Volunteer & Co-Sponsorship Navigator

Job Details

Description

Ascentria Care Alliance employees and volunteers take pride in the impact they have on the people they serve. It’s more than just a job, it’s an opportunity our employees have to care for and share in the lives of people who greatly need and appreciate their presence.

Ascentria Care Alliance focuses on every child, elder, person with a differing ability, refugee, teenage mom and whomever they call family - in order to build stronger communities one person at a time, ensuring that they experience New England as home to caring communities where people experience love, belonging, wellbeing, and hope.

This is an excellent opportunity to help shape the impact of a $150 M non-profit social services organization with programs throughout New England.

Summary :

The Services for New Americans (SNA) team empowers resettled refugees to become self-sufficient by connecting refugees to community services and facilitating community integration.

The Co-Sponsorship and Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for pursuing creative strategies to build wide community participation in these efforts.

Throughout Ascentria’s three geographic service areas (with a focus on West Springfield) the Coordinator will expand and strengthen our network of community support.

This engagement will focus especially on recruitment and development of volunteer Co-Sponsorship teams that take primary responsibility for families we serve.

Other duties include recruiting, hiring, training, supervising and coordinating other volunteers; procuring donations that benefit refugee families and the program;

and developing and maintaining relationships with faith communities and other community partners.

Furthermore, this position represents Ascentria and SNA among a variety of community outlets including, but not limited to faith, social service, local schools, public agencies and municipal partners.

The position is part of the broader Services for New Americans team serving refugees and provides other support as needed.

Essential Responsibilities :

Co-Sponsorship

Reach out to new community groups and leaders to explore points of connection and opportunities for collaboration with Ascentria.

Initiates and / or directly executes small group meetings and / or workshops with community groups interested in collaborating.

• Support management of the Co-sponsorship Pipeline through all stages of the process as needed : conducts co-sponsorship orientations / info sessions, provides feedback on co-sponsorship applications, invites groups to co-sponsorship training, assists groups as they move towards a green light, and collaborates with the Co-sponsorship team to make decisions regarding family placements and ongoing service provision.
• Participate in ongoing discussions regarding Co-sponsorship Program evaluation and management.

L eadership of Volunteers

• Work with Ascentria SNA staff to identify, develop and refine volunteer roles.
• Recruit, interview, hire, orient, supervise and evaluate volunteers.
• Maintain regular contact with volunteers, including regular in-person meetings.
• Coordinates / Supports volunteer appreciation events and other community-building initiatives.

Donations

• Solicit and collect donations including cash, furniture, household items and other items as defined by client or program needs.
• Assure the maintenance, cleanliness and organization of the on-site Donations’ room.

Learning, Record Keeping, Reporting

• Actively collaborate with colleagues and others to brainstorm, plan, prioritize, debrief and celebrate.
• Track client and volunteer experiences and trends and identify opportunities for organizational growth and systems improvement.
• Identify, document and deploy relevant resources and content expertise.
• Maintain volunteer database and records.
• Ensure quality of casefiles associated with clients and services.

Qualifications : Required

Required

Minimum of four (4) years professional experience, including two (2) years of professional experience related to community development, community organizing, volunteer engagement or public / constituent engagement.

Extensive volunteer or community leadership experience may be considered in place of paid public engagement experience).

• Enthusiasm in engaging new partners and groups via phone and in person.
• Ability to effectively lead volunteers and advocate for process improvement as needed.
• Ability to work sensitively and effectively in a multi-cultural / multi-lingual environment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to respond to rapidly changing priorities throughout the day.
• Ability to be flexible, adapt, and contribute to ongoing organizational transformation.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Computer skills required including Microsoft Word and Excel, and a willingness to learn new tools.
• Valid Driver’s License, favorable driving record and proof of automobile insurance is required to transport clients.
• Ability to work within the mission of the organization, We envision thriving communities where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Together with our partners, we inspire people to help one another reach beyond their current circumstances and realize new possibilities."

Preferred

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Basic knowledge of volunteer program management.
• Language skills including Dari, Pashto, Nepali, Hindi, Rohingya, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Arabic or other languages other than English.
• Lived experience akin to served population
• Computer skills including PowerPoint or other presentation tools. Familiarity with Web-based databases / CRM systems, project management tools a plus.
• Experience with copywriting or other content development a plus.
• Familiarity with leadership or team development principles a plus.

Qualifications

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Experience

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