Volunteerism: A Mechanism to Alleviate Unemployment

1. Volunteerism: A Mechanism to Alleviate Unemployment F∙E∙G∙S Health and Human Services System

2. Agenda: • Project history • Goals • Partnership with employment services • Results • Steps for building a volunteer consulting program • Challenges and benefits • Discussion • Questions and answers • Summary

4. Connect to Care job services: Enhancement of job search skills through employment workshops such as resume writing, interviewing, networking, internet job search, computer workshops and tutoring, etc… Individual consultation and guidance Networking events Volunteer consulting placements

5. Goals of engaging job seekers in skill-based volunteer assignments: Offer unemployed New Yorkers the chance to reinforce their skills within new environments Provide valuable recent employment experience Uplift and maintain job seekers’ spirits through continued activity and engagement in their areas of expertise Assist companies coping with the economic downturn by connecting them with skilled professionals, ready to work free of charge

6. Who are Connect to Care job seekers? Age: 29 and Younger: 9% 30-39: 17% 40-54: 46% 55-64: 24% 65+: 4%

8. Volunteer Engagements: Facilitate workshops related to job search such as resume writing, internet job search, Microsoft workshops, Networking skills, etc… Provide mock / practice interviews to job seekers Consult non-profit organizations in the area of your expertise such as marketing, finance, event planning, etc…

9. Community Volunteers Job Seekers Community Volunteers Job Seekers Host Sites Employers Employment Services Volunteer Services

10. Key players: Job Seekers Employment Program Volunteer Services Host-Sites Community Volunteers

11. Results: From June 2009 until April 2010: Total number of engaged volunteers: 196 Number of volunteer workshop facilitators: 20 Number of I-PREP interviewers: 131 Number of placed consultants: 45 Number of workshops presented by volunteers: 93 Number of Connect to Care job seekers receiving services from volunteers: 446

12. Results continued: Community Volunteers / Workshop Facilitators: Out of 20 recruited facilitators 17 (85%)were unemployed when they started their volunteer assignment So far 5 individuals (25%)found employment (2 of them opened small businesses) All 17 volunteers were given the option of receiving employment services

13. I-PREP Interviewers: Out of 131volunteer mock interviewers 67 (51%) were unemployed. All unemployed individuals were given the option to receive employment services

14. Consulting Opportunities: Created relationships with 25 host-sites Placed 45 recently unemployed individuals as skilled volunteer consultants within 18 host-sites So far 19 individuals found employment (44%)

15. Examples of consulting positions: Event planning Grant writing Gardening project consulting Graphic design Web Design Financial analysis and advising Paralegal Fundraising Marketing

16. Steps for building a volunteer consulting program: Establish relationship with employment services Define the referral and communication procedures Establish relationship with host-sites Define an agreement, referral and follow up procedures Train host-sites on defining short term assignment (6 week assignment)

17. Steps continued: Receive a list of assignment descriptions from all sites Hold orientation sessions to inform job seekers / prospective volunteers about the available openings, placement process, application and interview Interview, select and match prospective volunteers with the appropriate host-site and assignment

18. Steps continued: Refer prospective volunteers for an interview at the host-site Follow up on volunteer placement Keep in monthly contact with the volunteer Keep in contact with host-site and address issues as needed

19. Factors involved in the selection of host-sites: Non-profit organizations Organizations that meet the needs and employment interests of our clients such as arts organizations, environmental projects, etc… Sites that are willing to invest time and attention in guidance and supervision of volunteers

20. Factors continued: Experience and/or interest in working with volunteers Organizations located in desirable locations Organizations that have potential to hire

21. Challenges we encountered: Volunteer Services: Staff / civic corps members were inexperienced and had to be trained to interview, select and place volunteers Host-Sites: Job description did not accurately reflect actual work Lack of experience working with skilled volunteers Slow response by host-sites. Some potential volunteers got discouraged. Limited or no supervision

22. Challenges continued: Volunteers: Confusion about interest and direction Lack of familiarity with non-profit organizational culture vs. corporate culture High expectation to be hired Saying “find me a volunteer position” however meaning “find me a job”. Presenting some rigidity when selecting a volunteer position.

23. Benefits of the volunteer consulting program: Benefits to Job Seekers: Assists job seekers by enhancing job search and gaining employment through volunteerism as volunteerism provides opportunity to: Network with other professionals Enhance and expand job skills Transfer existing skills to new field of work which expands possible work opportunities Keeps one’s spirits up which contributes to active search rather than withdrawal and depression. Get hired

24. Benefits continued: Benefits to Employment Program: Assists the program by engaging their clients in active job search and increasing their employability potential Increases job placements Benefit to Volunteer Department: Ensures on-going referrals of skilled volunteers Expand network with other non-profit organizations Increase visibility of F∙E∙G∙S

25. Benefits continued: Benefits to Host-Site: Receive free services from highly skilled professionals Opportunity to work with potential new hires

26. Benefits to Community Volunteers: Opportunity to give back through facilitating workshops, mock interviews and panel presentations for unemployed professionals Connecting with employment service and receiving services such as resume writing, interviewing and networking workshops and consultations while giving services such as computer workshops and mentoring Increases opportunities to be hired

27. Summary: Volunteerism impacts job search and employment Volunteer partnership with employment services enables exchange of services Your client (job seeker / service receiver) is also your volunteer (service giver) Volunteers enhance their job search while assisting other organizations by doing consulting projects Development of strong working relationship with partnering organizations (host-sites) is paramount to the success of the volunteer program Volunteerism is about exchange