I&R Gumbo – Engaging & Adding Volunteers into the Mix for Disaster Response

1. I&R Gumbo – Engaging & Adding Volunteers into the Mix for Disaster Response United Way 2-1-1 United Way of Northeast Louisiana

2. Jan Wawrzyniak, 2-1-1 Director United Way 2-1-1 1201 Hudson Lane Monroe, LA 71201 Email: jwawrzyniak@uwnela.org Phone: 318.998.9208 Presenter

3. GUMBO noun gum’-bo def: a spicy chicken or seafood soup thickened typically with okra or rice

4. GUMBO noun: gum’-bo def: any of various fine-grained silty soils that become waxy and very sticky mud when mixed with water.

5. ABOUT UNITED WAY 2-1-1 • Internal United Way of Northeast Louisiana service • 4 FT staff and 6 PT staff • Staff live answers 24/7 • 2011 annual call volume = 27,000 • Serves 15 parishes, total population of 400,000 • 2-1-1 since 2004

6. Purpose: To share information about using volunteers for disaster I & R response Process: Presenter and group participation for 87 minutes Payoff: Gain ideas and tools for effective use of volunteers. PURPOSE, PROCESS & PAYOFF

7. LAUGHTER IS GOOD FOR THE BODY!

8. HURRICANES KATRINA/RITA VOLUNTEERS

9. HURRICANES GUSTAV/IKE VOLUNTEERS

10. WHAT IS A VOLUNTEER? NOT!!!!

11. HURRICANES GUSTAV/IKE VOLUNTEERS COMMENTS “I was so grateful to have the opportunity to do something practical.” “I saw the advertisement in the paper and thought to myself ,“I can do that.” “It is a good idea to match the way a person volunteers with her talents. Volunteering gave me the opportunity to do that.”

12. PEOPLE VOLUNTEER MOST OFTEN: Because someone asked!

13. BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERS “Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic by professionals!” Source: Unknown

14. THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERS 12,000 hours = 38 FTE = > $200,000 (Katrina/Rita volunteers)

15. DISASTER VOLUNTEER PLAN • Capacity • Job Descriptions • Policies • Recruitment • Training • Management

16. “MANAGING THE SURGE” Excerpt: “A part of the planning process not articulated by existing and experienced 2-1-1s is determining the threshold at which the organization can no longer manage the calls without additional assistance. Deciding the threshold ahead of time will prepare the organization for making the call to request assistance. This decision as a part of a pre-determined plan has two benefits: • It can, in part, alleviate some of the feelings of inadequacy; and • and increase the feeling of managing the disaster rather than it managing the organization.

17. “MANAGING THE SURGE” CONT’D Consider the following situations:  • When the call volume has been sustained for more than three days and staff is handling more than a hundred calls each per day?  • When the abandonment rate reaches 10%, 25% or 50% for more than 24 hours? - When the staff begin showing the effects of stress (anger, giddiness, fatigue, depression)?”

18. VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION What we offered during Hurricanes Katrina/Rita

19. DISASTER VOLUNTEER JOBS Hurricanes Katrina/Rita Administrative Services Language Translation Services Cleaning Services Report Writing Clerical Services Resource Assistants Counseling Services Technical Services Donation Management Services Transportation Services Food Services Volunteer Matching Housing Services Volunteer Project Leaders Information & Referral Services

20. DISASTER VOLUNTEER JOBS Hurricanes Gustav/Ike Clerical Services Food Services Information & Referral Services Resource Assistants

21. VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Laugh Leader Supervision: Reports to Conference Presenter Location: AIRS Conference, Workshop D-4 Purpose: To create envy in neighboring workshops; To de-stress Duties: Lead laughter when directed Qualifications: Likes to laugh, laughs a lot, has a unique laugh, or can laugh on cue Time Required:3 times between 10:30 – 11:45 Training: No special training required

22. VOLUNTEER POLICIES • Confidentiality • Work Conduct - Code of Ethics - Work Hours - Attendance - Equipment Use • Workplace Environment - Harassment - Complaint Procedures - Building Security - Weapons - Drugs/Alcohol/Smoking

23. RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS Katrina/Rita Gustav/Ike 130 from 25 states Virtual volunteers 400+ local volunteers 150 local volunteers

24. RECRUITING PLACES Volunteer Centers Universities Civic/Service Clubs Faith Organizations AmeriCorps CERT Corporate Call Centers

25. VOLUNTEER TRAINING • Is abbreviated • Includes disaster planning info • Spells out expectations of all • Subject specific • Provides real life /typical examples • Includes hands on practice

26. VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT • Scheduling • Supervision • Record Keeping • Termination • Stress Management

27. HOW TO RETAIN GOOD VOLUNTEERS • Gauge customer satisfaction - formal evaluations - exit interviews • Listen to volunteers - suggestion box - focus groups post disaster • Do what they suggest - feasible, affordable, logical, helpful • Thank, thank, thank volunteers • Recognize volunteers

28. VOLUNTEER THANK YOU

29. RESOURCES Volunteer Job Descriptions – AIRS Disaster Response Team Training Manual www.airs.org/files/members/AIRS_Disaster_DRTManual.pdf Volunteer Recruitment Message – Hands on Connect www.handsonnetwork.org/files/resources/Crafting_a_Volunteer_Recruitment_Message.pdf Volunteer Surge Management - “Managing the Surge” ww.airs.org/files/public/ManagingSurgeCurriculum.pdf United Way 2-1-1 Disaster Volunteer Training - AIRS Tool Kit National Corporation for Community Service www.nationalservice.gov Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) www.citizencorps.gov/cert

30. LAST QUOTE! “Volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.”

31. THE END! • Q & A • Complete evaluations THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Your time and attention is greatly appreciated!