Occ. Code 5552700

 

COORDINATOR VOLUNTEER SERVICES, GRADE 18

5552700

SUPERVISOR VOLUNTEER SERVICES, GRADE 14

5552500

 

New York State Department of Civil Service

 

Classification Standard

 

NATURE OF WORK

 

            Employees in these classes plan, organize and direct the volunteer services program of a single facility. Incumbents determine the facility's need for volunteer workers; recruit, orient, train and assign volunteers to work areas according to their interests and abilities; stimulate community interest in the facility by addressing various local organizations; plan and develop special projects for the institution such as concerts, celebrity visits, and Foster Grandparent Programs.

 

            Positions in these classes are found predominantly in the various Department of Mental Hygiene facilities but also exist in the health facilities of the Department of Health and State University of New York.

 

CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

 

            These classes are characterized by responsibility for administering a volunteer program in a Department of Mental Hygiene or other agencies' health facility. Such a program is designed to utilize the resources of the community on a volunteer basis to supplement the facility's various therapeutic programs. The major distinction between the two levels described in this standard is the size of the volunteer program administered.

 

            Positions of Coordinator Volunteer Services are only classified to administer fully developed volunteer programs as evidenced by its utilization of at least 250 volunteers each year with such individuals donating a total of more than 5,000 volunteer hours and averaging more than ten hours per volunteer. Smaller programs including those which are in the developmental stage are typically headed by a Supervisor of Volunteer Services. Although most positions in these classes are the highest level position in a volunteer program, there are some instances where the volunteer program is so large that the workload warrants the classification of a Supervisor position to be an overall assistant to a Coordinator Volunteer Services, the incumbent of which heads the program. Such programs typically utilize more than 1,000 volunteers each year with individuals donating more than 40,000 total hours and averaging more than 15 hours per volunteer.

 

            There are a number of federally funded positions of Supervisor Volunteer Services in the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities which direct the Foster Grandparent Program in a particular facility. These positions perform all the duties of a Supervisor Volunteer Services, but the volunteer field is limited to senior citizens. These positions report directly to a central office position titled Coordinator Foster Grandparent Program and Senior Coordinator Companion Programs rather than the facility administration. In addition these positions are not considered part of the facility volunteer staff for classification purposes.

 

            In the Department of Correctional Services, positions of Supervisor Correctional Facility Volunteer Services are classified to supervise the volunteer program and provide public relations assistance in a secure facility.

 

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, TASKS AND ASSIGNMENTS

 

Determines the facility's need for volunteers and develops various volunteer programs to meet these needs so that the manpower resources of the institution may be better utilized.

 

·              Periodically discusses with various department heads their manpower needs to implement and carry out desirous programs.

 

·              Taking into account each department's operations, objectives and relationships with other sections of the facility, advises section head and other members of the section on the possible use of volunteers to assist in the implementation of a newly suggested or expanded program.

 

·              Develops, with assigned section members, job descriptions to describe the tasks to be assigned to volunteers.

 

·              Based upon the newly developed job description, determines with appropriate section members, the desired knowledge and abilities which must be possessed by a volunteer to effectively perform the tasks described in the job description.

 

Plans and conducts recruitment and public relations campaigns to stimulate community interest in the facility and attract desirable volunteers by explaining various goals, objectives and programs of the facility and the needs of its clients.

 

·              Contacts representatives of local colleges, high schools and religious, fraternal and veterans' organizations by letter, by telephone or in person informing them of the institution, its residents, its programs and its desire for volunteers to work in the institution.

 

·              Prepares news releases to be distributed to the press.

 

·              Visits local senior citizen centers and explains the benefits of providing volunteer service to potential volunteers.

 

·              Writes letters to local newspaper "letters to the editor" columns explaining the institution, its programs and goals, and its desire for volunteer workers.

 

·              Contacts various community groups such as parent groups, student groups, church groups, etc. and may speak at their meetings.

 

·              Arranges for visits to and tours of the facility to stimulate community interest.

 

·              Prepares pamphlets and volunteer recruitment brochures explaining the goals of the facility.

 

·              Contacts local radio stations and develops agreements with the stations to supply public service announcements for the institution.

 

Based upon volunteer applications received, reviews the interests, qualifications and abilities of the prospective volunteers, and arranges for their placement in various units of the institution.

 

·              Schedules interviews of volunteers by letter or telephone.

 

·              In the interview, questions the prospective volunteer to determine if the volunteer's qualifications, interests, and abilities compare favorably with those needed to fill available volunteer positions.

 

·              Explains the goals, objectives and programs of the facility and the needs of its clients and answers any questions about the facility in order that each can decide on the appropriateness of volunteer work for the individual at the facility.

 

·              Compares the background and personal information solicited in the interview with the needs of the facility and determines, through this comparison, whether and where the volunteer should be placed.

 

·              Notifies the volunteer by letter if there is no position to match the desires and abilities of the volunteer, or it is determined through answers solicited in the interview that the volunteer would not fit the facility's needs at any time.

 

·              Makes oral or written arrangements to schedule an interview between the volunteer and the section head where the volunteer will be assigned if a match is made between the abilities and desires of the volunteer and the needs of the facility.

 

·              Discusses with the appropriate section head whether the volunteer could perform the tasks requested of a volunteer.

 

·              Notifies the volunteer either orally or in writing of acceptance into the volunteer program if, based upon all information accumulated in interviews, it is determined that the volunteer is capable of performing certain necessary duties.

 

Orients and trains volunteers so that they will blend with the facility staff and be able to effectively perform the tasks required.

 

·              Personally meets with the volunteer and explains the organization, philosophy and other pertinent information about the section in which the volunteer will be working.

 

·              Accompanies volunteer to work section and makes introductions to section employees.

 

·              Meets with facility training personnel to discuss the need for training courses for groups of volunteers.

 

·              Schedules volunteers for available training courses.

 

·              Periodically meets with individual volunteers to discuss work progress and answer questions about work situations.

 

Evaluates the volunteer program to find its strengths and weaknesses in order to improve the overall effectiveness of the program.

 

·              Meets with section and department heads to assess the progress of those program areas staffed with volunteers.

 

·              Completes monthly report of number of volunteers and number of hours worked.

 

·              Writes periodic reports to the facility administrator or assistant administrator detailing the activities of the volunteers and the progress made by the entire volunteer program.

 

·              Interviews departing volunteers and solicits their reasons for leaving and their impressions of the volunteer program.

 

·              Discusses with available community contacts why more volunteers are not coming forward from a particular community organization.

 

Contacts local business enterprises, community groups and other organizations to obtain monetary and moral support in the realization of special projects to benefit the residents of the institution.

 

·              Plans major entertainment performances with therapy staff and obtains the necessary entertainers and other resources.

 

·              Telephones or corresponds with local musical groups, entertainers, and celebrities requesting them to donate their time by performing at the facility.

 

·              Writes to various charitable organizations or community businesses soliciting donations of money, products, or services to offset the expenses of special events such as parties or field trips or to create a service lacking in the facility such as a used bookstore or gift shop.

 

·              Writes to local press agencies asking for press coverage of various special events or projects.

 

·              Publishes periodic newsletters explaining the activities of the volunteer services program.

 

·              Solicits contributions to the annual awards dinner honoring volunteers and local community groups for their service to the facility.

 

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

 

            These are predominantly people-oriented classes requiring frequent oral and written communications with a variety of people within both the facility and the community. They engage in discussions with program managers to obtain information regarding the volunteer needs and program requirements of the various institution units so that people with appropriate knowledge and abilities may be recruited as volunteers. Incumbents may also confer with and advise facility administrators on the feasibility of various public relations programs.

 

            Incumbents also have frequent verbal and written communications with individuals and groups outside the facility for the purpose of developing and maintaining effective relationships and also to establish new relationships to promote the institution's volunteer and public relations programs. This community contact is sought out and initiated by the incumbents and often includes addressing large groups of people.

 

NATURE OF SUPERVISION

 

            If the volunteer program is sufficiently large to warrant the existence of both a Coordinator and a Supervisor Volunteer Services, the Coordinator exercises supervisory responsibility for the program. The Coordinator assigns work to clerical and volunteer workers, provides necessary instructions to them and reviews the completed work for thoroughness and accuracy. Supervision over the Supervisor of Volunteer Services is generally limited to the assignment of various projects and the periodic review of such for timeliness, completeness and conformity to institution policy.

 

            In a facility where the Supervisor or Coordinator Volunteer Services is the sole volunteer service position, the supervisory responsibilities exercised in this case would generally be limited to assigning, directing and reviewing for accuracy the work of the clerical staff or volunteer workers assigned to the administration of the volunteer program.

 

            As the highest level volunteer service position in a facility, an incumbent of either of these classes receives policy direction from an administrator in both the facility and the central office. Within this framework the incumbent establishes the volunteer program, assigns volunteers, maintains a satisfactory community relations program and establishes all program priorities. The incumbent periodically reports in writing to a facility administrator on the status of the volunteer program. New programs are generally initiated by the incumbent but they must be pre-approved by a facility administrator.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

Supervisor Volunteer Services

 

            Three years' experience in the administration of a volunteer program.

 

Coordinator Volunteer Services

 

            One year of permanent service as a Supervisor of Volunteer Services.

 

 

Reviewed:  3/05

 

 

NOTE:  Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.