Partnership F.I.V.E.
Fostering Inclusive Volunteering Efforts

A team from the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism at UNCG has developed a new program called Building Community Through Inclusive Volunteering (BCTIV). The program's mission is to facilitate inclusive volunteering opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Typically people with disabilities are thought of as recipients of services rather than providers of service. The reality is that people with disabilities are an untapped potential resource for volunteer directors.

With support of Molly Keeney at the Volunteer Center, the BCTIV team conducted telephone interviews to determine the number of people with disabilities volunteering in Greensboro, accommodations that have been necessary, and anticipated needs of volunteer coordinators.

Responding agencies indicated that only 426 out of an estimated 17,900 volunteers (2.4%) had an identified disability. Census statistics in 1990 estimated that there were 16,629 people with disabilities in Guilford County. The disparity between the number of people with disabilities in Guilford County and the number of volunteers with disabilities illustrates an untapped potential for volunteers.

This study also examined the tasks performed by volunteers. Results suggest that persons with and without disabilities are accomplishing similar tasks for agencies. Agency representatives were also asked about the types of accommodations necessary for volunteers with disabilities to be successful. The most common response given was that no accommodations had been necessary (34.5%). When accomodations were provided, they were inexpensive and did not include purchases of special equipment.

Finally, agency representatives were asked what assistance they would need to include more volunteers with disabilities. The most common responses were staff training (28%), assistance with recruiting people with disabilities (23%), and addressing transportation issues (12%).

BCTIV is partnering with several agencies in the Greensboro area. Volunteers from McIver Education Center will be working at Country Park. Other youth volunteers will be working with the Adult Center for Enrichment, Kopper Top Therapeutic Riding Center, and Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department. Watch for updates on our progress! For more information about BCTIV or our telephone survey, please contact Kim Miller, Terri Phoenix, or Stuart Schleien at (336)334-3797.

 

Volunteer Center Partners with Leadership Greensboro To Celebrate National Family Volunteer Day

Families are busy these days. Between work, school, soccer practice, dance lessons and a dozen other activities, who has time to volunteer? We all do Ñ especially if we volunteer as families.

That was the message of National Family Volunteer Day, held Nov. 20."We want to convince people that volunteering is a family activity," said Bob Scheppegrell, a member of the Leadership Greensboro Family Volunteer Team, which sponsored the event in cooperation with the Volunteer Center.

Family Matters, a program of the Points of Light Foundation, sponsored the event nationally. In Greensboro, families served meals for Greensboro Urban Ministry, delivered Mobile Meals to senior citizens and performed other activities. "This provides an opportunity for families to do good in the community and still be with their families," said Molly Keeney, executive director of the Volunteer Center.

 

Volunteering At All Time High

Independent Sector's 1999 study, Giving and Volunteering in the United States, reveals that volunteering has increased significantly. The sixth in a series of biennial national surveys show that 56% of adults volunteered a total of 19.9 billion hoursÑa 13.7% increase from the 1996 study.

"Our survey findings give us good reason to be optimistic about the future of charities and nonprofit organizations," said Dr. Sara MelŽndez, president and CEO of Independent Sector. "America is still a nation of givers. Whether it be time or money, the spirit of generosity thrives in our country, and the biggest factor in one's volunteering and giving is being asked. When asked to volunteer, 90% volunteered."

"In our survey, 109 million people volunteered, the highest number in our survey history," said Dr. Susan Saxon-Harrold, vice president, research. "Those who volunteer contribute. Contributing households with a volunteer gave over two and a half times more on average than those without a volunteer. In fact, 84% of all charitable contributions were given by households where there was at least one volunteer."

Other key findings: Ñ The volunteer workforce represented the equivalent of over 9 million full-time employees at a value of $255 billion. Ñ A higher percentage of women (62%) than of men (49%) volunteered. Men who volunteered gave slightly more time than women: 3.6 hours per week as opposed to 3.4 hours for women. Ñ Volunteering is not only up in the general population, but especially with people of color. Forty-seven percent of African-Americans and 46% of Hispanics volunteered.