Abstract

Ascertaining the most pressing issues in your service area that require attention is the first step in delivering needed community assistance. Choosing which of these (oftentimes pressing) issues your program is willing or able to address is the next step. This effective practice, submitted by HandsOn Network in the fall of 2006, will help programs make this important decision, so that they can provide the greatest benefits to the community and service participants.

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Issue

After conducting a needs assessment, your volunteer program will probably have a long list of community issues, needs, and potential projects; deciding on the "right" one is the next step.

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Action

As your program works with staff, community members, and others to determine what will be the focus of your service efforts, use the following recommendations to proceed:

Research the issue

The first step in narrowing your focus is to learn more about the issue or issues identified in the community needs assessment. Find supporting statistics about the issue in your community, the background and underlying causes, and some ideas for projects to address the need. Research what groups — nonprofits, religious, neighborhood associations, and so forth — are already working in this area. Are they meeting all the needs? If so, you may want to focus your efforts on another issue. However, you could also consider them as an ideal partner for your project.

Partner with a Community Service Organization (CSO)

Once you know what groups in your community are working on in a particular issue area, you can approach them about partnering for a project. They may already be one of your program partners, in which case you probably already have a good understanding of how your organizations will work together and the resources that each can bring to the project. If they are a new partner, determine if they are a good fit for your program by reviewing their mission, the resources they offer to their partners, and the services they offer the community.

Conduct a site visit

Take time to visit the potential project site to determine the greatest needs. Whether you are working at a shelter, a park, or a CSO facility, a site visit will help you identify potential projects. During the visit, ask questions that help you understand what the agency's greatest needs are and the ways that ongoing or one-time volunteer support can have the greatest impact. Discuss the needs, wants, and dreams of the CSO staff. As you listen to their responses you will begin to see possible project ideas that can be developed. Write down any ideas that you have and discuss them with your team and project partners.

Decide on a project

Once you have assessed the needs of the community, researched the issue, contacted CSO partners, and visited the prospective service site, it's time to decide on the project. There is a great variety among types of volunteer projects, so it is important to define your scope. The scope will dictate how large or small the project, the intended impact, the duration, and the general theme.

When selecting a project, pay close attention to:

• Required time/days to complete the project
• Overall project scope: Can the project be scaled up or down as needed?
• Diversity: Can a broad spectrum of community members participate?
• Overall cost of producing the project
• Weather impact: What happens in case of inclement weather?
• Accessibility to building and facilities
• Amount and type of skilled labor needed

In addition, decide whether to plan a one-time, special-event project; an ongoing series of projects; or a combination. A one-day event could be a large project involving hundreds of people or it could be small group of volunteers working together on a service project for a day. Ongoing projects engage volunteers on a consistent basis, providing the opportunity to go beyond a one-time experience and have a sustained impact on the community.

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Context

HandsOn Network is a Corporation for National and Community Service training and technical assistance provider. Through training and technical assistance, HandsOn brings extensive expertise in leveraging volunteers to national service programs.

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Outcome

National service programs that follow these steps will be able to decide on a project that is the best fit for the community, the service program and any partnering organizations, and offer the greatest benefits.

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Posted On

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For More Information

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Resources

This effective practice is one in a series on volunteer leveraging from the Hands On Network. Read all of the Hands On effective practices.

For more information, see Take Root: Project Development Guidebook.

Source Documents

Related Practices

• Assessing community needs before planning a service project
• Mapping your volunteer project

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