cyndi4ETS

Envisioning Out of the Ordinary Volunteer Opportunities

August 24, 2020 By cyndi4ETS

When I was a director I was always focused on recruiting what I will call “hands on” volunteers such as receptionists, client advocates, sonographers, people to help with the materials assistance program, people to help with fundraising events.

As I spoke at churches to recruit volunteers many people would come up to me and express how much they would like to volunteer but they could not give the time required by the volunteer jobs I had mentioned. Others expressed interest in supporting the Center but did not feel their gifts and talents lined up with what we were asking for in terms of volunteer positions.

For about 7 years I was the volunteer coordinator for a local hospice here in Pennsylvania where I now live. In order to meet Medicare requirements for hospice I had to reach a quota of volunteer hours each month based on the hands-on services we provided to our clients. It was pretty overwhelming some months. The good thing about the mandatory quota was, it caused me to think very creatively about how I could create volunteer jobs that would interest a wide variety of people.

I have been utilizing that same thinking for envisioning out of the ordinary volunteer positions for Pregnancy Centers. Hopefully these positions might engage more volunteers and help in the day to day of the Center and the long-term vision(s) of the Center. Some can be done from home and might not require a weekly commitment.

Depending upon the size of your Center and your budget many of these positions might be filled by a paid staff position. Other Centers may not have the resources to pay someone to do these tasks and need to look towards filling them with volunteers. Some are fun ideas and positions that may allow your clients to feel welcomed and honored and your volunteer appreciated.

So here is a list of possible volunteer jobs:

Librarians – Recruit volunteer librarians to source and set up a lending library of books, movies and other resources that volunteers can borrow. Use the resources for book and/or movie clubs, in-service trainings, etc.
Role-players – people who fancy themselves good actors or who have had previous life experiences with an unplanned pregnancy who are willing to come in as needed to role-play with client advocates who are in training.
Graphic Designers – some Centers might already have a website designer or a graphic designer that they turn to for their graphic needs but if you don’t you might try and recruit a volunteer designer. Maybe there might be a small project, like designing note cards to send to clients that a graphic designer could help you with.
Social Media Managers – Do you have a presence on a social media platform? Might that be helpful? A social media manager, once trained, could do this job from wherever. I can see one social media platform focused on reaching clients and another on your supporters. They would be two very different types of content so you could probably use two social media managers.
Training Mentors– Do you have wonderful volunteers who have left because their life situation has changed and they cannot give as much time as they used to? If they were highly skilled client advocates maybe you can ask them to help get volunteers from the classroom or online training into the counseling room by reviewing the training wor, answering questions and engaging in role-play. Much of this can be done via a Zoom meeting from their own home.
Training Administrator – Someone to help with the administrative tasks of training such as gathering the materials, communicating with prospective volunteers who are attending the training, collecting training fees, coordinating and keeping track of the progress of the people who are doing online or video training, being the go-to person if trainees have questions, etc. This could be done from home.
Hospitality Volunteers – When I go to the salon where I get my hair cut the receptionist offers me, actually serves me, not only my beverage of choice but some lovely kind of baked good as well. I cannot tell you how welcoming and honoring that small gesture feels even if I say no to the offering. Now, in this time of Covid-19, this is not possible but hopefully it will be possible sometime in the future. Volunteers could offer to bring in a baked good for clients on a weekly or monthly basis. They can bring several at one time and staff members can take them home and put them in the freezer. Better yet, recruit volunteers who have the gift of hospitality to come once a month to the Center, bring a baked good and offer to serve clients who come that day.
Contemplative Stone Makers – There are instructions on how to make contemplative stones for clients to take away with them here on the website. You can recruit a team of crafty volunteers or individuals to meet and make the stones on a semi-regular basis so you have plenty of stones to offer to clients. The downloadable instructions are here.
Crafty Volunteers – Volunteers love to get little tokens of appreciation. Pinterest is full of some great inexpensive ideas that can easily be created by a group of crafty women. You might be able to gather a group together once or twice a month to work on projects or have a crafty volunteer assemble packets of supplies that can be picked up and then assembled at home.

Of course all of these volunteer opportunities will need job descriptions. The more detailed the better with approximate time commitments, necessary training, etc.

Next month I will focus on crafting clear, effective job descriptions.

Fundamental #3: Every Woman Is Sending Out An S.O.S.

August 11, 2020 By cyndi4ETS

Clients who come to the Center for services carry with them complicated stories and life situations. Fundamental #3 helps us to listen to their stories in such a way as to hone in and focus on their feelings, pressures and strengths.

If we do not focus our listening for each client’s S.O.S. we can easily become overwhelmed. When we are overwhelmed we stop listening. When we stop listening empathy and compassion diminishes. When empathy diminishes so does connecting with clients in a meaningful way. It can become a down-hill spiral.

But knowing what to listen for, using each client’s SOS as a guide, can keep us on track. We must remind ourselves it is not our job to fix the situation. Our job is to listen and respond in ways that show our client we care about them and want to hear their story. It is listening for and validating her SOS that will create the safety needed to create meaningful connection.

So let’s take a fresh look at a client’s S.O.S.

She is Scared

We must become emotionally intelligent. We need to increase our ability to feel with another but also to be able to label and talk about those feelings.

The feelings clients bring with them, especially abortion-minded clients, are intense and complicated. When we are being influenced by these strong emotions, it is very difficult to listen to reason or look at any option that does not relieve the immediate problem.

When we listen for and validate the emotions clients feel, it creates an atmosphere where feelings are okay and it becomes a safe place to talk about those feelings. Once the feelings are named and discussed there is more room in our heads and hearts to work through the issues.

She has Overwhelming Pressures

I recently listened to a p odcast with Dr.Marc Brackett called “Permission to Feel.” I learned so much from listening to him and would highly recommend it to you. He is the author of Permission to Feel : Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help our Kids, Ourselves, and our Society Thrive. (Macmillan/CELADON)

As we listen for feelings we are also gathering information about her overwhelming pressures. The emotions, fueled by the overwhelming pressures, are the gas in the car that can drive any of us to make poor choices and decisions when in the midst of a crisis.

We must listen to these pressures in context of our client’s story and her culture. The pressures an evangelical Christian woman might face are totally different from a woman who is living with an abusive boyfriend. But in either case, her pressures effect how she processes her situation and the decisions she will make in the midst of her crisis.

Her circumstances may be very different from our own lives, which sometimes makes it hard to discuss them with her. Because of this it is easy to slip into judgment of the choices which may have caused the crisis in the first place. It is our job to listen for these pressures and earn the right to discuss them with clients in light of how they will affect the choices they make.

Remember she has both Internal Pressures and External Pressures. If you know what you need to be listening for it makes it easier to gather the information as you listen to her story.

It is important, as trainers and volunteer supervisors, to make sure volunteers are listening for client’s overwhelming pressures. One way you can know if they are gathering this information is whether or not they are detailing the pressures in their client interaction documentation. A documentation template is a great way to hold volunteers to some accountability and a way for you to know how volunteers are utilizing the Seven Fundamentals in their counseling sessions.

Here is a simple documentation template you might consider using. It is based on climbing the steps to crisis intervention (MRFEEF). It will help volunteers focus on their job while working with clients and will give volunteer supervisors a good idea of what is happening in sessions with clients without having to sit in and observe which can often feel awkward.

She has Strengths

Think about how you felt the last time someone gave you a heartfelt compliment. I hope it was not too long ago. We need to speak to people’s strengths and beauty way more often than we do.

Image how a client is feeling when they come to the Center. It does not matter if they are there for diapers and formula, an STD test, or a pregnancy test. More often than not, there is some amount of shame wrapped up in their story. We all carry the effects of shame.

Empathy is a shame buster. Empathy sees and validates the hard stuff but it also sees the good and the strength and beauty in each person. It is our ability to speak to that beauty and strength that creates connection and a sense of being “seen” in a more intimate way.

Take the time to look for the beauty and strength in every client and speak what you see as a blessing over them. This is a gift we can give to anyone and everyone. It is transforming to both the giver and the receiver.

Please God! Not another Zoom meeting!

August 3, 2020 By cyndi4ETS

I am wondering if you, like me, can identify with this woman in the photo. “Please don’t tell me I have to attend one more meeting online!” But, as this pandemic rages on, looking like it will get worse before it gets better, it seems virtual connecting will be with us for quite a while.

Adapting & Learning

I have had some great connections on Zoom meetings and other times where I wanted to kick the computer screen and pull out my hair. In evaluating the meetings, I realized the “I want to pull my hair out” meetings were caused by the host not understanding how to use the program. The host also did not not take the time to explain to the participants how to navigate the program.

I must confess, I created some of those “kick the screen” moments as a host of virtual meetings, ugh!

I lead a community group at my church and since March we have been meeting virtually via Zoom. I made every mistake in the book. I was grateful we had a small, forgiving group that extended me lots of grace as I fumbled my way through all of the technology needed to meet virtually. I just jumped in without really understanding how to navigate the software or how to use it to facilitate a good meeting.

Create Something Meaningful

Whether you use Zoom or any of the other virtual meeting programs it is important as a host to learn and master how the program works. Next, it helps to communicate with and teach your participants what they need to know to make the most of the meeting(s). Not everyone is as tech savvy as you might think. I woefully over estimated my own tech abilities to the frustration of my dear community group members. As a result, I started investigating resources where I could learn how to manage the program better and use it to facilitate better meetings.

Here are a few resources for learning how to use virtual meeting programs. They all have instructional videos that can help you understand how to navigate the various programs listed. Pick the one you like the best and get very good at being a host or facilitator. Create a meaningful connection for volunteers that will make them looking for more.

What I can help you with are some ideas of how to use virtual meetings to host your in-service trainings and create meaningful connections.

You can download the ideas here.

Ideas for Volunteer In-service Training

July 27, 2020 By cyndi4ETS

Survey Volunteers

Survey volunteers about their needs and issues and how they would like to receive on-going education & training. Try and find out their opinion on getting training via:
- In-person training at the Center (best days & times)
- Email lessons and worksheets
- Virtual meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, etc.
You can create surveys on platforms like Google Forms that you can email to volunteers and they can respond online and send back the survey
Informal survey by asking volunteers about topics for in-service while they are at the Center
Using the survey results, decide on how often you are scheduling in-service training and the topics and publish the dates and topics a year ahead of time.
Send reminders about the scheduled in-services one-month out, one week out, and two-days before the actual in-service.

Team Building

Getting to know you icebreakers so volunteers from different shifts and positions get to know one another better
Team building interactive exercises
Sharing of personal needs and issues and prayer time for what is shared
Everybody works on a project together that would bless another ministry in your town that serves women and children.
Have a panel discussion or Q&A with board members for the volunteers to get to know them.

Seven Fundamentals & Other ETS Content

Review and take an in-depth focus into a fundamental volunteers struggle with
Pick an experiential exercise from the Leader’s Manual

Client Issues

Role-play and processing the role-plays
How to effectively make transitions for clients between the various services and different staff & volunteers in the ministry to maintain connection.
Prayer time for clients
Take a deep dive into
- Profile of A Woman with an Unplanned Pregnancy article
- Talking about abortion methods with clients
- Negative Test
- Evangelism

Everyone come prepared to discuss a difficult client.
- What was difficult about the client visit?
- What went well?
- What could you have done differently?

Books & Films

There is a list of books and films here this website
Show clips from several movies that emphasize a certain training concept and discuss the clips
Watch a controversial or pro-choice film and help your volunteers to process their thoughts and feelings and what they can learn from the film.

Post Abortion Issues

Have women who have been through you post-abortion group share their experience with the volunteers
Review the literature you have for clients and how to bring up the subject with a client and when it is appropriate
When talking about the ministry, how to be sensitive to women who might be post-abortive
Have post abortion group leaders conduct a workshop for volunteers

Legal Issues

Have a lawyer come in and talk about legal issues
Importance of confidentiality
Documentation

Statistics

Take a deep dive into your Center’s statistics with the Volunteers
- Why are statistics collected?
- What can you learn about the Center from looking at the statistics?
- Where are you this year in comparison to last year?
- How do the statistics relate to your mission statement?

Language & Culture

Importance of language in the counseling room
Understanding LGBTQ issues. Bring in a speaker from your community that can help your volunteers understand these complex issues.
How to talk about the Pregnancy Center to your social network
Black Lives Matter and how to be anti-racist – read books and articles and invite lots of discussion. Begin to look at racist thoughts, systems and language that you might not have been aware of in how your ministry is organized..
Bring in a speaker who can educate volunteers about the cultures and age-groups represented in your client base. Look for other organizations or ministries that work with this people group

Based on your feedback, next month I will explore the three in-service training options with some sample lessons plans and materials for each format.

In-person training
Email lessons and worksheets
Virtual meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, etc.

Please let me know what your volunteers struggle with and the difficulties you have with organizing and developing curriculum for in-service training in the comments below.

You can download a PDF of these ideas here.

It Matters How You Talk About What You Do.

July 20, 2020 By cyndi4ETS

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

“There is power in a communication style that values relationship. It matters.”

I worked towards my Master’s degree while I was director of the Pregnancy Center in Baltimore. At the beginning of most classes we sat in a large circle and everyone introduced themselves. Most classmates introduced themselves by sharing where they worked and their job title. During these classes, I would often by-pass that description. I would tell people a little about myself, that I liked art, I had an undergrad degree in fine art and that it had been a while since I was in a higher education environment but I was excited to be in the class.

I often was hard on myself for not just coming out and saying where I worked and what I did. But the experience taught me how to be thoughtful about what I shared about my work and how and when I shared it.

In my particular course of study, there was often a lot of group work. In one particular class the professor broke us into small groups to work on a rather lengthy project. It turned out to be one of those times that the connection of the group went far beyond the class assignment. It was one of the most diverse groups I worked with in Graduate School and one of my fondest memories.

During one of our meetings someone said, “Hey Cyndi, you never said what you did when you introduced yourself.” This happened during one of our first meetings together so we did not know a lot about one another at that time. So I said, “I work with a non-profit agency that helps women faced with the decisions of an unplanned pregnancy.” As you can imagine, there were follow up questions. I answered the questions truthfully but also focused on what our agency does provide. I told them that we do not provide abortions but would rather offer support and services that could eventually make abortion rare or unnecessary. I tried to use language that explained what we do provide at Pregnancy Centers without using labels or buzz words that might cause my classmates to stereotype me based on their assumptions. I also told them I am often fearful that, based how Pregnancy Centers are sometimes perceived, people will judge me harshly.

I was so nervous sharing this and feared their reaction. Instead, the opposite happened and others in the group began to reveal more of their story. One woman told us she was an ex-nun and shared similar feelings about not sharing that information because she feared people would pidgeon-hole or stereotype her. One of the guys shared he was gay and one-by-one the participants in the group began to share more intimately about their story and what they also feared. It was an amazing moment that bonded us together long after the class ended. After that, never once in that group of people, did I feel judged or diminished because of what I did or what I believed. We respected our differences because our relationship mattered more than agreeing or being right.

That is why I love the quote that is at the top of this post. Being pro-life does not always have to be adversarial. If we truly believe that relationship matters more than being “right,” it will affect how we talk about what we do and why we do it.

Your volunteers are advocates for the ministry. How they talk about the Center, what you do, how you do it, and the language they use are important. They are social media influencers and advocates not only in their church community but to their wider social circles, which may not always be pro-life. It is important to give them the vision, the language and skills to share the work of the ministry.

Part of the foundations of the Equipped to Serve training is identifying what speaking the truth in love looks like and how we can build relationship without compromising our beliefs. The skills learned in the training provide the mindset and the language to engage others in vulnerable conversations. As leaders we can lead the way both in training volunteers and well as role-modeling that our conversations and communication style values relationship.

Because it does truly matter.