Skilled Volunteering
Our partner non-profits still need volunteers to answer telephones, set up tables and chairs for events, and stuff envelopes, but increasingly, they need volunteers with specific technical, business, and life skills. Recent requirements have included the need for legal advice for trademark infringement, care management skills in an advocacy capacity, biomedical engineering expertise to design devices for the partially disabled, and information technology (IT) support for computer and network planning. They also have requested truck drivers, carpenters, instructors, tutors, and food preparation experts.
Skilled volunteering has become so important, that the Volunteer Center dedicates part of its small staff to find those volunteers and now dedicates part of its website as well.
Our Hands On Connect platform is our primary means for capturing your skillset. We need all volunteers to not only register on our website but also to register and rate your skills. That way, the Volunteer Center can search for you when a relevant skill is requested and provide a personal contact so that you can be aware of the skilled volunteer opportunity.
Do I need to register with the Volunteer Center?
Yes, that's the first step. Click here when you are ready to register. The webpage will guide you through the registration process. There is never any cost to use our services (although an occasional donation is always appreciated), and the worst thing that happens is that you will receive a little bit of e-mail from us.
But how do I register my skills?
As part of the registration process, you will have the ability to select from a list of 215 skills in 22 skill categories and rate your skill level. It sounds like a big list to choose from but we provide you with a lot of aids to help you make your selections.
What if I'm already registered?
Then it's even easier. Login and select My Account in the black banner. Then click on Skills Selection in the left panel.
This is too much work. I'm a teacher. How can I find the skills that apply to teaching?
From the My Account webpage, you can select Help With Selecting Skills. This webpage highlights some key professions (like education) and identifies the skill categories to look under for applicable skills. Also, you can select Skills List - Alphabetic or Skills List - By Category to get an expanded list of all of the skills and the skill categories they are under. Our new skills are highlighted with an "*".
Some of the skill names and categories don't make sense.
The Volunteer Center uses a Hands-on Connect platform and most of the skills and skill categories were developed by committee. We are required to use them. However, the Volunteer Center has added relevant and clearer skills and categories to facilitate good skilled volunteer matching. Still don't see your skills and think they would be relevant to the Volunteer Center, and let us know. We keep adding to the list.
I know it's a good idea, but I really don't want to register my skills at this time, is there any way I can see the skilled volunteer opportunities?
Yes, click here for a listing of current skilled volunteer opportunities.