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development
www.hud.gov/volunteering/index.cfm
HUD’s website and its Volunteer Center page, which lists several community service opportunities.

Volunteer Today
www.volunteertoday.com/default.htm
Information, resources and an electronic newsletter for volunteers and organizations.

Volunteers of America
www.voa.org
Provides local human service programs and the opportunity for individual and community involvement.

Volunteer Match
www.volunteermatch.org
Provides resources and information to encourage people to get involved in their community.