Part V. Applicability to Neighboring
III. Plan and Activities Plan of Action
The Volunteer Center’s plan was to conduct activities specifically to test how applicable the neighboring model is to rural communities. Efforts focused on three areas: targeted outreach, partnership development, and capacity building.
Targeted Outreach: Recruit and mobilize low-income volunteers for an ongoing or new initiative We met with community leaders in Asheboro, Franklinville, and Liberty to determine the extent of volunteering within these communities and conducted telephone interviews with school officials, church pastors, and organizational leaders. Through these and other contacts, we hoped to learn about the nature of volunteering specifically in Franklinville and Liberty with a focus on the Latino and Hispanic population.
We also convened a focus group of Latino community members to discuss possible volunteering opportunities within their community, thus expanding the awareness of the Volunteer Center satellite office in Randolph County. In addition, this group helped document the types of volunteering already occurring in the Latino community and the barriers to community involvement.
Partnership Development: Develop a partnership with a low-income community to initiate a volunteer project/program
We met with leaders of existing Latino initiatives and community leaders who were in the process of mobilizing the Latino population for specific programs. This enhanced our understanding of the nature of volunteering within the under-resourced rural community.
Capacity Building: Build the capacity of grassroots volunteer leaders to mobilize others We planned to train a core committee of Latinos in Liberty to organize a Mexican food booth at the annual town-wide Celebration of Liberty’s Children. This volunteer activity would help to strengthen existing community leadership and empower the Latino community to help
themselves.
Because of the relatively short time period of this case study, it took all of our time to establish trust among the Latino community and learn about their methods and leadership potential. It is difficult for an outsider of the community who does not speak the language to be able to
organize, plan, and work out a project in a short period of time. It also takes time to blend planned activities into existing programs and empower Latino volunteers to accept positions of leadership. By the conclusion of this case study, the goal of establishing a Mexican food booth was not achieved, however, with continued work, we believe it might be possible within two years.
Core Strategies
In addressing the main questions of the case study and designing the activities, we followed the seven “neighboring “ core strategies identified by the Points of Light Foundation with the goal of discovering how applicable the strategies are in working with residents in under-resourced communities.
1. Understand the nature of volunteering in the community 2. Overcome barriers to community involvement
3. Empower the community
4. Cultivate community members’ skills and talents 5. Strengthen existing community leadership 6. Acknowledge that volunteering is an exchange 7. Ensure community readiness
Activities in Randolph County
In working with two distinct communities, we selected different activities to suit the needs of each community. The time frame of the case study did not allow for the full development of volunteer efforts such as building the capacity of grassroots leaders. Our priority was to gather information and build trust among the Latino community. Since the Volunteer Centers of Greensboro and Randolph County had not specifically worked with the Latino population in Randolph County before, we had substantial groundwork to cover.
In order to understand the nature of volunteering in the two communities, we listened to the residents and observed their thinking and attitudes through interviews, group discussions, and meetings. We were interested in learning the language they used to describe volunteer work (e.g., “helping out”, “basic neighbor-helping-neighbor”).
Activities in Franklinville
We met with Smart Start Program Director, Amanda Sutliff, Pastor Dowling, thrift store director, and a number of other people working with Franklinville agencies. We discovered that people do volunteer in Franklinville and that Latinos volunteer for activities that focus on their population.
We also met with the volunteer Smart Start advisory board and learned that they are in the process of recruiting Latinos for the board. We helped Ms. Sutliff plan a recruitment and
informational meeting for potential board members, with special emphasis on Latino volunteers.
Three Latino families attended the meeting, as well as two members of the current board and a town commissioner. After the meeting, two of the women attending expressed interest in becoming volunteers.
Activities in Liberty
We met with Marissa Benton-Brown, director of both the pre-kindergarten program and the volunteer organization, Celebrate Liberty’s Children, and the Rev. Bill Bingham, of the Liberty Association of Churches, who also helps run the thrift store.
We observed and recorded the discussion during a meeting of the Celebrate Liberty’s Children volunteer board of directors. They are dedicated to improving advantages for Latino children, especially in the public schools.
Activities in Asheboro
We met with a member of the Latino Coalition in Asheboro to learn about their activities and how they might affect Franklinville and Liberty. Only two years old, the coalition currently focuses only on Asheboro, but the group plans to extend activities to both Franklinville and Liberty in the near future. The coalition has already produced a resource list for members of the Latino communities, which is available to residents of Franklinville and Liberty.
We met with the pastor of the Spanish Methodist Church in Asheboro, and discovered that the church provides worship for Franklinville residents. Church members volunteer when they are needed.