"Applying the Lessons Learned" to local disaster response and recovery presentation for faith-based and neighborhood associations on May 29 

Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane will be the featured presenter at a faith-based and neighborhood association disaster orientation, entitled, "Applying the Lessons Learned." There is no charge for the event. The program will take place on Tuesday, May 29 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Sarasota County Administration Center, Emergency Operations Command Center, 1660 Ringling Boulevard on the sixth floor. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

The program will include an overview of Sarasota County Emergency Management and a glimpse into this coming hurricane season by Ed McCrane. There will also be presentations on "Field Experience" by Curtis Hencye of Calvary Chapel Sarasota Relief Ministries, "Identifying Your Role" by Rev. Marion R. Sortore of Charlotte Harbor Trinity United Methodist Church and "How You Can Get Involved" by Mindi Rohan of Volunteer Community Connections, and Ben Kunkel of United Way 211 of Manasota. 

The event is sponsored by Sarasota Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) in conjunction with the Community Alliance of Sarasota County, Sarasota County Government and Volunteer Community Connections.

The Sarasota Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) is a network of Community Organizations working together to promote the efficient, streamlined service delivery and coordination throughout the four phases of disaster: preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation. The Sarasota COAD continually prepares for any type of hazard response which may include pandemics, terrorism, natural disasters, mass causalities and others.      

The COAD was created after Sarasota County participated in the response and recovery effort following Hurricane Charley. The COAD member organizations engage community leaders in discussions to document the lessons learned. They also look for ways to foster partnerships and streamline response and recovery processes to support Sarasota County Emergency Management if and when a weather-related or other type of disaster hits Sarasota County.

To register for the May 29 orientation or for more information about disaster volunteer needs, please call Volunteer Community Connections at 941-953-5965 or email info@vccflorida.org by May 21. 

For more information about the Sarasota COAD, please visit their website at www.sarasotacoad.org

Register today for the Volunteer Management Training Course offered on March 22 & 23. Contact info@vccflorida.org or 941-953-9565 to secure your spot. Volunteer Management Training is designed to train volunteer program managers in our community to become more effective managers at understanding, recruiting, orientating, supervising and evaluating their volunteer program. Registration is $275.

How Volunteering Can Help YOU find work…

In today’s economy it can often be very difficult to find work.  Many people are turning to volunteer programs where they can occupy their time and maintain their work skills while they look for a job.  What many of these volunteers are finding is that management has taken notice of their skills and when a job becomes available they are often offered the job before it is even advertised.  Employers often spend hundreds of dollars to advertise or pay recruiters to find people with the skills they are looking for to fill positions.

Volunteering is a great way to get in with many non-profit organizations as well as county and University departments.  Although there is no guarantee that it will lead to a job, volunteering is a great way to learn gain experience and learn new skills that will strengthen your resume.  Volunteering is also an excellent way to network and meet new people that might be able to help you find a job.

Volunteer work is very easy to find.  Many cities have centers and organizations (such as the Friendship Volunteer Center) that are devoted completely to finding volunteers to place into various programs depending on your skills and interests. All you have to do is register with the volunteer organization and once they find a position that might interest you they will inform you.

Terry Schroder of Volunteertoday.com has spent over 20 years working with volunteers.  Terry says that reliability and willingness to do whatever they are asked are the qualities that are most important in volunteers.  The volunteers who works 8 hours a day on the days they are assigned is more likely to be hired than the volunteer who says they will work 20 hours a week and regularly only works 12.  Anne Fischer of Fortune Magazine writes that Fortune’s “100 Best Companies” are enthusiastic about community outreach and they prefer to hire people who are too.

Volunteer opportunities range from computer programming to wild animal care so no matter what your passion might be, there is more than likely a volunteer opportunity for you!

http://www.volunteertoday.com/ARCHIVES2005/Oct05stategovt.html

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/18/magazines/fortune/job_tips.fortune/index.htm