VolunteerLEON's Featured Story - January 2004

The community has never before been in so great a need of the work of volunteers and of the many voluntary organizations sustained by volunteer commitments. Assisting organizations with making their programs “volunteer ready” is what VolunteerLEON is here for, in fact, it is part of our mandate as a Volunteer Center certified by the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network. In keeping with this mandate, VolunteerLEON will be offering the Volunteer Management Training Series (VMTS) this Spring 2004 in partnership with Tallahassee Community College.

VMTS is a high quality, comprehensive course in volunteer management designed to be delivered to community organizations and volunteer managers by local Volunteer Centers. The curriculum, developed by the Points of Light Foundation, is based on research and effective practices in volunteer management. The primary goal of VMTS is to enable organizations in the Big Bend area to mobilize and manage volunteer resources for the greatest possible impact on their specific causes and needs.

Who should attend?

• New or recently-hired volunteer managers

• Persons who manage volunteers in addition to other responsibilities

• Persons looking to start a new volunteer program or revitalize an existing one

• Nonprofit, government, faith-based and school-based volunteer managers

The VMTS course consists of 8 modules that will be presented in 4 hour sessions by a rotating panel of local experts and facilitators in combination with small group activities and discussions. Participant’s knowledge, skills and abilities will be developed or enhanced in the areas of:

• Understanding Volunteering,
• Planning a Volunteer Program,
• Recruiting and Placing Volunteers,
• Training Volunteers,
• Supervising Volunteers,
• Evaluating a Volunteer Program,
• Essential Strategies for Engaging Special Groups, and
• Marketing a Volunteer Program.

The cost for Organizational Members of VolunteerLEON will be an $8 materials fee.

Nonmember organizations, general public and TCC students will be charged a $28 fee. Other volunteer centers across the state are also conducting these trainings but are charging members and nonmembers several hundred dollars to attend. The discounted fee here in Leon County is a gift to you from the Leon County Board of County Commissioners and VolunteerLEON.

Classes will commence at TCC the week of February 23, 2004 - April 23, 2004 once per week consecutively for 8 weeks (with the exception of Spring Break: March 8-12, 2004).

Learn how to design high-impact volunteer opportunities, explore strategies for recruiting people to fill your organization's needs, effectively manage the volunteers once in the program, and recognize them for their efforts!

For more information regarding registration procedures, please call (850) 921-3015 or email us at VolunteerLEON@leoncountyfl.gov.

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