The webinar discussed starting a Volunteer Connections Program (VCP) to address long-term unemployment. The VCP connects job seekers to volunteer opportunities for skills development and networking. It involves monthly workshops where participants complete questionnaires, learn about opportunities, and develop action plans. Quarterly exchange events introduce non-profits and volunteers. Over 200 people have participated, and testimonials show volunteers gain experience and non-profits find enthusiastic volunteers. The program is efficient and financially sustainable for addressing long-term unemployment through community-based volunteering.

1. Starting A Volunteer
Connections Program (VCP)
Presented by Wendy J. Gould and Amy R. Mosher,
Workforce Central Career Center (WCCC)
&
Jeff Turgeon, Central MA Workforce Investment Board
(CMWIB)

2. By Michael A. Fletcher, Published: June 17, 2013
**Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
Be a part of Workforce Central’s
Volunteer Connections Program (VCP)
Interested in developing your network while gaining
experience through community-based volunteer
opportunities?
Volunteering Lifts Job Prospects of the
Jobless

3. Webinar Agenda:
• Introduction – Who we are
• Program Background & data
• Program Development Process
• Legal Issues
• Program Benefits, Guidelines and Expectations
• Program Structure
• Sample VC Workshop & Exchange Agenda
• Outcomes and Testimonials
• Discussion
• Adjourn
Question: What would you love to gain from today’s webinar?
Starting a Volunteer Connections
Program

4. Central MA Workforce Investment Board
• The Central MA WIA Region
contains 38 communities and a
workforce of 300,000+.
• There are three American Job
Centers in our region (Workforce
Central)

5. Program Background
CMWIB and WCCC looking to address long-term
unemployment crisis;
 Career Center job seekers in need of:
 recent, relevant work experience;
 chance to learn new skills/work tools;
 networking opportunities
 getting back into “the swing” of workplace culture
 Increase work-readiness for this population
 Additional programming developed;
 Stress Reduction workshops
 Entrepreneurship program
 TV show
 $0 (nada, zip) additional funding available

6. Average Weeks Unemployed
December 2007-March 2013
6
14
18
22
26
30
34
38
42

7. Percent Distribution of Unemployment by
Duration
December 2007-December 2012
7
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Less than 5 weeks
5 to 14 weeks
15 to 26 weeks
27 weeks and over

8. Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate
December 2007-March 2013
8
63
63.5
64
64.5
65
65.5
66
66.5

9. VC Program Development
 Joint CMWIB/Workforce Central Career Center Career
Readiness Work-Group formed;
 Meetings over 6 months regarding three tracks:
 Track 1: Expand internships/WBL for local training
programs, including WCCC funded programs;
 Track 2: Design the Volunteer Connection Program;
 Track 3: Increasing volunteer opportunities at the
CMWIB/WCCC.
Work
Readiness

10. VC Program Development
 Track 2: Volunteer Connections Program Design
 Program scope:
 Researched eligibility guidance with state and federal workforce
officials;
 Internship vs. volunteership
 For-profit vs. non-profit/public employer
 Unemployment Insurance recipient guidelines
 Program Process & Participant Flow
 Staffing
 Support Documentation
 Outreach efforts

11. Legal Issues
Internship vs. Volunteership;
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines the employment very broadly --
to "suffer or permit to work."
 Covered and non-exempt individuals must be compensated for the
services they perform for an employer.
 Internships in the "for-profit" private sector will most often be viewed as
employment, unless the 6-point test below is met;
1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the
facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be
given in an educational environment;
2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works
under close supervision of existing staff;
4. The employer…derives no immediate advantage from the
activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may
actually be impeded;
5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion
of the internship; and
6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not
entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.www.wagehour.dol.gov

12. Legal Issues
Volunteer Guidelines:
 In general, people are NOT permitted to volunteer with for- profit
companies, but can volunteer for non-profits & public institutions:
“Individuals who volunteer or donate their services, usually on a
part-time basis, for public service religious or humanitarian
objectives…without contemplation of pay, are not considered
employees of the religious, charitable or similar non-profit
organizations that receive their service.”1
[note: non-profit staff not allowed to volunteer for their own
organization for the same type of work they are paid to do]
 Unemployment Insurance recipient guidelines;
volunteering does not waive job search
requirement;
 Volunteering limited to 19 hours per week.

13. Volunteer Connections Program
(VCP)
VCP is a 2-part program:
1. Volunteer Connections workshops (monthly)
2. Volunteer Exchange events (quarterly)
(Both are listed on our Career Center calendar.)
Question: What skills or experiences do you feel
jobseekers could obtain through volunteering?

14. What are the Benefits of the VCP?
Jobseekers
 Connect to people and opportunities to build their
confidence and resumes
 Gain recent, relevant work experience aligned with
career goals
Non-Profit Organizations
 Connect with volunteer candidates
 Network with other non-profit leaders
Both
 Brings people together in a largely impersonal job
market

15. Suggested Volunteership Guidelines
• Volunteer opportunity related to career goals
o Offer skills enhancement and/or practice for
jobseeker
o Offer supervision/mentoring and allow for
networking
• Placements typically shorter-term (1 – 3 months)
• Placements under 20-hours per week (5-15 hours/ week
recommended, and offer some flexibility)

16. Participant Expectations
• View this process and volunteership as
professional development (practice success
skills)
• Attendance and punctuality
• Timely follow through
• Communication
• Committed to self-directed effort, including
career assessment and self-reflection regarding
desired skill gains
Photo from: modernservantleader.com

17. Host Site Expectations
• Provide opportunity to practice career related skills
• Understand and support jobseeker’s goal of returning to work
• Offer flexibility with scheduling (allow for continued job search
activities & wind-down if/ when job found)
• Provide open and honest performance feedback - informal
mentoring
• Offer letter of support/reference if asked

18. VCP Design Flow
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5
VCP staff
person
provides brief
overview;
registers
candidate for
workshop
VCP staff
provides link
to
questionnaire
VCP staff
facilitates VC
workshop;
provides
contact list
and UW
website link
VCP staff
sends follow-
up email;
enters
attendee info
in database
VCP staff
contacts
attendees as
needed;
tracks
outcomes
VCP staff
facilitate
Volunteer
Exchange
event
Step 6
Candidate
contacts VCP
staff for
information;
Registers for
VC Workshop
Completes a
VCP
research
questionnaire
Attends VC
Workshop;
• Reviews org
contact list
• Registers
on local
United Way
website
Attends
Volunteer
Exchange
Event
(Optional)
Contacts host
site &
completes
their volunteer
application
process
Completes
volunteer
assignment

19.  VCP Staffing:
 Wendy Gould speaks individually with clients prior to VC
workshop, facilitates monthly VC workshops, and helps lead
quarterly Volunteer Exchange events
 Amy Mosher coordinates and facilitates quarterly Volunteer
Exchanges
Support Documentation:
 Use of VCP participant questionnaire to identify strategic
career learning objectives
 VC workshop & Exchange attendees tracked in MA One-
Stop Employment System (MOSES) database
Outreach efforts:
Outreach conducted through Workforce Central staff
(word of mouth), website, and career center orientation.
 External press coverage being sought
 Volunteer organizations identified through personal
networking and local United Way database
VCP Structure

20. Volunteer Connections workshop
February, 2013 with Wendy Gould

21. Sample Agenda for VC workshop
1. Introductions
2. VCP Overview
3. Video (http://www.workforcecentralma.org/additional-
programs/volunteer-connections)
4. Questionnaire
5. Why Volunteer?
6. Paired Share/ Group Discussion
7. United Way website (www.unitedwaycm.org)
8. Volunteer Exchange- list of openings
9. “Action Plan” (identifies Priority, Action, By When)
10. Thank You and Evaluations

22. VC Participant Questionnaire

23. Volunteer Exchange March, 2013

24. Sample Agenda for Volunteer
Exchange
1. Welcome and Overview of Volunteer Connections Program
2. Jobseeker/ Volunteer 30-second introductions
(name, industry background, volunteer goals)
3. Nonprofit organizations provide 2 minute mini-presentation
(organization’s mission and target audience, with more
focus on the specific, current volunteer openings)
4. Group Q&A and Discussion
5. Speed Networking session! Goal: speak with your top 3
people and exchange contact info with at least 2 people
6. United Way website (www.unitedwaycm.org) for both
volunteers and nonprofits
7. Discussion and Next Steps, including your Action Plan
8. Networking and Wrap Up

25. Outcomes and Testimonials
Participant Testimonials:
I really learned a lot as a volunteer assisting in classes to first-time English
learners. As a result of my positive experiences, I was hired to do some per
diem work. I will be taking tutor training with a goal to be able to expand my
business being either a paid tutor or teacher in Spring 2014….Robin M.
Volunteering as an assistant to an Activities Director has given me the
opportunity to not only use my own skills but to learn other aspects of being an
Activities Director in a Nursing Facility….Bruce B.
Host Site Testimonials:
“It is such a pleasure and great use of my time to attend the Volunteer
Exchanges at Workforce Central because I have met some of my most
enthusiastic volunteers there! I’ll be back!” --Emma, Volunteer
Coordinator, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester
“I am always so impressed with the quality and willingness of the volunteers I
meet through this program.” --Ray, Program Coordinator, Red Cross of
Central MA
Number of workshop & exchange attendees since program launch in
Feb. , 2013 -- 217

26. Question
How might some of these concepts be
integrated into your region?

27. Discussion Points
 Program is self-directed
 Career Center’s role as a connector, not the
ultimate decision maker or placement agent
 Value for participant is strategic career
experience and networking
 Program is efficient and financially sustainable
Q&A

28. Feel Free to Contact Us
Wendy J. Gould
Program Specialist , Workforce Central Career Center
wgould@detma.org 508-373-7640
Amy R. Mosher
Strategy and Innovation Leader, Workforce Central Career
Center
moshera@workforcecentralma.org 508-373-7641
Jeff Turgeon
Executive Director, CMWIB
turgeonj@worcesterma.gov 508-799-1509