Perhaps you’re looking for ways to give back to our mission with your time. It’s a beautiful New Year’s resolution to commit to making your community safer, healthier, and happy through volunteering. If you’re ready to give the gift of your time, consider a role at SARCC.
First, some housekeeping. All our volunteer roles require clearances and some basic forms that are required by our grant funders for volunteer service. These include a volunteer application, and instructions for requesting your clearances at no cost. Clearances required include 1) Child Abuse History Clearance; 2) PA State Criminal Record Check; 3) EITHER the completed FBI disclosure statement, or a copy of your FBI clearance. Clearances submitted from other volunteer roles or employment must be no older than 60 months (5 years). If you would like assistance requesting your clearances, please schedule a time to visit our office and we can help!
Now, the good stuff! There’s so many options for sharing your time and getting involved. Check them out below:
- Complete standard hotline training as a SARCC volunteer. This involves a 40-hour training period completed with half of the training time completed online and on-your-own, and half with our staff working through different related topics and role-plays. Following the training, you complete a practicum, and then join our hotline volunteer rotation, or work in conjunction with a staff member to facilitate groups and programs.
- Join our Community Council, which is the local arm of our board of directors. This volunteer commitment only requires a 2-hour orientation, monthly meetings, and participation in at least one of our planning committees for our big events – Monte Carlo Night, Schuylkill Strong Serioes, or Thriver Walk.
- Join the Connected Together Board. This board works in a community development and advisory capacity to promote protective factors and reduce risk factors for violence in our county. The board meets for 2 hours to learn these strategies and understand data related to local risk factors, and also has subcommittees that meet to work on specific projects.
- Provide administrative or event support. These opportunities are on an as-needed basis, and would not have any direct contact with program participants. Examples include assisting staff to clean or organize storage areas or administrative files, day-off set-up or volunteering for SARCC fundraising or community engagement events, or assisting with mailing tasks. Administrative and event volunteers are not required to complete training, but may still be asked to submit clearances or sign confidentiality agreements if they will be onsite at our office or likely to come into contact with children at an event.
There are many ways to share your time for the greater good. Think through your passion and what will help you to feel fulfilled. Try a few things and see what works for you. It’s possible to start as an as-needed event volunteer, and the join a Community Council, and build your way to completing a hotline volunteer training. Email info@sarccheals.org to learn more or get involved!
