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What is the Division of
Volunteerism, and what does it do?
The Division of Volunteerism is the
oldest state office of volunteerism in the nation.
The DHS Division of Volunteerism mission is to
encourage, promote and support volunteerism and community
service as a means of local, state, and national problem
solving through leadership, information, program
development, training and technical assistance.
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Do you have a branch office in our
area?
Although all DOV staff are housed in
the central office complex in Little Rock, there are Area
Representatives who cover six different regions of
the state. These area representatives travel to meet with
organizations and individuals, and to conduct training
around the state.
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What are Program Developers?
Program developers are employees of DOV
whose job it is to help build capacity in organizations
around the state. Six program developers on staff also serve
as area
representatives.
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Who makes the decision on the value
of the volunteer’s time?
The Washington, DC think tank, Independent
Sector, establishes the hourly value each year. DOV
uses this figure.
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What is the dollar value of a
volunteer?
The current hourly rate is $17.55.
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Why is the dollar value of a
volunteer per hour higher than the hourly rate for employees
in Arkansas?
Independent
Sector uses a variety of figures when calculating the
hourly rate. Included are wages from professional level jobs
to unskilled labor, factoring in not only the hourly wage,
but also fringe benefits. So, the figure you see is actually
an average that would fit most any person, from the medical
doctor to the manual laborer.
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Where can I find a good speaker for
a volunteer recognition event?
Try
looking close to home… the mayor, county judge, a city
council member, a successful businessman, and the president
of an organization like Rotary or Kiwanis, a prominent
member of the clergy or an educator.
Members of the Division of Volunteerism staff are
also willing to speak at such events.
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How much does it cost per year to
recruit and maintain a volunteer?
A recent study by the Grant
Maker Forum shows a wide variety of responses to
this question. Of
the 17 organizations studied, six reported having no budget
for the volunteer program, which is not the same as having
no volunteer costs. Among the 11 organizations reporting
that they had a budget, per-volunteer costs ranged form $.66 per year to $458 per
year, with the average being $ 130.49. You may download the
study from the website.
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Where can I find a good place to
offer my volunteer services?
We suggest beginning close to home, at
a local school, your church, synagogue or mosque or a local
service organization such as Kiwanis or Big Brothers and Big
Sisters.
If your community has a volunteer
center, it can provide helpful suggestions. You may
also want to check out the USA
FreedomCorps website.
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Can the Division of Volunteerism provide
volunteers for my agency or project?
The Division of Volunteerism does not have
a cadre of volunteers to match with your agency or project
needs. It does
offer excellent training on volunteer recruitment and
retention. It
also suggests listing your volunteer opportunities with a
community volunteer center or on the USA
FreedomCorps web site.
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What is in-kind match?
In-kind match is any goods or services
contributed to an organization to help it achieve its
mission to which monetary value can be assigned.
Examples would be office space, utilities, and use of
a copier or training. Foundations often require grantees to document match, both
cash and in-kind, in their regular reports.
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