Volunteer Training Program @ CalPoly San Louis Obispo

By Nick Bilich, VIP Lead with the Gender Equity Center, a partner site of CalPoly San Luis Obispo

An aspect of capacity building that we’ve implemented this spring at the Gender Equity Center is our updated volunteer training program.  A crucial aspect of designing any capacity building project is answering the “why?” question for potential volunteers—Why volunteer with our organization?

Our Center is (like a LOT of nonprofits) focused on aspects of social justice.  Many potential volunteers can be unaware of:

1. the ability to become involved in a movement they’re passionate about, and 
2. that our site provides the opportunity to exercise their energy and talent towards an important goal.  

Thus, this training project is designed to educate our community about WHY our Center exists, and show people the impact volunteers can have by investing in the Gender Equity Center.

A specific tip I’d like to highlight as we’ve designed this training is how it’s marketed to highly invested volunteers AND marginally invested volunteers.  The first group is comprised of those passionate about gender identity education, feminism, and social change.  These volunteers are attracted to the potential ability to impact our community through the education they receive, and the subsequent application.  It takes less of an effort to attract these volunteers, because they seek out these opportunities and education.  

The second group however, is not as deeply concerned about the goals of the volunteering, but is looking for some added value gained in the experience.  For us, it’s important to emphasize that our volunteer training is a GREAT resume builder!  Socially competent employees are very attractive in today’s job market, and our volunteer training can provide someone education to increase their understanding of what types of people could potentially be in their workplace.  Also, volunteering gives the individual opportunity to cite the hours they’ve devoted to our Center on their resume.  Mentioning all these aspects of the volunteer training allows us to throw the net wider than we might have otherwise.

I would encourage those developing similar programs/trainings to consider how they can market to groups who might be in the “marginally invested” category.  You might get more volunteers than you think!

Nick (bottom left) and other VIP Fellows as part of a human mesa.

AmeriCorps Week Recap: VIP Fellows in Action

CalSERVES VIP Fellows from around the state did some amazing work during AmeriCorps Week.   We got the word out, and showed our communities why AmeriCorps works.  From service projects, to official governmental recognitions, to our contest winners, our AmeriCorps Week efforts demonstrated our passion for service, and our valuable impact in communities throughout California.  I want to highlight some of the unique AmeriCorps Week activities at Jewish Family Service, Cal Poly, and here at CalSERVES.

VIP Fellows at Jewish Family Service of San Diego received recognition for their service by their U.S. House Representative Scott Peters, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, and Senator Diane Feinstein!  Representatives from the Peters and Maienschein offices also attended a lovely luncheon put on by Margot Schein, VIP Leader at JFS, to show official public support for the program and their work.  At the luncheon, JFS CEO, Michael Hopkins, spoke about the value of service and volunteerism.  There was even a guest appearance from our Program Coordinator Lauren Serpa and Program Manager Sara Sitch who travelled all the way from Santa Rosa to attend the event during their program site visits. 

JFS VIPs at the AmeriCorps Week Luncheon, with Program staff Lauren Serpa and Sara Sitch

The VIP cohort at CalPoly SLO received an official proclamation from the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors recognizing AmeriCorps Week in the county.  They also spread the word to potential future AmeriCorps members while passing out AmeriCorps swag at a Farmer’s Market in downtown San Louis Obispo.

CalPoly SLO VIPs outside the county office with the AmeriCorps Week proclamation in hand.

The VIP team here at CalSERVES kicked off AmeriCorps Week with a service project, at VIP partner site Catholic Charities, where we cooked dinner for the sixty people staying at the organization’s Family Support Center. We also received a proclamation from the Mayor that recognized the collective impact of AmeriCorps in Santa Rosa. From tutoring at risk students, to homeless outreach, to family support networks, it was great to see the broad and meaningful impact of AmeriCorps service in our city being recognized by the City Council.

CalSERVES VIPs with other AmeriCorps members receiving a proclamation with the City Council. 

I’m glad to see our VIP program getting the word out and about. AmeriCorps service is a unique opportunity that is often challenging and unglamorous, but when we step back and realize our collective impact, it is clear that our service is important and invaluable to the individuals and communities we serve.

by Alex Rowan, Local VIP Leader at CalSERVES

AmeriCorps Works... four final photo contest winners!

Today we get to announce our final two photo contest winners!  Take a look at these great shots:

Winner: Best Volunteer Photo

 

Our pick for Volunteer Photo comes from Luis Alberto, VIP Fellow at the Boys & Girls Club of Tustin through OneOC.  We love seeing young volunteers get excited about service!  Luis says, "This is Ori helping to make cupcakes for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tustin fundraiser."  

Winner: Best Overall Photo 

 We love this creative photo from VIP Fellow Nick Larson, and we've picked it as our Best Overall Photo!  Nick serves with The Link: Youth in Action through Cal Poly SLO.  Here is some of what Nick had to say about this photo:

"One of the most difficult populations with whom I have ever worked is eighth grade boys. I discovered this while taking a group of six middle school students on an overnight camping trip with students who are part of a gang prevention program for at-risk youth.  They were a group with very-little-to-no previous experience with activities like kayaking, hiking, and camping, not to mention being away from computers, tv, videogames, and phones. These boys were not perfect angels, but they showed up and participated gladly.  Two days and one night in the great outdoors definitely made an impact on them.  Two weeks later, they still talked about it.  The boys experienced something completely new, their faces revealed a light, and now there are new possibilities that life can bring them."

Congratulations to Luis and Nick!  You've got some prizes headed your way!

Now, hold on to the edge of your seat... our video contest winner will be announced next week...

New programs on the horizon for VIP partners: It's amazing what volunteer programs can do!

All around the state, about 140 VIP Fellows are building infrastructure in our state's essential nonprofit and educational organizations.  In organization after organization, we see new programs starting and new services provided once a steady stream of volunteer effort can be established behind an organization.  It's incredible to hear about the needs that are being met with a dedicated base of people willing to serve their community.


One of the latest program additions comes from VIP partner site Creative Mediation, a non-profit organization that provides mediation and conflict resolution services to the citizens of San Luis Obispo.  Creative Mediation will be starting up a new military mediation program for families of those serving in the armed forces.

AmeriCorps VIP fellow Kelly Donohue (second from left) and the staff at Creative Mediation 

visit Vandenberg Air Force Base in order to begin a new mediation program.

The year's off to a great start at Cal Poly SLO!

by VIP Leader Tyler Parthemer

August has meant the beginning of my second term as an AmeriCorps VIP Lead. The first week consisted of three days at my new agency, the City of San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Department, and two days of AmeriCorps orientation.  The first three days at my agency were fantastic—I was able to meet a very enthusiastic staff, plan and prepare for the first day of school, introduce myself to school administrators, and meet a group of fifteen amazing young teenagers eager to be a part of our SLO Teens after school program.

The two days of AmeriCorps orientation were also great.  We have a wonderful corps of twenty-seven members all ready and excited to serve and make a difference in our community.  We had the opportunity to learn a little about everyone, write a goal-setting letter to ourselves for the end of the service term, and bond over some great team-building activities.  Despite everyone having just met, we were all able to come together and begin to form professional and personal bonds.  It was an incredible start to a second service term and I look forward to the ten months ahead.

CalPoly VIP Fellows Recognized for AmeriCorps Week

Cal Poly VIP Fellows with the SLO County Board of Supervisors

Story by VIP Fellow Ryan Santillan

May featured National AmeriCorps Week, and Cal Poly participated in one promotional, two recognition, and two community service events.  As the coordinator of this week, I found the entire week to be rewarding in multiple ways.  Aside from the positive impact we continued to make in the community, the most rewarding part of this week was the proclaimed appreciation we received as an entire Corps, along with California Conservation Corps, by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. 

Tuesday morning of that week, our entire Corps attended the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting where we were presented with a colorful, signed Proclamation by the Board recognizing not only our service to the community, but also the fact that May 15-21 is officially AmeriCorps Week for San Luis Obispo County.  Broadcasted on local television and radio stations, and receiving a standing ovation from the Board themselves and community members who attended, this was a great honor that I was proud to be a part of!

This year, especially for me, has been a trying year in the sense that my fellow Corps members and I put so much effort, passion, and dedication into our service that we sometimes don’t get recognized for it. While the occasional “great job!” and “thank you” comments are always appreciated, words can only offer so much.  This is why the other Lead VIPs and myself try to host actual recognition/appreciation events for our Corps members, because actions further prove one’s said appreciation of another.  So to be actually presented a tangible award, recognized in the media, and given an amazing standing ovation by the powerful men in charge of our county, it rid any amount of stress or negative emotion that we have ever experienced up until that moment.  It was at that meeting where I believe we were never more proud to be AmeriCorps members serving in San Luis Obispo County.