NOVAA January Membership Meeting: Join us for the January NOVAA meeting and learn about Documenting Your Work - Keeping Good Records and "Artifacts" of Your Accomplishments. NOVAA member Amy Potthast, Director of Service and Graduate Education Programs at Idealist.org, will explore how and why volunteer resource managers should take the time to document their accomplishments, and will offer concrete suggestions for how you can get started right away!

When: Thursday, January 21st
Time: Noon -1:30pm
Where: Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 147 NW 19th Avenue Portland, OR.

 

NOVAA membership through June 30, 2010 is now only $20.00! Try us out for half price and get access to member benefits including; educational program meetings, training and professional development opportunities, a monthly newsletter, networking opportunities with colleagues, and much more! Don't miss this great opportunity for a significant discount on NOVAA membership!

Are you interested in attending a workshop or training on a volunteer management topic? Don’t let money keep you from participating! Please apply for a scholarship from NOVAA.

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The Member Spotlight is designed to get to know one another, share best practices and discover what motivates us as Volunteer Management Professionals. If you'd like to be spotlighted, please contact Caryn Servis.

Thank you to Carol Cookson,  Volunteer Coordinator at Easter Seals Oregon for being interviewed for this column.

How long have you been working with volunteers? 9 years 

What is your favorite part of managing volunteers? Having come from a management position in banking, I am amazed at how much more fun it is to work with volunteers vs. paid staff. Volunteers generally are very nice people and I can’t imagine a job that could beat working with nice people all the time. 

What organization do you currently work for? Easter Seals Oregon

What was your favorite volunteer opportunity as a volunteer? For about 10 years, I was a volunteer with the Telephone Reassurance Program. I was matched with an elderly woman who lived by herself in her own home. My job was to call her each weekday at a pre-determined time to make sure that all was well in her world. It took only about five minutes of my time each day. In that time, we quickly became friends and I made my daily calls until she required a higher level of care and had to move into a facility.

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The NOVAA study group for CVA (Certification in Volunteer Administration) candidates is beginning to form. Join us and strengthen your professional credibility! The study group is planning to start meeting in the new year but the CVA registration will remain open until March 1, 2010.

To learn more about the CVA process contact Sara Laursen or 503-525-4273. Additional details on the CVA can be found by visiting www.cvacert.org and you can request a Candidate Handbook and registration form by calling 804.794.8689 or by email to ccva@comcast.net.

* To join NOVAA’s CVA study group you must be a current member of NOVAA (Northwest Oregon Volunteer Administrator Association.) Details on how to become a member and scholarships for membership can be found at www.novaa.org.