Newly formed position helps community groups with volunteers
Calling all Seniors focused community groups! A newly formed and funded position is here to help with all aspects of volunteering with your organization.
Attracting, keeping, and training volunteers can be a daunting task for many non-profit groups in communities around the country. The same is true in the Columbia Valley, but a newly established position should help with some of that burden over the next coming months.
The position, funded entirely by the United Way, but administered through the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley, aims to help community groups that work with Seniors throughout the Valley attract, retain, train and reward one of the most valuable commodities in any healthy community, the Volunteers!
Executive Director of the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley, Michele Neider, applied for the funding, and said that the money will help many of the local groups in an area that has had little to no support until now. “A lot of our seniors focused community groups are facing shortages in volunteer numbers,” said Neider, “The volunteer network could definitely use some energy and ideas to keep it vibrant and effective.”
Filling the new position is local resident Joshua Estabrooks. Having experience in various levels of government and a background in journalism, Estabrooks said he is looking forward to delving into the world of volunteering and seeing where he can find efficiencies and overlaps in an effort to increase volunteer numbers and reduce volunteer burnout.
“In a lot of communities we see the same people volunteering for many different groups,” said Estabrooks. “We also have lots of people who would like to get out and volunteer but don’t know where to start. So my job will be to help develop and carry out ideas and programs that will support, train and attract the right people with the right skills so that these many important groups can continue to thrive.”
The first step in the process, he said, is to make contact with and begin conversations with any and all non-profit community groups that work specifically with the Senior population anywhere within the Columbia Valley. “I’m looking forward to getting to know all these important groups and sussing out just what I can do to help them continue the good work they are doing.”
So if you are a community group that works with Seniors, e-mail or call Estabrooks as soon as you can to get the ball rolling. He can be reached at 250-688-8012 or email at volunteer@hospicesocietycv.com.
