Core Focus

In order to fulfill our mission of promoting community strength through volunteerism and providing resources to organizations and individuals to address needs through volunteer efforts, the Volunteer Center has identified four core competency service areas that guide the center’s operations.

1. Connecting people with the opportunity to serve.

When searching for volunteer opportunities that match their interests and abilities, Portage County residents call the Volunteer Center or visit www.volunteersrock.org. With updated information regarding both ongoing and one-time opportunities, interested volunteers are certain to find meaningful ways to give back to their community.

2. Building the capacity for effective local volunteering

To help Portage County non-profits best utilize the amazing resources volunteers can provide, the Volunteer Center staff is available to meet with organizations to discuss their current use of volunteers as well as provide insights on how to strengthen this aspect of their organization. The Volunteer Center is expanding these services to include a nationally used volunteer management curriculum as part of it’s training program.

3. Promote volunteering

With the launch of the “Join the Motion!” campaign in late summer the Volunteer Center encouraged people to get involved in their community. Volunteers responded to this call to action with record number of collection sites for Project Fresh Start. In October, more than 420 volunteers raked 110 yards for the elderly and disabled during the Make a Difference Day Rake-A-thon. In addition to coordinating these special service projects, the Volunteer Center promotes volunteer opportunities at more than 80 registered organizations at www.volunteersrock.org.

4. Participate in strategic initiatives that mobilize volunteers

Recognizing the valuable resources that youth bring to the community, The Youth Action Committee (YAC) engages youth in grades 7-13 in service learning, builds youth and adult partnerships, and strengthens the youth voice in the community. Each month the Youth Action Committee chooses a community topic/issue to learn about and then organizes a volunteer project and invites teens across Portage County to get involved in making a difference.

In 2006, Volunteer Center staff helped make improvements to the Portage County Emergency Plan by participating in discussions about how to enhance volunteer coordination in case of an emergency.

Partnering with several businesses, schools and non-profits in the community, the Volunteer Center is developing a Business Volunteer Network. We will encourage others to "Join the Motion!" and engage in volunteering as a way to utilize their energy and talents to help build a stronger community.

In addition to outlining where we have been, these core competencies give the Volunteer Center direction for future improvements. We will continue to promote volunteersrock.org as a convenient centralized place for volunteers to connect with available opportunities.