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JOIN THE FIRST Volunteer Training IN 2018! (aND WHAT av MEMBERS & TRAINED VOLUNTEERS THINK OF IT)

by Charli Depner

Ashby Village always needs more volunteers - please join us on February 3, 2018 for our next Volunteer Training! We offer a wide range of options to enable volunteers to apply their talents and build a deeper connection to the Ashby Village community.

Volunteers can either provide direct service to members or choose from various office and program volunteer assignments. Services are a major attraction to prospective members. Village staff work tirelessly to maintain a “volunteer-first” policy, filling a member’s request with a qualified volunteer whenever possible, before turning to it’s reliable network of commercial providers.  

Serving as a member volunteer is another valued benefit that sometimes goes unrecognized.  It is often said that receiving services is the reason why people join; but being part of Ashby Village’s strong culture of giving is the reason why people stay. Volunteering is an opportunity for members to contribute ideas and skills to build a vibrant, caring organization that is laser-focused on what it takes to age well in community. If you are an Ashby Village Member, please consider volunteering! 

The Village’s volunteers range in age from 18 to over 90. Prospective members may volunteer to get a closer look at the Village or simply to “pay it forward,” making sure the organization will be there for them when they are ready. Student volunteers and volunteers from member’s families build intergenerational relationships in the Ashby Village community.  The Village recognizes the contributions of its valued volunteers in numerous ways, including member’s notes of thanks, Volunteer Appreciation Events, and a Volunteer Appreciation Fund that supports volunteer events.  

Like many new members, Joanne Carder was interested in volunteering, but wanted to make sure that she would be adequately prepared,  “The whole idea of helping fellow members attracted me, but how do you do that well?”  Following her training, Carder says she is clear about her role and confident that she can perform it well. “The leaders as are highly experienced people who know what they are doing. I was immediately impressed.”  Long-time member-volunteer Mary Jo Powell had a similar response, “The volunteer training blew me away---much stronger than many paying jobs.”    

Following a comprehensive screening process, prospective volunteers complete a half-day orientation and training session. The training covers: 
- basic expectations 
- guidelines for setting boundaries 
- overview of Ashby Village services and programs 
- the Ashby Village Volunteer Code of Ethics 
- volunteer support: appropriately addressing challenges of aging, including sensory, memory, or mobility limitations 
- body mechanics 
- introduction to Volunteer Connect, the communication tool used to post services
- volunteer options and resources to help volunteers find the right opportunity.   
Additional training is provided for volunteers in specialized roles, such as MedPals or the Connections Team.  

The Ashby Village Training earns high marks for quality and thoroughness.  Holly Brownscombe and Gloria Bayne, the Village’s Volunteer Placement team, support efforts to maintain that stellar reputation. “We knew that the volunteer training is recognized as excellent, designed to prepare volunteers for every aspect of their responsibilities.  Each volunteer also leaves with a comprehensive handbook to consult as reference.  We still debrief after every training to think about new ways to make sure volunteers feel comfortable and confident about what they are doing.”  

“At these trainings, our ultimate goal is to answer questions they may have beforehand, let them know we are here for support after the training, and to ensure volunteers are ready to handle most situations,” Explains Pat Carvalho, Operations and Volunteer Manager. “I’m incredibly inspired by the amount of enthusiasm I feel from new volunteers and always find myself looking forward to the next one!” 

Find your volunteer niche in the Ashby Village community. Please read more at the links below or click HERE to get started.  Hope to see you there!


READ MORE ABOUT WHAT ASHBY VILLAGE VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO SAY

DONATE TO THE VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION FUND








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