Appendix III Key Informant Interview Questions
XII. What strategies have you used that have successful in engaging volunteers?
6. Potential partners
• The community,
• University
• Hospitals
• YWCA
• Faith
• Churches
• Financial resources
• Businesses
• Agencies that have money that could use the PR (Tobacco companies) But there are also restrictions about who you get money from.
• Colleges and schools
• Cooperative extensions
• Parent Associations
• United Way
• Local county government. Local governing body.
• Tell people exactly what you need them to do, be clear and specific. People won't come back if they don't
• This sounds like an asset management process - if there could be information about asset management and how to do it realistically.
Appendix VIII
Edcouch, TX: Rio Grande Valley Dec 15, 2003
1. Challenges in the community
• Conflict due to immigration. This is a border area, lot of the issues arise due to lack of planning. Immigration from Mexico and other places; newcomers seeking services; abuse suffered through law enforcement; people need information before they come here, they don’t have the money, the information they need before they come.
• Funding does not take into account the variables this area affected by. Funding doesn’t take into account unemployment rate, degree on incoming immigrants, or increase in caseloads – this is often not taken into account, and thus community is shortchanged.
This happens consistently in agencies.
• Growth in population is an issue. Rest of the national doesn’t see border issues as a larger national problem. If we do not take care of the needs of the people at out doorstep it’s a big problem. It is seen primarily as a local issue. However, it affects nation, e.g. Health care, education, investment, school system, non-documented immigrants, hinders
education system, parents are often not educated. Federal and state rules makes it difficult to serve the population and agencies are trying to fill the gap.
• Issue of employment, specifically, the gap in local skills base and what jobs are available.
Need for training to fill the gap. People who enter the country often don’t have skills.
This creates a problem for long-term self-sufficiency and independence.
• Homelessness. Housing substandard. Identifying homeless and defining what
“homelessness” is an issue. Lot of extended type family relationships, where people who are homeless are living with relatives and that creates a problem for them to qualify for access funding, housing or services. The basic definition of larger national definition of housing/homelessness does not fit what happens in this area and thus the funding are cut and underutilized, not available to us, even thought the problems exists, but it does not fit the historical definition of the variable.
• They give an address, even thought the address might be substandard, or it might be a family member allowing them to live there or use the address. But once they write that address in that form, they are not eligible to many services.
• This ties in with the environment. Many who come here are not educated about the environment, having difference between burning trash or dispose of trash by leaving it here or there. We need finding to provide education and connects back to lack of funding and ties back to that people who come here might be used to different standards of living conditions.
• Though “Rio Grande” is recognized a s region there is no real regional identity. Not functioning as a “region”- divided, isolated and no unity between counties. We don’t see as ourselves as a region. We don’t apply as a collective. Cameron County or Hidalgo.
We are losing out. There is not a level of trust.
• The availability of drugs, In terms of youth, influences, sub groups.
• Because we have people using others’ address. Documented 40percent of population are in the school district. Many are undocumented. They have an id number. But when you go to a house, they are not counted for in the over all population, because they don’t live there. Reliable data about population – especially number of kids in households an issue.
People might use an address, to get services for instance, but live elsewhere.
• Lack of transportation means lack of access to services, especially in colonias which are isolated. The ability to move around is severely limited.
• Communication - People don’t know about where the services. Getting information out is especially in colonias difficult.
• Low level of literacy is an issue. Many can’t read.
• Define rural often means lack of basic services and utilities, medical services.
• People often have to travel sometimes over 50-100 miles to get basic services.
• Huge area – space. There are 71 border counties, but not all are right on the border or are entry points for newcomers. State funding goes to all thus; resources are spread out among all.
2. How are volunteers engaged?
• ESL - church service volunteers
• Pomodores –outreach workers, health clinics a
• County extension services – mano amano
• Church group – provide health care, food
• School – honor societies
• Lack of coordination
• Pomodores – health clinics – started as VISTA now a generic term for out reach workers
• Coalition of valley families
• No structure - low-income community volunteer first
• If asked community comes out to volunteer just for the day
• Trying to engage neighborhood associations – low-income leaders to serve as gateway to help themselves, 21 of them so far
• You have to pay to dispose of things (Keep America beautiful) – but $10 is a lot of money for people without money
• Need to educate people about clean ups
• Community leaders in Cameron County
• Public speakers – get funding for agencies
• Winter Texan population – retired, like to volunteer in schools, food panty and churches
3. Challenges in engaging people in volunteering?
• Important to let them know they have something to offer
• Mothers bringing mothers as a strategy work
• Child care is an issue
• Time
• Workforce has changes – both parents work
• Shifting expectations – fewer hours to volunteer
• Indigent – unemployed or caring for others – people are not free
• Transportation is an issue
• Matching people with jobs
• Need of volunteers themselves
• Absence of committed network - that communicates between community
• People’s mentality that they pay taxes and don’t have to do anything else
• People are looking at what you are going to get out of it
• Providing incentives to volunteer is an issue
• Policy and regulations are barriers – such as school volunteers, parents. We can’t provide them with lunch – children can eat, but we can’t feed volunteer moms who might also be hungry.
• RSVP Mileage reimbursement provision meant an incentive for volunteers, but budget down
• Possible incentive could be to give insurance – what medicate does not cover
• Language – many from and educated in Mexico
• Traditional role in families
• Transportation – legality – insurance
4. Strategies that have worked in engaging volunteers.
• Training – knowledge
• Awareness about resources and accessing services
• Grants to agencies
• Creating a sense of urgency – use data to let people know what is needed
• Someone spearheads the initiative – trust and credibility of leaders goes a long way
• Getting people to believe in cause and mission
• Structure and routine is important
• People have had lot of bad experiences – be cognizant of that
• Make sure the work pertains to them- their lives and conditions
• Be able to change
• Provide a specific job
• Be cognizant of who is out there and who is doing what
• People are intimidated, there are many barriers
• Language barrier – go to where the people are
• “We want you to help us and your own community and yourself”
• Recognize people have skills
• People need to have input in what volunteer activity is necessary
• Unique – how am I helping someone else – a neighbor
• The Culture is there – people come as one if need is felt by the community
5. When we work in low-income community, how can we honor and respect local grassroots initiatives?
• Culturally relevant – images and bilingual
• Translator available – have professional interpreters at events.
• Tap into what is already happening
• Recognition of activities – builds self-esteem.
• Respect from politicians (such as Congressman Hinsoja)
• Give certificates
• Leaders from county government be present at events
• Grassroots recognized
• Literacy level are considered 6. Potential partners
• Churches
• Commissioner – judge
• Schools
• Youth teens
• People residing in public housing
• Law enforcement – especially in rural areas as a partner, at risk youth
• University – they have data on civic engagement
• Military and veterans
• United Way
• Civic orgs
• Juvenile court
• Legislated volunteers – TANF/Food Stamps, welfare, residents of public housing – under served families.
Other
• People from Mexico not utilized– immigrants are an untapped resource.
Appendix IX
Case Study Protocol
Since 1996, the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network has been engaged in exploring and promoting volunteering in tough communities. With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, initial research was conducted in predominately urban communities.
Under a new three-year grant from the Casey Foundation, we seek to expand the research to volunteering in under-resourced rural communities.
In 2003, a preliminary investigation was undertaken to explore and identify key issues to volunteer engagement in under-resourced rural communities. In 2004, we will build on this investigation through case studies to explore the applicability of the “Neighboring Model” in rural communities that lack similar support and resources of tough urban communities.