Volunteer Empowerment Project
From AFSWiki
What is this? A three-month project, begun on May 13, 2008, by Karen Zotter. This is an inquiry into ways to enliven the AFS volunteer base and ensure that AFS volunteers feel empowered. I am exploring how the Info Center can take action steps to further the larger vision of the Volunteer Development Department.
Can I contribute to the discussion? Yes, please. Give your input by clicking on the discussion tab or email Karen Zotter (kzotter@afs.org).
Give feedback now! Answer any of these questions under the discussion tab for Volunteer involvement (you can be a volunteer or staff).
Goals
- Now--By the end of August, the AFS Wiki will be the new information library. AFS Sending volunteers will feel that they have all the tools they need at their fingertips to be self-sufficient and inspiring world leaders. I will transfer what information we have in the Info Center to AFS Wiki.
- Looking ahead--This Wiki page can be a continued space for voices to be gathered around the idea of volunteer development. Surveys have already been done by various departments, but this is a place for ongoing feedback as volunteer development takes shape. As I delve into figuring out what volunteer development is and how it fits with the Info Center, I figured I might as well put what I find here. I can act as a bridge between departments to support volunteer development.
How The main vehicle for this empowerment will be AFS Wiki, but other formats most likely will become necessary in the future.
- First, I will gather information on what is already being done in the realm of Volunteer Development.
- Second, I will discern what staff and volunteers think we still need in terms of information or resources for Sending volunteers to be able to work with students and parents throughout the entire sending process from start to finish.
- Third, I will input updated information in the AFS Wiki at least once a week.
- Fourth, I will suggest other action plans as they arise.
Current Recommendations for Action
- Transfer IC Wiki info to AFS Wiki by the end of June.
- Discern by the end of June if we need online sending tutorials for things like how to do a sending interview, what tools sending volunteers need, etc.-->Seems to me like most of this is there already.
- Get volunteer/staff input via Wiki discussion by end of June on topic of volunteer development to help shape where it goes.
Ideas for after August
- Have specific Volunteer Development or Info Center staff devoted to inspiring people (Outreach) to volunteer? Have other staff working on the development piece? The recruiting and development would be parts that fit in with Volunteer Registration.
- Have the Info Center be the point person for questions about AFS Wiki? or let that be up to Volunteer Development?
- Have clear volunteer task descriptions to involve more people on a smaller scale (maybe a database that lets people sign up?).
- AFS Pals--match up one returnee per interested student. May also match one staff advisor per student from start to finish.
- Natural Family Support Coordinator--maintain contact between local sending volunteer and natural family as student is abroad. This has been recommended by more than one volunteer and staff person.
For Findings and thoughts each week see
Week by Week action steps
May 13-27, 2008
- Held meetings with various people including: Jen Peck, Lila Pigott, Nick Triolo, Jim Laden, Jonathan Shakes, Central Sending team ( Amanda Fischer, Erin Betlock, Kara Thate, Anna Sharp-Whitcomb, Connie Kurtz), and Nancy Frazier.
May 28-June 5
- Met with Leslie Loy for update on program information and how she can use info from IC (Information Center) Wiki.
- Got almost all IC Staff to have their Staff Pages on AFS Wiki by Fri 6/6. Still working on AC Staff.
- Publicized that this page exists on AFS Inbox on Thursday 6/4.
June 9-13
- Continue to get AC Staff pages up and linked to the staff list by 6/10. IC Staff are up.
- Posted the existence of this page on AFS Online 6/9.
- Met with Joanne Yokoyama
- Figured out with Jen Peck the transferring of IC Wiki info to AFS Wiki
- Created List for transfer of IC Wiki Info
- Was on Returnee Engagement Strategy Conf Call 6/12
June 16-21
- Consolidated and cleaned things up. Let IC know about transferring info.
- Met with and helped train new sending coordinator volunteers June 21st when they participated in training in Portland.
- Plugged into working on volunteer sending recruiter project with Jenny Davis.
- Updated transfer list and started transferring Media Policy and Hosting info.
June 23-26
- Transferred Money and Application Process info. Finished transferring Hosting info.
- Checked in with Scott to see how things are going. Needs more time to work on it.
June 30-July 3
- Finish transferring all IC Wiki info (money, applications, country preferences, credits, etc.)
- Let Leslie, Dharma, Julia, Edina, Lila, Scott know that I am done transferring and there are pieces they can decide what to do with.
- Start working on AFS Wiki/AFS Online project Jonathan Shakes requested.
July 7-10
- Transferred some pieces that others didn't have time to transfer.
- Checked-in with Jen Peck about next steps. Decided I am embarking on transferring Sending Scripts, Standards, some E-marketing and Inbound info. The Staff Office Policies and certain logistics will be handled by Lila in the G Drive as we used to have it.
- Emailed group of volunteers in Central States to find out what pieces of Sending info from AFS Online they aren't finding here in AFS Wiki.
July 14-18
- Met with Jonathan Shakes about AFS Wiki and AFS Online. I will talk with three volunteers about what they use most in the Sending module in AFS Online.
- Haven't heard back from volunteers yet, so I called a couple to get their input. See the Notes on volunteer empowerment meetings if you want to know what they said. I will be looking at AFS Wiki to try and incorporate their ideas. Thanks!
- Gave a mini training to the Info Center on how to use AFS Wiki.
July 21-24
- Went through and used volunteer feedback to make sure certain info is now in AFS Wiki. Looked at AFS Online Sending to put some info in AFS Wiki as well. I feel like we are close to done. The AFS Info Center is no longer using the IC Wiki.
