GROUP VOLUNTEER INFORMATION

Group volunteering helps team-building, increases problem-solving skills and allows members to learn more about each other. It provides groups with a strong sense of cohesion while giving back to the community. Whether you’re an employee group, a student club, a service or church group, there are lots of opportunities to volunteer together.

Things to consider as a group:

What are your group’s goals, values and mission?

What kinds of projects are you capable of doing? (Any physical limitations, transportation or scheduling issues?)

Do you want a one-time volunteer opportunity or a short or long-term project?

What do you want to get out of this experience?

Getting Started:

1. Contact the Whatcom Volunteer Center to get connected with a nonprofit that works directly with the issue you’re trying to address

Examples:

Goals/Areas of Impact Organization

Keeping kids off of drugs	Boys & Girls Club
Empowering women	YWCA
Environmental conservation	Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association

2. Designate a group leader to work with the volunteer coordinator from the nonprofit you’ll be helping. This is an important role because this person will receive all communications from the volunteer coordinator and is responsible for relaying that information to the group. The group leader and volunteer coordinator should exchange email addresses and cell phone numbers with each other to facilitate the planning process. The group leader doesn’t need to do everything him/herself. You may want to delegate parts of the process to others, such as arranging for food and tools, or confirming transportation.

3. Planning responsibilities include:

• Arranging the exact time and date for the volunteer opportunity .
• Making sure the group has the proper tools to get the job done. Many volunteer projects require special clothing like gloves, raingear and boots and/or hand or power tools. If volunteers will be bringing their own tools, make sure they are marked with the owner’s name and phone number.
• Arranging for transportation, driving directions and on-site parking.
• Determining what food and beverages will be provided and what the volunteers should bring.
• Taking care of details like access to restrooms and hand-washing stations.
• Working with the volunteer coordinator to determine whether families and kids can volunteer. If you’re working with children, what kind of supervision does the group need to provide? What’s the optimum adult:child ratio?
• Will the group be issuing a press release? For potential event coverage, this should be done one week prior to the volunteer date. To report on the volunteering, issue the release shortly after the day of service.
• All coordination must happen prior to the project day. The group leader will work closely with the nonprofit agency’s volunteer coordinator to provide for these items.

On the day before you volunteer:

• Make any final confirmations with the volunteer coordinator.
• Designate a photographer or two and take lots of pictures.

After your day of volunteering:

• Bring the group together over lunch, a break or a staff meeting to talk about the experience: what went well, what needs to be improved, what members got out of the experience, and ideas for future projects.
• Share photographs with the agency for whom you volunteered