visiting professionals program (vpp) manual association of environmental & engineering...

Visiting Professionals Program

(VPP) Manual

Association of Environmental & Engineering GeologistsConnecting Professionals, Practice and the Public

Created by: Section Chapter Support Committee

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the

heart.”-Elizabeth

Andrew



Goal: Increase advocacy for AEG and the professions of engineering geology, environmental geology, and related fields

• AEG members who volunteer their time and share their experiences:

• Professionals• Community members• Students

• VPP Provide• Greater awareness of AEG• Role our industry plays in society• New members


Goal: Increase advocacy for AEG and the professions of engineering geology,

environmental geology, and related fields, continued…….

• Administered within the Section level

• Section is responsible for the program within their boundaries

• Scheduling VPP presentations

• Promoting the VPP

• VPP Liaison position - voluntary position


Responsibilities and Duties of Section VPP Liaison

Recruit Volunteers for VPP

Identify Venues and Events

Solicit Organizations or Points of Contact to Promote VPP

Assign a VPP Volunteer to a Scheduled Event

Attend a Scheduled Semi-annual VPP Conference Call


Recruiting volunteers for the VPP

• Maintain a list of current VPP volunteers

• Enlist additional Section members to participate

• Email requesting participation

• Ask members to respond if they are interested in

participating


Recruiting volunteers for the VPP, continued…

• Section Chair maintains email and contact

information

• Create a list of those who responded

• Request volunteers on an annual basis

• Volunteer can then volunteer for a specific

event, based on

• Interest and proximity to the function

location


Example Email Dear Section members;

The ______ Section is seeking a Visiting Professional Program (VPP) Liaison to oversee the VPP program in our section.

The goal of the VPP is to increase advocacy for AEG and the professions of engineering geology, environmental geology, and related fields to the general public. This can be accomplished by AEG members who volunteer their time in order to share their experiences with other professionals, community members, students, and others who may benefit from the services AEG and its members provide.

The VPP liaison will coordinate with both VPP volunteers and potential venues to set up specific activities. If you are interested in this worthwhile role, please contact _____ at _____.

Thank you,

Jane Doe, _______Section VPP Liaison


Don’t Forget…Recruit at Section Activities

• VPP liaison may recruit volunteers at

Section meetings and activities

• Section Chair can introduce the VPP liaison

• Explain the VPP program

• Ask for volunteers

• Network at Section activities


Don’t Forget…Recruit at Section Activities, continued….

• Best candidates• Interesting work/projects• Experience speaking in front of

large audiences• Passion for advocating

environmental and engineering geology


Identify Venues and Events in Your Area

• Community – Rotary Club, Lions Club, YMCA, etc.• Education – Universities, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, school science clubs, science

fairs • USE AEG K-12 Committee and the AEG Student and Young Professionals

Support Committee (SYPSC)• Geosciences organizations – Association of Women Geoscientists,

Geoscientists without borders, local geology clubs, etc. • Other Professionals – lawyers, bankers, real-estate professionals,

surveyors, well drillers • Design Professionals – architects, engineers• Government – legislators, state agencies, regulators, etc.


Solicit Organizations or Points of Contact to Promote the VPP

• VPP volunteers can:• Give a presentation• Attend a function• Host a booth

• VPP liaison can:• Email to the contact person• Telephone the contact person• Request to participate in a function• Attend a monthly meeting• Schedule a presentation


Solicit Organizations or Points of Contact to Promote the VPP, continued…

“How to” is explained in the VPP Manualon line


Assign a VPP Volunteer to a Scheduled Event

Coordinate with available VPP volunteers to schedule their participation in a specific activity:

• Email volunteers with details• Date• Time• Location• Task (handing out materials, giving a presentation, etc.) • Ask the VPP liaison if they are willing to participate in the

event


Assign a VPP Volunteer to a Scheduled Event, continued….

Once a volunteer has agreed to participate in an activity:• Contact the organization• Give them the volunteer’s name and contact information• Volunteer can then contact the organization directly, or• Organization can contact the volunteer Provide supporting materials to VPP volunteers• PowerPoint presentations• Handouts• Other materials


Attend a scheduled Semi-annual VPP Liaison Conference Call

Conference calls serve to: 1. Update committees on status of VPP and recommend

improvements/request new supporting materials, where appropriate2. Share successes, strategies, areas where improvement may be

needed, get motivated/inspired, etc.3. Stay in regular contact with VPP volunteers4. Provide short article on VPP activities for Section newsletter and AEG NEWS

VPP liaisons will get an email notifying them of the date/time set-up for the semi-annual conference call.


Keep of record of all VPP activities within your section

• Keep an ongoing record of all VPP activities• Lists of organizations given talks• Specific individuals - good contacts• Letters or requests sent to organizations• Any responses from organizations• Examples of what worked well• Example topics that were well received


Responsibilities of VPP Volunteers

The Section VPP Liaison is the point of contact for VPP tasks:• Scheduling presentations• Requesting supporting materials When Appropriate the VPP volunteer may:• Schedule the event• Provide materials


Responsibilities of VPP Volunteers, continued…..

For example:

The VPP volunteer is a member of the Lion’s Club and volunteered to give a presentation on the profession to them. The VPP volunteer may schedule their own activity, and should notify the VPP. The VPP Liaison may facilitate this request by providing PowerPoint materials or handouts. In addition, this presentation should be included in the Outstanding Section Award application submitted to HQ.



Continued…

With support of the Liaison• Develop a presentation topic • Advocacy Committee - PowerPoint

presentation that may be used • PowerPoint can be revised/edited as needed



Continued… No minimum number of presentations is required, and the VPP volunteer maintains the right to accept or decline any presentation. • Help the VPP Liaison to identify those venues (and

points of contact) • Volunteers that live in various areas have knowledge

of venues (i.e. science fairs, Lion’s club meetings etc.)

• Communicate these venues/events to the VPP Liaison so that they can be added to the list of potential venues


Available VPP Packet Materials

The electronic packet will include at least the following: • Detailed VPP Liaison manual • List of VPP volunteers within the Section• List of well-established venues• AEG printable brochures and flyers • AEG membership forms• New Student Chapter application forms• Sample PowerPoint(s) • FAQ list for VPP volunteers• Post-visit survey


Responsibilities of AEG Operational Committees

• AEG Committee member must attend the semi-annual VPP Liaison conference call

• Evaluate surveys from VPP volunteers at least annually • Revise the VPP program as necessary• Continue to create supporting materials for the VPP• Provide these materials to the VPP Liaison:

• Handouts• Presentations• List of Section venues• List of geology programs at colleges/universities• Survey

Thank You!


Questions? Feedback – Marie Garsjo at [email protected]

visiting professionals program (vpp) manual association of environmental & engineering...

Documents

vpp program

environmental geology

public slide

list of current vpp

additional section members

section level section

public recruiting volunteers

public goal