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Volunteer Questions
| Nonprofit Questions
Volunteer Questions
How do I register with VCOC?
Registration
is for individuals searching for volunteer opportunities, or individuals
signing-up for a training or special event. Select the "Register/Log In" link
on the left navigation menu and register by creating a login account. Your
profile, which will be kept private and secure, will give you access to our
volunteer opportunities and training calendar.
I registered, but I'm not receiving any emails?
In order to confirm that you are a real person
registering on our system, the website sends out confirmation emails to the
email address you've entered. Opening that email and confirming your
account by clicking on the link, will allow you full rage of access to the site.
The site will also send you emails confirming your participation in events
you've registered for, reminding you that you've signed up for an event, and
asking for your feedback once the event is over. Some email programs may
see this communications as spam. Check your spam folder for the messages,
and mark "volunteercenter.org" as a "safe", a recognized url by your server, and
not spam.
After I have
registered, how do I sign up for a volunteer project?
Click on the "Volunteer Opportunities" link on the left navigation menu section
of our website to find opportunities that interest you. Send a
message to the nonprofit agency by clicking on the “Have Agency contact me”
button next to the opportunity you are interested in. You will receive an e-mail
with more detailed information and any other instructions. The agency will
also receive an email from our website passing along your name and email
address. It is up to the agency to contact you at that time.
How old do I
have to be?
Our volunteer opportunities all have a minimum age requirement as outlined by
the agency in their partnership agreements with VCOC. You can search for
age specific volunteer opportunities after you’ve registered by:
clicking on “Volunteer Opportunities” in the left menu, clicking on
“search projects” in the top menu, and clicking on “display more options” in the
lower right corner. You can fill in the field, “Search for projects where
a
volunteer who is
years
old can volunteer” and entering in the age you are looking for.
Can I volunteer
with my kids?
Absolutely! We have several volunteer opportunities which welcome the
opportunities to work with families. To find them, click on “Volunteer
Opportunities” in the left menu, click on “search projects” in the top menu, and
click on “display more options” in the lower right corner. In the
bottom left corner, you’ll see “project attributes” , Select “Good for Families”
and hit "Search".
I’m not finding any
volunteer opportunities in your list?
Try broadening your search to only 1 element.
If you are searching by Zip code and Family Friendly, try just search by “Family
Friendly”.
Is the website
the only way I can sign up for a project?
You can always contact our
office to sign up as well. You can call us at (714) 953-5757 or e-mail
info@volunteercenter.org
What should I do if I
need to complete community service hours as ordered by the Courts?
Volunteers who need to complete Court ordered
community service hours are handled exclusively through our Court Referral
Program (CRP). See our Most
Commonly Asked Questions
for more information about completing
your Court Ordered community service hours.
I am over 55/years
old are there special opportunities for me?
Yes, Please see our
RSVP
program for more information about
volunteering.
I am interested in
serving on a Board but I don’t have any experience?
VCOC offers a
Board Connection
program, offering training and placement services
for volunteer interested in serving on Board of Directors.
Nonprofit Questions
How do I become
a nonprofit member of VCOC?
VCOC offers a comprehensive membership program for 501(c)3 nonprofits and other
outreach agencies working in Orange County. Benefits include discounts on
training and promotion of volunteer opportunities through multiple venues.
To receive a membership packet, call (714) 953-5757 or e-mail
info@volunteercenter.org.
I’m not a
member of VCOC. Can I still post projects on this web site?
Yes, VCOC
will continue to post volunteer referrals free of charge, however only members
are eligible to receive Corporate Volunteer referrals, and Managed volunteer
service projects. Posting your project with us, also lists your
information on the statewide volunteer referral system at
www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org.
How do I post a
volunteer project?
It is a 2 step process for including your
volunteer opportunity on our site. 1. Check our Agency Partners list
here, if your organization is listed
you can skip to step 2. If your organization is not listed, you must first
complete our “Partner
Registration” form. Step 2: We need you to fill
out this “Project
Registration” form. You are welcome to list as many
projects as you like. The form needs to be filled out completely and
as stated, or we cannot include the information in our site.
I’m not getting any
online referrals from your site?
Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or concerns. We will
do our best to help. One suggestion we make for recruiting volunteers
online from our site or any other is to check your project description -
Examples:
Not as effective:
Title: "Office Help" Description: “We need
volunteers to help us around the office.
Log on to our website at www.wehelp.org and
fill out our volunteer application."
Better:
Title: "Help give us a leg-up in helping
others" Description: “Our nonprofit
was founded in 1988 to help people who need
it. Volunteering opportunities are
abundant and we hope to work with you to
meet your volunteering interests a much as
possible. Our biggest need right now is help around the office. We
are well organized and passionate about what
we do. Helping us out in the office
gives us the leg up we need to make helping
more people possible. We require a
volunteer application and an orientation to
ensure we’re using our time most effectively
as well as the best quality volunteer
experience for you. Please see www.wehelp.org for more info, or contact us
at jane@wehelp.org”
I’m interested
in attending a training class; how do I sign up?
You can register for training
by clicking on “Training” on the menu to the left of the screen. You also
can register by calling (714) 953-5757x200 or e-mailing
pvaca@volunteercenter.org
Where are
training classes held?
Most
classes are held at VCOC 1901 East 4th St. 4th St. Suite
100, Santa Ana Ca 92705. Conferences and customized training may be held
off site.
Can I pay for a
training or event online?
Yes. Once you register for the training, you will be given the option for
paying by credit card on our secured server. You also welcome to call in
your payment to Patricia Vaca at 714.953.5757 x200, or mail in your
payments to VCOC c/o Patricia Vaca 1901 East 4th
St. Suite 100, Santa Ana, CA 92705
I don’t understand
your site, How does it work?
Our site serves 2 audiences, 1. Individuals interested in finding volunteer
opportunities, and 2. Individuals interested in nonprofit professional
development.
1. If you are interested in finding volunteer opportunities you can choose to
look through a
variety of opportunities
at over 400
nonprofits in Orange County, or you can participate in one of our special
programs for volunteers:
·
RSVP
(for Seniors/ages 55+)
· Court
Referral Program
(for completing your court ordered community service)
· Board
Connection
(training and placement on local board of directors
2. If you are interested in resources for your organization or staff, we offer a
variety of services:
·
Training
in:
o
Nonprofit Management
o
Volunteer Management
o
Fundraising
·
Consulting
Services for nonprofits
·
Volunteer Recruitment and
Referrals
·
Leadership Development
o
Breakfast of Champions
(quarterly speaker
series)
o
Volunteer
Roundtable
o
Grantwriters Roundtable
o
ED Forum (Executive Director Forum)
o
DOVIA
(Directors of
Volunteers in Agencies - the local chapter of the volunteers managers
professional association)
·
Information Services
o
Books and Hard copy materials
o
FC Search (Foundation Center Database listing potential funders)
o
Employment Services
(information
about finding the right nonprofit employee)
We also manage a variety of Annual Events which
benefit the community
·
Spirit of
Volunteerism
·
MLK Day
·
Cesar Chavez
Day
·
Spirit of
Giving
·
Show your
Character
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