Our rural study confirms much of what we have learned about volunteering in low-income urban communities and validates the applicability of the neighborhood model in rural contexts. The Points of Light Foundation began exploring the nature and practice of volunteering in America's low-income communities in 1996 at the invitation of Annie E.
Methodology
Building on the learnings from the first phase, the specific aim of the second phase was to explore and document the applicability of the neighborhood model to rural communities (which do not have the same support and resources as challenging urban communities) through practitioner-focused field research. Through the combined learning of both phases, the study attempted to arrive at a common body of evidence that helped address the overall objectives of the study.
Summary of Findings I. Literature Review
A 2002 summary published by the Center for Community Action Research echoes this sentiment: “the unique challenges found in rural America can only be addressed locally. Although volunteerism was not one of the variables used to define "civic engagement," the authors recognize clear connections between voluntary associations and civic engagement.
Key Informant Interviews
Interview Findings Diversity of Rural Areas
People learn about volunteering opportunities through: the media (newspapers, radio and television – in that order);. For people in isolated rural areas, it is important to hear about opportunities from a trusted word of mouth.
Ideas for Overcoming Barriers
Focus Groups
These focus groups involved rural community stakeholders, including local volunteer practitioners from nonprofits, government, faith, and community-based organizations, as well as community leaders and local volunteers. The focus group questions are included in Appendix V; detailed notes from each focus group can be found in Appendix VI, VII and VIII.
Critical Issues Facing Rural Communities and Low-Income Rural Families Participants identified a broad range of issues facing their individual communities. Issues
Critical Issues Facing Rural Communities and Low-Income Rural Households Participants identified a wide range of issues facing their individual communities. Homelessness in rural communities may be more difficult to identify due to extended family/multifamily housing situations and living conditions, which, although substandard, may not qualify as a designation "homeless" official.
State of Volunteering in Rural Communities Formal and Informal Volunteering
However, participants shared that most volunteers engaged by organizations in formal volunteering opportunities are middle-income and identified many challenges in engaging low-income rural residents. An important challenge identified by participants is that low-income residents are not seen by organizations as potential volunteers.
Strategies that Work
Summary of Case Study Findings
Are there new or emerging effective strategies unique to mobilizing low-income volunteers in rural communities? To support the case studies, participating volunteer centers developed activities designed to apply adjacent concepts around three focus areas: capacity building, targeted outreach and partnership development.
Case Study Site Descriptions
Sumner County, Kansas - United Way of the Plains, Sumner County Office
Through outreach from UWP's recently opened Sumner County office, the case study sought to focus specifically on two rural communities, Wellington and Conway Springs. Sumner County added several unique characteristics to the case study, including geographic location (Midwest); relative economic advantage, proximity to a metro center (Wichita, KS);
Randolph County, NC - Volunteer Center of Greensboro and Randolph County Located in the Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina, Randolph County was the second
Randolph County, NC - Volunteer Center of Greensboro and Randolph County Randolph County, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, was the second. Participating in the case study allowed the volunteer center to expand its reach to areas outside of Asheboro.
Humboldt County, California - Volunteer Center of Redwoods
Randolph county and the Volunteer Center of Greensboro and Randolph County brought several unique characteristics to the case study. The volunteer center brought with it its long history in the region (via parent company Area 1 Agency of Aging and the RSVP program) and its leadership and partnerships in many of the area's local coalitions and efforts as important assets to the project.
Key Case Study Findings
- Characteristics of Rural Communities
- Volunteering in Rural Communities
- Challenges in Engaging Rural Low-income Volunteers
- Strategies to Overcome Barriers
- Learnings
Challenges in engaging low-income rural residents in formal volunteer efforts included many of the same challenges reported in urban efforts. The fundamental prerequisite for overcoming barriers to volunteering in under-resourced rural areas is the recognition of the critical need to engage low-income.
Echoing the Current State of Knowledge
To complement this work in urban areas, in the fall of 2003, the Points of Light Foundation began a two-phase study of the phenomenon of volunteerism in rural communities. In the next phase, researchers focused more clearly on the nature and practice of volunteering in rural areas.
Discovering Issues Related to Rural Volunteer Engagement
Community Issues
According to Save the Children's 2002 report, America's Forgotten Children: Child Poverty in Rural America, child poverty is greater in rural America than in urban areas: “Of the nation's more than 200 persistently poor counties , 195 are rural. While most community issues are common in both nonmetro and metro areas—especially low-income communities—it's important to note that rural communities also exhibit some very distinct qualities that both celebrate community, but inhibit growth.
Volunteering Issues Formal Volunteering
Residents in under-resourced urban communities help the community because it is “the right thing to do,” rather than “volunteering.” When population groups are marginalized from the. To strengthen formal volunteer programs, it is essential that organizations use creative approaches that leverage organizational resources to meet the volunteer program's purpose and community needs.
Organizational Issues
- Conclusion
Shelter Services (Greensboro, NC) – The local volunteer center and Community Foundation offered technical assistance and partnership building to strengthen and. Increasing educational attainment - The number of rural Americans attaining higher levels of education is increasing. Analysis – The Pew Partnership's online report is the most relevant to Casey and the Points of Light Foundation's work in rural and urban areas.
Literature Review Bibliography
Obstacles in Rural and Urban Areas: Lessons Learned from Nebraska, 1-4 [electronic version]. (Issue Letter No. 4).
Key Informant Interview Questions
Background
Recruitment Communication
Retention
Do people in your community do more volunteering formally or informally?
Have you found that people in your community prefer to volunteer on a regular basis or for one-time events?
What are the main issues that face children and low-income families in your community?
How are the main issues in your community addressed?
The staff visits the homes of parents who are afraid to let their children participate in Head Start. In the past, many of these volunteers were placed by the government in work teams and did not have to go to the nonprofit community. A local Scout put together a project that would help ambulances find rural addresses in emergencies by installing lights outside their homes.
Which organizations seem to be the most effective problem solvers and mobilizers in the community?
NCCS visits the community at home, brings volunteer projects that can be done at home, and then returns. Which organizations appear to be the most effective problem solvers and mobilizers in the community. What are some of the ways people find out about volunteer opportunities in your community.
What are some of the ways that people find out about volunteer opportunities in your community?
Which type of organizations, programs, and/or issues find it easier to attract volunteer assistance?
What are the barriers to getting people engaged in community projects?
Are these challenges different from engaging members of under-resourced areas?
How do you deal with these barriers?
What strategies have you used that have successful in engaging volunteers?
- What are the main challenges you are facing in your community?
- How are volunteers and/or community members engaged in addressing these issues?
- What are some of the challenges in engaging people in volunteering efforts?
- When we work in low-income community, how can we honor and respect local grassroots initiatives?
- Who are potential partners in low-income communities?
- Challenges in the community
- How are volunteers engaged?
- Challenges in engaging people in volunteering?
- Strategies that have worked in engaging volunteers
- Potential partners
- An overview of the case study project
- Field procedures
- Case study questions
- A guide for the report
- Activities and timeframe
A greater need to really 'understand' the community because of its close-knit structure; and There is no difference – “The greatest need for volunteerism is leadership and organizers; the. A greater need to really 'understand' the community because of its close-knit structure; and fewer nonprofits and agencies than urban counterparts. There is no difference – “The greatest need for volunteerism is leadership and organizers…the need for people is the same in” urban and rural communities, “I believe all communities need help, and people should serve others” and “they are similar in competing with all other personal obligations for time;”.
Case Study
Background
For the purposes of this case study, United Way decided to focus on two cities in Sumner County, Wellington and Conway Springs. With a population of 2,358, Conway Springs (zip code 67031) is about one-fifth the size of Wellington and is approximately 37 miles away. Census figures cited in the table reflect the entire zip code area surrounding each Wellington and Conway Springs.
Goals and Questions Case Study Objectives
During that same decade, the core population of the city of Conway Springs decreased by 62 residents, from 1,384 to 1,322. To answer these questions, United Way of the Plains began with a literature review, using already available sources. By observing the dynamics that took place during meetings, discussions, and presentations, United Way of the Plains staff were able to identify formal and informal community leaders, as well as proponents and opponents of various community initiatives.
Plan and Activities Our Plan of Action
In Wellington, United Way of the Plains agreed to assist the Sumner County Community Partnership in developing a countywide resource directory. United Way of the Plains' participation includes recruiting volunteers to collect and deliver these monthly calendars. United Way of the Plains has offered assistance in calling a meeting to brainstorm other ways to address community concerns.
Critical Learnings
There seem to be many willing to volunteer, but few willing to take a leadership role.". 34;Residents in our community are much less likely to ask for help than those in larger communities.". In rural areas, we don't have the programs, resources, or volunteers to meet all the needs we have."
Applicability to Neighboring
Background
At the 1998 North Carolina Governor's Summit on Volunteerism, then-Governor Jim Hunt challenged every county in the state to grant volunteer centers, and the Randolph County delegation asked the Volunteer Center of Greensboro to set up a satellite office in Asheboro. Eleven percent of adults in Liberty and 14 percent in Franklinville work in the construction, extraction and maintenance industries. Many have jobs outside their immediate area due to the decline of the state's tobacco and textile manufacturing companies.
Goals and Questions
The survey sought to raise awareness of service opportunities and volunteer partnerships between the Latino community and the rest of the population. Another goal of the study was to create new methods for working in under-resourced rural areas, particularly in the Latino population. Randolph County Senior Adults; Randolph County Partnership for Children; Smart Start in both Franklinville and Liberty; Small Business Center of Randolph Community College; Girl Scouts of the Tarheel Triad Council for both Franklinville and Liberty; Guardian Ad Litem; Randolph Health Improvement Partnership; United Way and Randolph Volunteer Center.
Plan and Activities Plan of Action
This has improved our understanding of the nature of volunteering in an under-resourced rural community. We met with a member of the Latino Coalition in Asheboro to learn more about their activities and how they can impact Franklinville and Liberty. The coalition has already created a resource list for members of the Hispanic community that is available to Franklinville and Liberty residents.
Critical Findings
Of the 36 families participating in the Franklinville Smart Start program, 47.2 percent speak a language other than English, most likely Spanish. A low level of education in the pool of potential volunteers hinders the organization's efforts. Pastor Ana Morrison of Adonai Mission United Methodist Church says, “The best workers are Latino.
Applicability to Neighboring
The Volunteer Center of the Redwoods is a program of the Area 1 Agency on Aging and is located in Eureka, California. In 1994, with community support, the Volunteer Center of the Redwoods was created to expand the services of RSVP to people of all ages. The Volunteer Center is an active member of Humboldt County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster/Citizen Corps Council of Humboldt (VOAD/CCCH).
Goals and Objectives
Garberville CCD includes the area from the southern Humboldt County line north to the community of Rio Dell, population 3,174. For the purpose of this case study, Rio Dell was not considered part of Southern Humboldt. Southern Humboldt Family Partnership Council (SHFPC) - Members of SHFPC include the Children and Families Commission, Southern Humboldt Community Health District, Southern Humboldt School District, Healy Senior Center and Humboldt County Public Health.
Plan and Activities
- Understand the nature of volunteering in the community
- Overcome barriers to community involvement
- Empower the community
- Cultivate community members’ skills and talents
- Strengthen existing community leadership
- Acknowledge that volunteering is an exchange
- Ensure community readiness
The volunteer center currently sends regular information to the Humboldt County newspaper about volunteer opportunities. Actual Activity: The Volunteer Center continues to reach out to organizations to encourage them to include information in the binder. The Volunteer Center helped publicize the new community calendar and gather information about events.
Critical Learnings
Many organizations in South Humboldt recognized that one way to get volunteers to attend events was to host food. An interview with a returning resident to a small community in South Humboldt acknowledged that it is difficult to integrate into the community. Through informal conversations, a sense of the diversity and polarization within communities in South Humboldt emerged.
Applicability of Neighboring
