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Volunteering
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"Don't Judge Each Day
By The Harvest You Reap,
But By The Seeds You Plant."
-Robert Louis Stevenson |
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Volunteering with PFLAG Phoenix
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There are many ways to volunteer with PFLAG Phoenix! Listed
below are three distinct "volunteer need" sections:
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Open PFLAG Phoenix Volunteer Positions
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As with all non-profit organizations, people do come and
go, and we never seem to have enough volunteers to do everything we'd like
to do. Therefore, there's always room for more! Besides the
personal fulfillment that often comes from getting involved in such a
wonderful organization, volunteering is also a great way to meet new fun,
friendly, and like-minded people. It's also a way to sharpen your
professional skills (or to develop new ones) that can help you in your
current career, possibly in a new career, and in life. If you're interested in getting involved, we can probably find one (if not
more) ways to get you involved easily! Just take a look at the sections below
and let us know what position(s) and/or area(s) spark your interest. We'll work with you to
determine where and how you can help out -- no long-term commitments
required!
In fact, many of our volunteer positions require only an
hour here or there during the month -- and many of them
go dormant for months at a time.
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Please note:
Many of our volunteer roles have little to no
prerequisites meaning that if you are interested, we
can probably find a way to get you involved in those
roles -- even if it means learning new skills as you
go. However, some of our volunteer roles
require a more in-depth knowledge of PFLAG in
general and of our local chapter specifically (e.g.,
what all we do; how we operate) to be prepared and
effective in those roles. This knowledge is
very important in roles such as our Speakers Bureau
(where volunteer speakers need to be able to answer
general questions from audience members) and our
Community Outreach Liaisons. Still, other
volunteer roles require a high level of personal
trust, PFLAG knowledge, communication skills, and
compassion which we can only assess after getting to
know you (which we can only accomplish by your
attendance at local support meetings and/or at our
Board of Directors meetings). This is
extremely important for volunteer roles that involve
providing one-on-one support to individuals through
our telephone Helpline or via email support.
Please keep this in mind as you consider which role(s) you might be interested in. |
If you are interested in volunteering, or if you would like additional information
before deciding, just contact us by
email,
by phone (602-843-1404), or attend a support meeting and talk to us
there. C'mon . . . get involved and while helping others, feel GREAT about
yourself!
Currently
Open Volunteer Positions
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Administrative Assistant:
This person assists PFLAG Phoenix by maintaining paper
and electronic files, responds to phone inquiries
(non-support related), drafts correspondence, makes
flyers for support meetings, does research, and does
other types of administrative work.
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Advocacy Chairperson:
This person is responsible for
keeping the pulse of the GLBT community and legislative
and other governmental or private activities that impact
the GLBT community. When warranted this person
organizes or coordinates with other organizations
demonstrations, marches, member e-mail ‘action alert’
campaigns, sit-ins, lobby day activities, etc.
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Community Outreach Liaisons:
Liaisons attend meetings and
sometimes activities of the organization they select.
Liaisons provide information to the PFLAG Phoenix on the
activities of the organization and how PFLAG Phoenix
might work with the organization, for the benefit of the
GLBT community. These are the organizations we need
liaisons for:
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1N10
(GLBT youth support group): 1n10
provides a safe environment for GLBTQ youth to
develop positive self-acceptance through life
enhancing programs. Their vision
is to
ensure all GLBTQ youth are respected, valued, and
can be themselves wherever they are.
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Equality Arizona
(formerly known as AHRF -
Arizona Human Rights Fund): This group is a
strong advocate for GLBT rights and works to elect
legislators who are supportive of the GLBT
community. Equality Arizona is affiliated with the national
Human Rights Fund.
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GLSEN Phoenix
(Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network):
GLSEN Phoenix works primarily in the school systems to
educate school administrators, faculty, and staff on
issues related to establishing safe schools and
anti-discrimination policies, and to support the establishment
of Gay/Straight Student Alliance groups for GLBT youth.
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One
Voice
(This group is developing a GLBT
Community Center in Phoenix. They have also
developed a series of social gatherings, where a
coalition of GLBT groups and their supporters can
network and support one another.)
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Straight
Spouse Network
(Support group for spouses of GLBT individuals):
In this case we need a person from the Straight
Spouse Meeting to represent the group at our
Board of Directors meetings. This person would
be a liaison between the Straight Spouse Meeting and
our Board of Directors and would inform our Board of
Directors of ways we can better support the group
and inform the community about the groups purpose.
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Charlie’s
(GLBT bar that is a huge financial supporter of
PFLAG Phoenix): This is a unique situation
where we need several dedicated individuals to
represent PFLAG and be present at Charlie’s, when
The Men Of Charlie’s announce the non-profits they
will be collecting for and also be present at
Charlie’s when a check is presented to PFLAG.
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Fundraising Coordinator:
This individual would coordinate fundraising activities
for PFLAG Phoenix in the event we need to raise money to
fund a project or activity and our reserves are not
sufficient to fund the endeavor.
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Grant Research & Writing:
When requested this person would be
responsible for researching sources for grants and the
writing of grants to financially support PFLAG Phoenix,
projects we take on, or activities we engage in.
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Graphic Designer / Ad Creator:
This individual works closely
with our media representative, website designer, and
newsletter editor in the creation of paper and
electronic graphic design.
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Membership Coordinator:
This person is responsible for
maintaining an up-to-date membership database for PFLAG
Phoenix, keeping track of membership dues payment,
developing membership campaigns, and communicating with
members during annual membership campaigns. This person
also generates newsletter mailing labels and reports
membership data to PFLAG National.
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Public Relations Coordinator:
This volunteer is responsible
for maintaining an ongoing public relations campaign for
PFLAG Phoenix including: maintaining a positive
relationship with the GLBT community, media
representatives, and the public in the metro Phoenix
area. Provides information to the public and media
about PFLAG Phoenix and its support, education, and
advocacy programs.
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Special Events Coordinator:
This individual coordinates all special events
including: Pride Parade & Festival, Rainbow Festival,
Lobby Day, Annual Picnic and other events that PFLAG
Phoenix involves itself in outside of regular meetings.
This individual is in a lead role and coordinates the
preparation and volunteers for all special events.
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Support Meeting Coordinator- Phoenix: This volunteer is
responsible for setting up the meeting space, develops a
program schedule and retains speakers, assures that
there are facilitators for the support group meetings,
assures that literature from the lending library are
set-up and available, assists with the sign-in table
when needed, and assures that drinks and snacks are
available for our break.. This individual is also in a
lead role and recruits and coordinates other volunteers
assisting with the PV support meeting.
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Volunteer
Coordinator: This
individual coordinates all volunteer activities within
PFLAG Phoenix and makes sure volunteer positions are
filled. This position can easily become an
overwhelming job for one person. The Volunteer
Coordinator might need to recruit one or two assistants
who could help handle volunteer inquiries we receive via
e-mail and our helpline. The assistants could also help
with interviewing prospective volunteers, and place new
volunteers in positions where they have an interest and
their talents can be utilized.
Other Volunteer Areas
Our Support Meeting "Supporters" . . .
. . . simply attend any one of our three local monthly
support meetings to lend their support to other attendees who are new to PFLAG
or who simply have personal issues they are dealing with. These
"supporter" volunteers come prepared to listen to the stories of others,
and to share their own stories to help others gain insight, understanding,
confidence and compassion. No training is required, only a desire
to want to support others through their own individual journeys.
And, as always happens, you tend to grow as an individual as well!
Can't beat that! No sign-up needed here -- just attend any of our
three regular support meetings.
In addition, meeting/support group facilitators help facilitate meetings
and/or focused support groups at a specific meeting location. We need
more available facilitators to attend meetings to fill-in when
"regular" facilitators cannot attend and to allow us to have
additional, smaller focused support groups at some meeting locations.
A special "shout-out" to ALL
supportive parents . . . especially parents of GLBT youth and young adults .
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Our "Hospitality" Volunteers . . .
. . . arrive a little early for our support meetings and help prepare
the meeting room(s) for the meeting (e.g., setting up chairs and display tables,
unlocking doors, turning on lights and the A/C, starting the coffee brewing and
arranging for other refreshments to be brought), greet guests at our "welcome"
table and help clean up and put away chairs and tables after the meeting (i.e.,
a 10-minute task!).
It's really simple, but it's an important responsibility. Plus, it's
a great way to meet new people and to get to know current members. And,
even though we have three local support meetings each month, you'll be welcome
to help out these volunteers at any one of the three support
meeting locations.
Our Speakers Bureau and Project Safe Space . . .
. . . are our main methods of outreach to the general public (other
than our monthly support meetings). Our PFLAG
Speakers Bureau consists of volunteers who go out
into the community to share their own personal stories to help others understand
what PFLAG is all about. Project Safe Space is a similar program whereby
our volunteers speak to school administrators, faculty,
counselors, parents groups and student classes about what PFLAG is and why
schools need to provide a "safe space" for GLBT students. In
addition, we speak
to college classes, community organizations and to corporate diversity
groups. If you can share your own personal story, then you're practically
qualified. We provide free "training" (i.e., the "do's and don'ts).
You can even come watch us speak before you decide to participate. It's
a great way to meet new and interesting people, and to get fulfillment
that you are educating others and making a difference!
Our Chapter Newsletter . . .
. . . is published monthly to over 500 individuals
and organizations. It takes a group of dedicated individuals
to accomplish this important task. Newsletter volunteers assist the
newsletter editor in finding interesting and important news items to
be considered for inclusion in the newsletter, and help get the finalized
newsletter copied, folded, inserted, addressed, stamped and mailed.
Submission of original articles and personal stories are also easy, but
important ways to contribute to this important task. Join this group and
be the first to know the news before everyone else!
Our "Lending Library" . . .
. . . of books, videos and audio tapes are available at every PFLAG support
meeting, thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers. They bring the materials to the
support meetings, display the items
for easy viewing and answer questions from newcomers and regular attendees
as well. They make sure that all books are checked out properly and
that when returned, are checked back in (and they make calls to individuals
for long overdue items). They are also always on the lookout for
new books (and book bargains) for the library. They also label video
tapes which are recorded by our members. So, if you enjoy working
with books, etc., and you can assist, join this group today!
Helpline Calls and Email Messages . . .
. . . are where we get most requests for support and questions about
PFLAG, community resources, etc. Our PFLAG telephone helpline and main
email address are two key entry points for many people new to the issue of homosexuality and/or
new to PFLAG. We typically have several volunteers who respond to
helpline calls and who "trade off" the responsibility when they know they will be
unavailable to respond to calls. We also maintain a list of individuals
who "fit" certain profiles (e.g., a gay man, a lesbian woman, a
transgendered individual, a parent of a gay man, a straight man or woman
married to a gay spouse, and so on) who make themselves available to respond
to emailed requests for support, etc. You can possibly assist with these
calls and/or emailed messages by being an available resource for situations where the PFLAG volunteer
responding to a helpline call or email message does not have the particular experience
or background to respond completely. You can make yourself available,
as a parent or family member or as an understanding gay or lesbian individual,
to be called upon to respond directly to callers/emailers once notified. What
better way to "give back" what PFLAG has given to you?
Our Phone Tree . . .
. . . is put to use for those who aren't connected to the
Internet and/or email when fast-breaking "action alerts" are issued,
such as when a call goes out at the last-minute (or a day in advance) for
parents, family members, and/or GLBT individuals to speak at the State
Legislature or to speak on camera for a local news station covering a local or
national story. To ease the burden on the folks making the calls, we use
a "phone tree" to spread the calls to a group of individuals who get
all the calls accomplished much faster.
As a phone tree caller, you would simply make calls to PFLAG members and other
individuals to solicit support for pending state and federal legislation,
to advise them of upcoming special events, or to request their participation
in other special programs. What a great way to get to talk to some
really interesting and friendly people!
Around Town . . .
. . . PFLAG Phoenix tries to make itself visible by attending local
functions and staffing information booths when practical. We have
staffed information booths at the local gay rodeo (always a fun event!),
at the Phoenix Gay Pride Festival, at the community "Coming Out Day" barbeque,
and at local health fairs and conferences. For those events with
an admission fee, our volunteers are usually able to get in at either
reduced or free admission. Staffing information tables is a fun way
to meet others and to answer questions about PFLAG and our services.
Let us know if you'd like to participate and we'll keep your name handy for
the next event!
Things We'd Like To Do, If Only We Had Volunteers To
Take These Tasks On . . .
Fundraising . . .
PFLAG exists solely on the kindness of our volunteers and of
our financial supporters. We are constantly in search of new funding
sources to help us carry out our mission of support, education and advocacy.
We need interested and motivated people to work together to contact individuals, businesses and
organizations to seek financial (and other) support for our PFLAG chapter.
If you've got "connections", then we need you. If you don't have
"connections", then we need you. Basically, we just need YOU!
Grant Research & Writing . . .
Another area we'd like to explore, and possibly pursue, is the
area of grant research, writing and submission. There are many
philanthropist groups and organizations out there that are looking for worthy
causes and projects to grant funds to. We'd like to seek out those
groups and organizations that support our mission and see if we qualify for
their grant programs. We need people who have experience is grant
research and writing to assist us with this endeavor. Can you help?
Our
Board of Directors . . .
. . . meets just six times a year -- every other month, usually on a
Saturday morning, for a couple of hours. Participating in these meetings
is probably the best (and easiest) way to involve yourself in our
chapter. We meet to discuss and decide current issues facing our chapter
(e.g., keeping support meetings running smoothly, producing our monthly
newsletter, etc.), to plan upcoming programs and events, to brainstorm on how
to wisely stretch our donated funds, and to address many, many other
topics. Anyone and everyone
can be a part of this process! It's a great way to meet some truly
dedicated (and fun!) people within PFLAG Phoenix and to get yourself involved.
What are you waiting for?!? Here's
more information about
our Board of Directors.
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Administrative
Assistant
