Download - Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteers
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The OSM/VISTA TeamsAppalachian Coal Country Team
www.CoalCountryTeam.orgWestern Hardrock Watershed Team
www.HardrockTeam.org
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Appalachian Coal Country TeamACCTPA, OH, MD, WV, VA, KY, TN, AL
Western Hardrock Watershed Team WHWT
CO and NM
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“Volunteers for Rural Watersheds” Research Project
o 3-year research projecto Seek to develop tools and resources to make volunteerism
work better for rural community/watershed groups
o Started in Summer 2008o Funding from EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and
Watersheds (OWOW) to explore: o Who are volunteers and what services do they provide? o What are the most effective ways to manage volunteers? o Why and where are these strategies successful? o How can we get these findings and
effective strategies into the hands of
as many people as possible?
Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
Project Overview• Phase 1: Collected and analyzed
survey data from volunteer base of 16 organizations
• Phase 2: Identified 25 volunteer management practices being done successfully by rural groups; transplanted and documented trial practices for one year
• Phase 3: Outreach and dissemination of information through workshops, workbook, website, webinars, etc.
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteers
Phase 1: Volunteer SurveysSurvey asked: • How did these rural watershed volunteers
get involved with their organizations?• What are some of their personal
characteristics?• What capacity do they serve for their
respective organizations and communities?
• How might they be further engaged in volunteer activities in the future?
• Practical issues such as volunteer availability and provision for follow-up interviews.
www.RuralVolunteer.org
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
What we learned:
A "typical” volunteer for a rural watershed group:
– Adult (average 50 years old)
– Married (65%) with children (63%)
– Employed full-time (49%)
– Has bachelor’s degree (39%)
– Making between $20,000 and $39,000 per year
– Residing within the watershed (area served by organization)
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
What we learned:
• 70% of volunteers had friends who were part of the organization prior to participation
• Became involved in organization through a friend involved with the watershed group (36%) or through a family member involved with the watershed group (18%).
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
What we learned:
– Are highly involved in local organizations, most commonly: a conservation organization (48%); a church-affiliated group (46%); a civic or political organization (44%).
– Report high civic engagement:• 90% voted in the 2008 presidential election• 82% voted in a local election in 2006 or 2007• 79% voted in the primary election• 63% contacted a member of Congress
or state legislature for any reason• 51% contacted a local government
official about a policy issue
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
Phase 2: Testing Volunteer Management Practices
• Designed to identify successful volunteer management practices then monitor application by other organizations
– Found practices or strategies being used with success by other organizations within the ACCT/WHWT
– Transplanted 25 successful practices to the participating organizations that need them
– Documented successes and challenges for 1 year
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
25 Volunteer Management Practices• Skills/needs spreadsheet for board
recruitment
• Partnership with ATV groups
• Church partnerships
• Business partnerships
• Mandatory service volunteers
• Community service volunteers
• Student athlete volunteers
• Bi-monthly outreach meetings
• One-hour board meetings
• Volunteer contributions to newsletter
• Development of youth advisory board
• Formation of youth helper organization
• Wild and Scenic Film Festival
• Service learning projects
• Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
• Providing transportation
• Water monitoring through partnerships
• Water monitoring with individuals
• Volunteer appreciation picnic
• Constructing a rain garden
• Constructing wetlands
• Duck race
• 5k race
• Adopt-a-stream
• Fish fry
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5k Race
The Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team (ACCWT)An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.accwt.org
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
Phase 3: Create and share rural volunteer management resources
– Distillation of all research into Toolkit workbook and website
– Not just research but worksheets, checklists, etc for overall volunteer management process
– Share on local, state, regional, and national level
– Create and conduct training around Toolkit
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Toolkit for Working with Rural Volunteerswww.RuralVolunteer.org
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Website
www.ruralvolunteer.org
Amber Hendrickson
(304)252-4848 x 310