Maywood Education Fair 2018 - Volunteers Committee

Learning Domains: Leadership & Social Justice & Advocacy

Description: Organizing the Maywood Education Fair was an excellent opportunity for me to use my arranger and individualization strengths as well as be flexible to changing environments. In preparation for the Maywood Education Fair, I worked with my colleague to place 140 volunteers for the day-of the fair, facilitate a training with Cohort 11 students, and co-organize the stuffing of promotional items.

Term: Fall 2018

Learning Outcomes:

1. SWiBAT describe the experience of placing, coordinating, and training the Maywood Education Fair volunteers.

2. SWiBAT assess the effectiveness of the volunteer experience.

Assessment Rubric: Please click image to view the PDF.

Reflection

I would rate myself between Competent and Advanced for SLO #1 because I worked with my co-lead with placing, coordinating, and training the Maywood Education Fair volunteers. This was a collaborative process and we worked well together to prioritize our tasks and problem solve. Trust and rapport was built along the way. We met on a regular basis to review tasks and split them up. When placing the volunteers, we diligently analyzed the information prospective volunteers provided in advance and matched them with the available slots. I worked on placing MSHE alumni, undergraduate students, and some of Cohort 11 students. In my role, I drafted the initial placement of the some of slots and my co-lead checked the individual schedules and vice versa. This coordination was completed on a Google Spreadsheet with a tab for each type of volunteers (ex: alumni, Cohort 11, SAGE scholars, undergraduate students, etc). Once volunteers were initially placed, we reviewed them and an individual schedule was completed for each volunteer. After a volunteer group was placed, they were informed together via email of their specific roles. This allowed us to send out the assignments on a rolling basis so that volunteers would be able to know as soon as possible. Cohort 11 was provided with a basic training several weeks in advance and some of the youth education committee leads followed up with their volunteers prior. Although the Outreach and Volunteers Committee hosted an online training via Zoom, it was not very well attended. A natural partnership emerged between the Volunteers Committee and the Logistics Committee. As the fair approached, we were in constant communication with logistics about the number and placement of volunteers. On the day of fair, the volunteers committee made logistical adjustments to volunteers when new roles emerged or volunteers were needed in additional areas. If these two committees were combined in the future, it would assist the volunteers leads in the familiarity of the layout and placement of volunteers.

I would rate myself as Competent for SLO #2 because I was able to assess the volunteer experience with a revised survey. Wawrzynski, Brock, and Sweeney (2015) discussed the value of assessment and I also believe that assessment is important for being intentional with the work that we do. For this reason, I was able to explore whether our learning outcomes were met by collaborating with my co-lead to create a rubric and use it as a tool to compare with our survey results. We decided that volunteers who scored basic and above would have met our learning outcome. I also identified to what extent volunteers made an impact within their role. This was an excellent opportunity to use both a rubric as well as a simple yes/no if the outcome was met. In the future, the Volunteers Committee could work to include a more comprehensive training for the younger cohort in advance so that they could be better prepared on the day-of. Additionally, if the younger cohort had a more thorough training, the Volunteers Committee may be able to gain greater insight from the data provided. Similarly, time from class could be allotted in advance for the Volunteers Committee and other quad leads to conduct focus groups with the younger cohort.

Evidence

Please see pictures above and copy of assessment conducted.

References

Wawrzynski, M. R., Brock, A., & Sweeney, A. (2015). Assessment in student affairs practice. In M. J. Amey & L. M. Reesor (Eds.). Beginning your journey: A guide for new professionals in student affairs (4th ed.) (pp. 121-142). Washington, DC: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.