![Governor’s Commission on Community Service Governor’s Commission on Community Service Toya Nelson [email_address] Jenna Stock [email_address]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/planninggrantslidesdraftfinal-100825164603-phpapp02/85/Growing-and-Stregnthening-Communities-Through-the-Volunteer-Generation-Program-20-320.jpg)
Growing (and Stregnthening) Communities Through the Volunteer Generation Program
- 1. Colorado Conference on Volunteerism Growing - and Strengthening - Communities Through the Volunteer Generation Program
- 2. Mission of the Commission Community Service 1. Administer the AmeriCorps * State Program to meet community needs through national service 2. Promote Volunteerism and Community Service statewide, supporting and improving the infrastructure of volunteer connector organizations, CVCN, nonprofit organizations, volunteer management and training organizations, DOVIA, to effectively use volunteers to meet community needs.
- 3. Volunteering in Colorado 1.2 million volunteers 32.4% or residents volunteer – 16 th among states 167.3 million hours of service 44 hours per resident - 8 th among states $3.5 billion of service contributed Source: volunteeringinamerica.gov/CO
- 4. Trends Indicate an Increase in Volunteering Despite the economic crisis Slight increase in the number of volunteers from 2008 to 2009 The number of hours volunteered per resident increased from 38 hours to 42 hours – Still - a decided dip from the high of 53 hours in 2007 Since 2007- an increase of about 145,000 volunteers Total number of hours, and impact and value this service remains constant
- 5. National Service In Colorado Over 18,000 National Service Participants Senior Corps – 9,400 AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA – 5,000 Learn and Serve – 4,000 Over $29,000,000 total funding, including the education award earned by members supporting national service in Colorado
- 6. Trends in National Service Growth in National Service from 75,000 to 250,000 annual participants over the next 5 years New Strategic Vision and Priorities: Service as a Solution Expanding Opportunities to Serve Building Enduring Capacity Embrace Innovation
- 7. Results for Colorado Increase in AmeriCorps *State Funding and Programs 2007 - $2.6 m 2010 - $4.1 m FY 2011 Appropriation bills in House and Senate call for increased support Increase in Colorado state capacity to support the “infrastructure” and assist in capacity building New Strategic Plan, increased emphasis on promoting volunteerism and community service Commitment of resources
- 8. Key Findings …Colorado Needs Assessment Colorado communities can not function without civic engagement! Schools, faith communities, governments, and business depend on residents donating time, talent and treasure to strengthen their communities. Communities want to identify, recruit, train, and sustain more local leadership across all sectors
- 9. Colorado AmeriCorps Programs Service and Planning Programs Civic engagement and volunteerism Conservation, clean energy, environmental protection Serving People with Disabilities Youth Development Education Early Childhood Services Health, Health Care Access Civic Engagement by Adults age 55+
- 10. What do Communities Want? Identify local solution-based leadership Training for non-profit directors/managers “ Grow your own Leadership” – teach civic responsibilities Improve funding to develop innovations that demonstrate success Expand public awareness abut community service impact Increased Capacity
- 11. Volunteer Generation Program Increase local leadership Increase coordination within and across sectors Establish/improve volunteer center network Increase the number of volunteers Increase the number of volunteers who provide long term services Build and Sustain Capacity
- 12. United Way of Larimer County Larimer Volunteer & Poverty Alleviation Partnership Poverty and self-sufficiency most pressing issues in Larimer County 12.8 poverty rate—38.8% increase from 2000 Plan to expand capacity for local nonprofits Address poverty and barriers to self-sufficiency Advance AmeriCorps involvement in Larimer County Expand existing and develop new programs Cultivate resources
- 13. Metro Volunteers Volunteer Capacity Building Through Training Need for volunteer infrastructure support, training, and recruitment strategies Advance AmeriCorps involvement Support development of Volunteer Connector Organization and community staff Increase utilization of a centralized tech. system Replicate MV training programs to underserved areas of the state
- 14. Metro Volunteers Strengthening the Colorado Volunteer Center Network CVCN comprised of 8 volunteer centers Capacity, connection, promotion, development Plan to create a strategic plan for CVCN: Financially stable membership structure State-wide messaging and training campaign Repository for shared materials
- 15. Colorado Nonprofit Development Center Boomers Leading Change in Health Need in CO for access to health options BLCiH increases volunteerism and service activities for 55+ in health care education, navigation, and capacity Create statewide model for use of AmeriCorps members
- 16. GCCS Goals Civic Engagement– promoting volunteerism, community service and civic engagement
- 17. Goal #1 Statewide Volunteerism “Campaign” Support campaign to: Increase the number of volunteers Elevate the role of volunteers in sustaining community organizations Support recruitment, training, retention, technical assistance, support, and recognition of volunteers and volunteerism Champion, Catalyst, Leader, Cheerleader Build Capacity!
- 18. Goal #2 Assist in developing an expanded volunteer center infrastructure across the state. Support planning and development Assist in capacity building Strengthen the existing infrastructure Increase the number of volunteer centers Provide for long term support – dedication of national service resources to Build Capacity
- 19. Civic Engagement: Civic Engagement Strengthens community Improves quality of life Makes a positive difference Renny Fagan, Colorado Nonprofit Association, December 2009
- 20. Governor’s Commission on Community Service Governor’s Commission on Community Service Toya Nelson [email_address] Jenna Stock [email_address]
Editor's Notes
- #13: United Way of Larimer County’s planning grant is focused on supporting the northern Colorado nonprofit community to expand capacity for local nonprofit organizations that address the service categories of poverty and barriers to self-sufficiency. The proposed program will primarily focus on supporting innovative special projects and enhancing volunteer program offering of Volunteer Connector Organizations. UWLC will serve as the lead organization for AmeriCorps volunteers to be placed at and serve the critical needs of the nonprofit community in Larimer County, thus increasing the impact and value of volunteers while building capacity for partnering organizations. UWLC recently identified poverty and self-sufficiency as the most pressing concerns in Larimer County. Larimer County’s averaged poverty rate is 12.8%. This is a 38.8% increase since 2000 (Census Bureau’s 2000 Census and the 05-07 American Community Surveys).
- #14: Metro Volunteers hosted the 2009 Summit on Service. At the Summit they found that there is a need for volunteer infrastructure support, training, and recruitment strategies, including technology. 72.3% of responding agencies indicated that needed change in their volunteer infrastructure, including staffing and funding. Programs are having a difficult time finding volunteers who represent the demographics of the people served, and senior and executive staff are having a difficult time understanding the value of volunteers. The planning grant will allow Metro Volunteers to continue the Summit on Service, replicate training programs across the state, and develop a web-based application to track volunteers, service hours, and activities that many partner agencies can use.
- #15: The CVCN works to support the expansion of volunteer centers in the state, leverages resources to build volunteer center capacity, facilitates networking and information sharing to strengthen current centers, and works to build a statewide presence. The purpose of the planning grant will be to devise a plan to formalize CVCN’s operations as well as develop new programs and systems to effectively and efficiently map and share the assets of the network. Because the CVCN is directed and operated by volunteers representing each of the Volunteer Centers, the capacity of the network to increase volunteerism within its own ranks as well as support new centers across the state where needed is limited.
- #16: There is a vital need in the seven-county Metro Denver area for a program like BLCiH to address the lack of access to quality health care. Over 800,000 Colorado residents are uninsured and Denver is home to many low-income and diverse communities who are least likely to receive adequate care. Survey results from Denver health organizations working with underserved populations have identified many barriers to accessing quality health care: overly complex system, costs, benefits, policies, lack of transportation, difficult medical terminology, language, and cultural barriers. Boomers Leading Change in Health is focused on increasing volunteerism and service activities for adults age 55 and older in health care education and navigation, as well as increasing capacity among community-based organizations to better help their respective communities access quality health care. The planning grant will help BLCiH develop new opportunities to use older adults as AmeriCorps members while creating a model that other communities can adopt using AmeriCorps volunteers to greatly improve access to quality health care in communities across Colorado, as well as throughout the US. The planning grant will help BLCiH: Create a framework, with benchmarks and timelines, to build infrastructure to incorporate AmeriCorps Develop 3 year implementation plan Identify partner organizations Prepare partner sites for AmeriCorps Increase the visibility of AmeriCorps and BLCiH