24-25 Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement VISTA

Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center is a comprehensive social service agency located in Wheeling, WV. The Center’s staff team provides food pantry services, meal delivery services to homebound persons, hot meals for persons who are typically unsheltered, case management services, & emergency assistance with rent, mortgage, & utilities. The Center also provides short-term housing for a family transitioning out of homelessness. The Center relies heavily on a large pool of volunteers to ensure seamless delivery of many of these services. Perhaps our greatest challenge is volunteer recruitment post pandemic. We are continuing with the VISTA role as part of our team to assist with this endeavor. The Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement VISTA would primarily be responsible for helping Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center enlist new volunteers. We are particularly interested in increasing volunteerism among those 18-24-year old & 30-39-year old age brackets, the two groups that report the highest rates of volunteerism in West Virginia, per capital data. It is our hope once these individuals volunteer at the Center once or twice, we can retain them as more frequent volunteers supporting our various projects & programs. The VISTA will also develop techniques to recruit individuals who hold membership in service organizations or are newly retired. The VISTA position is part of Catholic Charities USA’s Family Strengthening Program, a national intermediary project. As a member, the VISTA would meet virtually with VISTA leaders & other VISTAs serving throughout the country, all focused on alleviating poverty.

Duties : The Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement VISTA at Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center will engage at least thirty individuals quarterly, disseminating information on volunteer opportunities to combat poverty. They'll promote current roles, attracting new volunteers from diverse demographics and forging partnerships with colleges, high schools, and professional associations. Collaborating with the Volunteer Manager, they'll assist in all volunteer-related aspects, from recruitment to recognition, and organize quarterly events to boost involvement. They'll identify areas needing volunteer support, plan annual appreciation events, and maintain effective communication channels. Additionally, they'll contribute to a sustainability binder, create monthly engagement templates, and develop a volunteer satisfaction survey for program evaluation.