By CHRISTINA HOAG Associated Press
Posted: 12/18/2010 09:08:14 AM PST
LOS ANGELES—It's no secret that students do better in school if their parents are involved in their education, but getting them interested is a challenge that makes Haydee Escajera roll her eyes and sigh.
"It's very difficult," said Escajera, who recruits parents as volunteers at Manual Arts High School, located in impoverished central Los Angeles. "It's not just that they're busy, even parents who don't work aren't interested."
Getting parents involved in their kids' education is a steep uphill battle at high schools serving urban neighborhoods, where parents are often overwhelmed by the need to make ends meet.
But those are the parents who need most to be involved to steer teens away from the inner city's ready lures of gangs, drugs and dropping out.
The conumdrum has long plagued urban school districts like Los Angeles Unified, which are under federal mandate to involve parents.
District leaders now aim to try a new model—forming "Parent and Family Centers" that offer everything from self-esteem improvement to nutrition workshops to citizenship classes at schools.
The concept is that boosting parents will lead to a healthier home environment and ultimately higher student achievement, said Christopher Downing, LAUSD administrator of school family, parent, and community services... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16892430
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
National Survey of Volunteering Issues
Posted: Monday, December 6, 2010 - 14:42 by ProBono News
People who volunteer feel an increased sense of belonging to their community, and a significant proportion of volunteers say volunteering provides pathways to paid employment, according to an Australian survey.
The 2010 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, carried out by peak-body Volunteering Australia, found that 83% of volunteers say their work as a volunteer has increased their sense of belonging to their community.
The survey highlights the important role volunteering plays in providing opportunities for people to learn and gain skills useful for paid employment. 80% of respondents say their volunteering has provided them with opportunities to learn and 26% say training they have received as part of their voluntary work has helped them acquire an accreditation/qualification.
Read complete report...
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2010/12/national-survey-volunteering-issues
People who volunteer feel an increased sense of belonging to their community, and a significant proportion of volunteers say volunteering provides pathways to paid employment, according to an Australian survey.
The 2010 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, carried out by peak-body Volunteering Australia, found that 83% of volunteers say their work as a volunteer has increased their sense of belonging to their community.
The survey highlights the important role volunteering plays in providing opportunities for people to learn and gain skills useful for paid employment. 80% of respondents say their volunteering has provided them with opportunities to learn and 26% say training they have received as part of their voluntary work has helped them acquire an accreditation/qualification.
Read complete report...
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2010/12/national-survey-volunteering-issues
Sunday, November 7, 2010
They Stood For Us
Esther Bradfield’s daughter, Angelina was working in Washington, D.C. when Esther can for a visit. Esther and Angelina made plans to spend some of their time together volunteering during a marathon. “We were made aware of a need with the USO. We would help the USO provide drinks and snacks for Marines during their marathon,” Esther said.
The morning arrived cold and rainy, and the hot cup of coffee or chocolate they served was a welcome treat for the men and women in the armed forces. “We were thankful that for the majority of our time of service the rain stopped. However, toward the end of the race, the wind and rain came back full force. A few of the Marines pitched an awning over the food table, but the wind blew it over. In order to keep it in place, the Marines stayed on duty, one at each pole of the tent, standing and holding the tent up until the last Marine had a chance to receive a drink or snack. What a sight, what a day, what a rewarding service! And we, in turn, were grateful for their service to us,” Esther said.
The morning arrived cold and rainy, and the hot cup of coffee or chocolate they served was a welcome treat for the men and women in the armed forces. “We were thankful that for the majority of our time of service the rain stopped. However, toward the end of the race, the wind and rain came back full force. A few of the Marines pitched an awning over the food table, but the wind blew it over. In order to keep it in place, the Marines stayed on duty, one at each pole of the tent, standing and holding the tent up until the last Marine had a chance to receive a drink or snack. What a sight, what a day, what a rewarding service! And we, in turn, were grateful for their service to us,” Esther said.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Peace Corps volunteer total hits a 40-year high
By Ed O'Keefe
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 28, 2010; 10:08 PM
More people are volunteering with the Peace Corps than at any point since 1970, the agency said Thursday as it touted a 13 percent year-to-year increase in head count.
As of Sept. 30, there were 8,655 Peace Corps volunteers working in 77 host countries, up almost 1,000 volunteers from 2009, the agency said. The new total falls short of the 9,000 volunteers who worked with Peace Corps in 59 countries in 1970.
New host countries, extended volunteer stays and the agency's $400 million operating budget - its largest ever- contributed to the jump. The Peace Corps reopened programs in Colombia, Indonesia and Sierra Leone and reopened its suspended program in Madagascar, it said.
The agency's volunteer head count fell to a low of 5,380 in 1982 but climbed steadily through the 1980s. In 1985, Congress set a goal of having 10,000 volunteers in the field by 1992, a mark not yet reached.
The average age of Peace Corps volunteers is 28, but 7 percent are over age 50 (the oldest is 86). Nineteen percent of volunteers are minorities, 60 percent are women and 90 percent hold at least a bachelor's degree.
Education remains the most popular sector of service for volunteers, but others have worked on health and HIV/AIDS prevention, business development, youth development, and environmental and agricultural projects. Volunteers are almost evenly divided across Latin America, Africa and Europe/Asia, the agency said.
"Every day, Peace Corps volunteers strive to make a difference and have improved the lives of millions of people - not just in communities around the world, but also in their local communities in the United States once they return home," said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. "This is the legacy of [President John F. Kennedy's] concept of international service, an idea that continues to capture the imagination of thousands of service-minded Americans today."
More than 200,000 Americans have served in 139 countries since Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961. It became an independent federal agency in 1981.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 28, 2010; 10:08 PM
More people are volunteering with the Peace Corps than at any point since 1970, the agency said Thursday as it touted a 13 percent year-to-year increase in head count.
As of Sept. 30, there were 8,655 Peace Corps volunteers working in 77 host countries, up almost 1,000 volunteers from 2009, the agency said. The new total falls short of the 9,000 volunteers who worked with Peace Corps in 59 countries in 1970.
New host countries, extended volunteer stays and the agency's $400 million operating budget - its largest ever- contributed to the jump. The Peace Corps reopened programs in Colombia, Indonesia and Sierra Leone and reopened its suspended program in Madagascar, it said.
The agency's volunteer head count fell to a low of 5,380 in 1982 but climbed steadily through the 1980s. In 1985, Congress set a goal of having 10,000 volunteers in the field by 1992, a mark not yet reached.
The average age of Peace Corps volunteers is 28, but 7 percent are over age 50 (the oldest is 86). Nineteen percent of volunteers are minorities, 60 percent are women and 90 percent hold at least a bachelor's degree.
Education remains the most popular sector of service for volunteers, but others have worked on health and HIV/AIDS prevention, business development, youth development, and environmental and agricultural projects. Volunteers are almost evenly divided across Latin America, Africa and Europe/Asia, the agency said.
"Every day, Peace Corps volunteers strive to make a difference and have improved the lives of millions of people - not just in communities around the world, but also in their local communities in the United States once they return home," said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. "This is the legacy of [President John F. Kennedy's] concept of international service, an idea that continues to capture the imagination of thousands of service-minded Americans today."
More than 200,000 Americans have served in 139 countries since Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961. It became an independent federal agency in 1981.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sweetwater Creek State Park Need Volunteers For Clean-up
Put away your wallet and pull out your fishing pole, hiking boots or gardening gloves.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 25, at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs, volunteers will clean the park, do light trail maintenance, plant native grasses and remove invasive plants such as Chinese privet on the 17th annual National Public Lands Day. Call (770) 732-5871 to register.
National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve the public lands Americans enjoy, last year had more than 150,000 volunteers nationwide participating.
Sept. 25 is also Free Day in the Parks, when at all Georgia state parks the regular $5 parking fee will be waived, historic sites will open their doors for free, and anglers will not need a fishing license.
The free fishing coincides with the 37th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day, which serves as a public reminder that hunters and anglers support conservation. Through licenses and excise taxes, they generate $200,000 every hour for fish, wildlife and habitat programs that benefit all who appreciate wild places and wild things.
“Georgia’s state parks and historic sites wouldn’t be here without our visitors and supporters,” said Parks Director Becky Kelley. “Free Day in the Parks is our way of thanking the thousands of people who volunteer their time, spend their vacations in the parks, or even just visit for the day. We are waiving the parking fee, but of course voluntary contributions are welcome because they help us preserve Georgia’s public green spaces.”
To see a list of all events and find out more about how you can be of service, see www.GetOutdoorsGeorgia.org.
“For less than a tank of gas, families can enjoy a full day of ranger programs, hiking, biking, picnicking, birding and more,” said Ms. Kelley. “All visitors will pay for are rental facilities, some events or programs, and activities such as canoe rental.”
Sweetwater Creek State Conservation Park is a 2,549-acre park at 1750 Mount Vernon Road, Lithia Springs, offering hiking, boating, fishing, 11 large picnic shelters, an interpretive center, and weekly interpretive programs. See gastateparks.org or call (770) 732-5871 for more information.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 25, at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs, volunteers will clean the park, do light trail maintenance, plant native grasses and remove invasive plants such as Chinese privet on the 17th annual National Public Lands Day. Call (770) 732-5871 to register.
National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve the public lands Americans enjoy, last year had more than 150,000 volunteers nationwide participating.
Sept. 25 is also Free Day in the Parks, when at all Georgia state parks the regular $5 parking fee will be waived, historic sites will open their doors for free, and anglers will not need a fishing license.
The free fishing coincides with the 37th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day, which serves as a public reminder that hunters and anglers support conservation. Through licenses and excise taxes, they generate $200,000 every hour for fish, wildlife and habitat programs that benefit all who appreciate wild places and wild things.
“Georgia’s state parks and historic sites wouldn’t be here without our visitors and supporters,” said Parks Director Becky Kelley. “Free Day in the Parks is our way of thanking the thousands of people who volunteer their time, spend their vacations in the parks, or even just visit for the day. We are waiving the parking fee, but of course voluntary contributions are welcome because they help us preserve Georgia’s public green spaces.”
To see a list of all events and find out more about how you can be of service, see www.GetOutdoorsGeorgia.org.
“For less than a tank of gas, families can enjoy a full day of ranger programs, hiking, biking, picnicking, birding and more,” said Ms. Kelley. “All visitors will pay for are rental facilities, some events or programs, and activities such as canoe rental.”
Sweetwater Creek State Conservation Park is a 2,549-acre park at 1750 Mount Vernon Road, Lithia Springs, offering hiking, boating, fishing, 11 large picnic shelters, an interpretive center, and weekly interpretive programs. See gastateparks.org or call (770) 732-5871 for more information.
American Cancer Society Is Looking for Volunteers
The American Cancer Society is looking for help. They're searching for volunteers interested in supporting one of two programs.
First, cosmetologists willing to help cancer patients cope with hair loss and skin changes. Also, they're looking for breast cancer survivors to help guide those newly diagnosed.
On Monday, Sept. 20, at the Society's office located at 740 Commerce Drive, Suite B, in Perrysburg there will be a refresher class for current Look Good&Feel Better (COSMOTOLOGIST) volunteers. It will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A class for new volunteers will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Breast cancer survivors willing to help guide newly diagnosed breast cancer patients by providing a listening ear, help, and hope, are invited to a Reach to Recovery training on Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the same location. Dr. Anita Leininger, a breast cancer surgeon from the University of Toledo Medical Center, will be speaking.
First, cosmetologists willing to help cancer patients cope with hair loss and skin changes. Also, they're looking for breast cancer survivors to help guide those newly diagnosed.
On Monday, Sept. 20, at the Society's office located at 740 Commerce Drive, Suite B, in Perrysburg there will be a refresher class for current Look Good&Feel Better (COSMOTOLOGIST) volunteers. It will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A class for new volunteers will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Breast cancer survivors willing to help guide newly diagnosed breast cancer patients by providing a listening ear, help, and hope, are invited to a Reach to Recovery training on Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the same location. Dr. Anita Leininger, a breast cancer surgeon from the University of Toledo Medical Center, will be speaking.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Volunteer Opportunities- Help in a crisis
When disaster strikes, as it did with Hurricane Ike, the safety of people throughout Harris County and surrounding areas depends in large part on the effective response of trained volunteers. You can become one of these crucially important volunteers by joining a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) supported by a network of city, county, state and private agencies. Register now for an upcoming 20-hour CERT training series.
Fight hunger
Fight poverty and hunger by assisting with distribution of food, clothing and other necessities at a social service agency's headquarters near Bissonnet and U.S. 59. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of each month, volunteers help organize materials to be shared with needy families and assist with the actual distribution. You can participate on either a regular or occasional basis. The minimum age for volunteers is 18.
Czech it out
You don't have to be Czech to enjoy volunteering at a local museum devoted to Czech history and culture. Nestled in the Museum District, this facility abounds in artifacts and information conveying the richness of the Czech heritage. The museum is recruiting volunteers for any of three key functions: staffing its gift shop, leading visitors on tours or assisting with clerical duties. Shifts are available on weekdays or weekends.
Additional opportunities
• Nurse injured animals back to health at a southwest Houston wildlife shelter.
• Assist unemployed people with job-search activities at a west Houston social service office.
• Teach watercolor painting to adults at a Hockley community center.
• Attend training equipping you to serve as an ombudsman at a local nursing home.
• Interview clients for a southeast Houston organization serving the needy.
• Be a child care volunteer at a women's shelter near The Woodlands.
• Deliver lunches to shut-in senior citizens for a northwest Houston Meals on Wheels program.
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
July 10, 2010
Fight hunger
Fight poverty and hunger by assisting with distribution of food, clothing and other necessities at a social service agency's headquarters near Bissonnet and U.S. 59. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of each month, volunteers help organize materials to be shared with needy families and assist with the actual distribution. You can participate on either a regular or occasional basis. The minimum age for volunteers is 18.
Czech it out
You don't have to be Czech to enjoy volunteering at a local museum devoted to Czech history and culture. Nestled in the Museum District, this facility abounds in artifacts and information conveying the richness of the Czech heritage. The museum is recruiting volunteers for any of three key functions: staffing its gift shop, leading visitors on tours or assisting with clerical duties. Shifts are available on weekdays or weekends.
Additional opportunities
• Nurse injured animals back to health at a southwest Houston wildlife shelter.
• Assist unemployed people with job-search activities at a west Houston social service office.
• Teach watercolor painting to adults at a Hockley community center.
• Attend training equipping you to serve as an ombudsman at a local nursing home.
• Interview clients for a southeast Houston organization serving the needy.
• Be a child care volunteer at a women's shelter near The Woodlands.
• Deliver lunches to shut-in senior citizens for a northwest Houston Meals on Wheels program.
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
July 10, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Snow Storm Volunteers
Across the region, family members, neighbors and volunteers have stepped in to help older people cope with cold homes, snowdrifts and empty cupboards. One family waded through deep snow on an unplowed street in Silver Spring to get a man to a car that could take him to a hospital for dialysis. A woman in Northeast Washington was thankful for a delivery of meals from volunteers as she shivered under blankets in a house with a broken furnace. She had kept her oven and stove on for warmth.
Four-by-fours rumbled over snowy streets to neighborhoods in Anne Arundel and Howard counties, bringing extra food to shut-in residents.
Some programs that assist the elderly have redoubled their efforts because of the storms. But many were unable to staff programs or deliver food and aid on icy roads or in neighborhoods where snow hadn't been cleared.
Most area Meals on Wheels programs had to suspend operations Tuesday, said Michael Flynn, director of communications for the organization. While many were able to deliver extra food Friday before the first storm, officials were not sure when they would be able to start restocking cupboards and freezers again.
Some programs were using four-wheel drive vehicles to deliver meals, said Enid Borden, president and chief executive of the Meals on Wheels Association of America. "This is a very serious situation," she said.
Many older people were thankful for conveniences unavailable in previous storms: assisted-living communities where some staff members stayed, sleeping on air mattresses, to keep services going; pharmacies and grocery stores with delivery programs; and neighborhood e-mail lists that made it easier to ask for help with shoveling or running errands.
In Springfield, Mary Anderson, 81, said several neighbors showed up to shovel her driveway, porch and front steps. On Tuesday, other neighbors were digging trenches to ensure that melting snow would drain away from her home and to prevent driveways from becoming slick with ice.
Taffy and Frank Schwelb were grateful that five or six neighboring families in Northwest Washington pitched in, helping to dig them out, keeping an eye on their cat, Bumper, when they checked into a warm hotel and bringing them a gallon of milk they couldn't have carried home.
From The Washington Post blog "In Washington snowstorm, neighbors, volunteers take care of area's elderly"
Monday, February 1, 2010
Volunteering Up!
Both the number of volunteers and the volunteer rate rose over the year ended in September 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. About 63.4 million people, or 26.8 percent of the population, volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2008 and September 2009. In 2008, the volunteer rate was 26.4 percent.These data on volunteering were collected through a supplement to the September 2009 Current Population Survey (CPS). The supplement was sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The CPS is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nation's civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over. Volunteers
are defined as persons who did unpaid work (except for expenses) through or for an organization.
Volunteering Among Demographic Groups
The volunteer rate of women increased from 29.4 percent in 2008 to 30.1 percent in 2009, while the volunteer rate for men, at 23.3 percent, was essentially unchanged. As in previous years, women volunteered at a higher rate than did men across all age groups, educational levels, and other major demographic characteristics.
By age, 35- to 44-year olds and 45- to 54-year olds were the most likely to volunteer. Their volunteer rates were 31.5 percent and 30.8 percent, respectively, in 2009. Volunteer rates were lowest among persons in their early twenties (18.8 percent) and those age 65 and over (23.9 percent).
Among the major race and ethnicity groups, whites continued to volunteer at a higher rate (28.3 percent)than did blacks (20.2 percent), Asians (19.0 percent), and Hispanics (14.7 percent). Of these groups, the volunteer rate of blacks and whites rose in 2009. Among blacks it rose by 1.1 percentage points, driven by an increase in the volunteer rate of black women.
Volunteer rates were higher among married persons (32.3 percent) than those who had never married (20.6 percent) and those with other marital statuses (21.5 percent). Parents with children under age 18 were substantially more likely to volunteer than were persons without children under 18 years of age, 34.4 percent compared with 23.9 percent.
Individuals with higher levels of educational attainment were more likely to volunteer than were those with less education. Among persons age 25 and over, 42.8 percent of college graduates volunteered,compared with 18.8 percent of high school graduates and 8.6 percent of those with less than a high school diploma.
Volunteering By Employment Status
During the year ending in September 2009, 29.7 percent of all employed persons volunteered. By comparison, the volunteer rates of the unemployed (22.9 percent) and those not in the labor force (22.6 percent) were lower. Among the employed, part-time workers were more likely than full-time workers to have participated in volunteer activities—33.7 versus 28.7 percent.
From 2008 to 2009, those employed full time showed a large increase in their volunteer rate—from 27.8 to 28.7 percent. This was led by women employed full time, with an increase of 1.4 percentage points in their volunteer rate. Among men, the largest increase in the volunteer rate was among the unemployed; it rose from 17.0 to 18.2 percent over the year.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Report link
Monday, January 25, 2010
Help for Haiti
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at 5:10 p.m. Haiti was hit with a 7.0 earthquake that leveled areas in and around Port au Prince, leaving thousands homeless and an untold number of lives lost. Survivors are in desperate need of basic life-giving resources. LifeWind's donors are calling and asking, "How can we help?"
Prayer is our first and foremost response. In addition, LifeWind’s participation will be threefold:
Immediate relief will be distributed by trusted Community Health Evangelism (CHE) groups who work in the earthquake zone.
During the recovery period, LifeWind will empower further work of CHE in the area around the earthquake zone.
Across Haiti, we will empower CHE teams. They help community members work together to address the key issues of poverty, disease, and infrastructure, bringing resilience through community organization when facing disaster. And as the message of CHE is taught, participants hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, the One who brings HOPE
http://www.lifewind.org
Prayer is our first and foremost response. In addition, LifeWind’s participation will be threefold:
Immediate relief will be distributed by trusted Community Health Evangelism (CHE) groups who work in the earthquake zone.
During the recovery period, LifeWind will empower further work of CHE in the area around the earthquake zone.
Across Haiti, we will empower CHE teams. They help community members work together to address the key issues of poverty, disease, and infrastructure, bringing resilience through community organization when facing disaster. And as the message of CHE is taught, participants hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, the One who brings HOPE
http://www.lifewind.org
Tech Volunteers Aiding Haiti Relief Efforts
CrisisCommons is quickly organizing techies to lend IT and software development skills to the earthquake relief effort.
By J. Nicholas Hoover
InformationWeek
January 20, 2010 10:23 AM
They might not be able to pick up rubble and carry away bodies, but software developers and tech-savvy individuals around the world are beginning to organize to help with the Haiti relief effort
Among those taking the lead is a grassroots effort called the CrisisCommons, which hosted several hastily organized events last weekend in several cities where developers and others came together to, among other things, layer current information on collaborative maps of Haiti and develop a Craigslist-style online exchange to identify and solve relief needs on the ground.
Despite announcing the concept of these CrisisCamps in a conference call only last Wednesday, almost 400 people showed up at events in Washington, D.C., Silicon Valley, and beyond over the weekend. More camps are scheduled for this weekend in places as far-flung as Brooklyn, Portland, and London.
The goal, CrisisCommons co-founder Noel Dickover said in an
http://tinyurl.com/yz88jzm
By J. Nicholas Hoover
InformationWeek
January 20, 2010 10:23 AM
They might not be able to pick up rubble and carry away bodies, but software developers and tech-savvy individuals around the world are beginning to organize to help with the Haiti relief effort
Among those taking the lead is a grassroots effort called the CrisisCommons, which hosted several hastily organized events last weekend in several cities where developers and others came together to, among other things, layer current information on collaborative maps of Haiti and develop a Craigslist-style online exchange to identify and solve relief needs on the ground.
Despite announcing the concept of these CrisisCamps in a conference call only last Wednesday, almost 400 people showed up at events in Washington, D.C., Silicon Valley, and beyond over the weekend. More camps are scheduled for this weekend in places as far-flung as Brooklyn, Portland, and London.
The goal, CrisisCommons co-founder Noel Dickover said in an
http://tinyurl.com/yz88jzm
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