Opportunities
Caseworker: Volunteers serving as caseworkers meet in the home and on a one-to-one basis with families experiencing problems. Volunteers are trained to teach parenting skills, child development, and alternative methods of discipline, as well as on how to gain access to community resources. A casework volunteer generally meets with a family once a week for about an hour. Total volunteer time (including preparation and the Caseworkers Anonymous support group) is around 8 hours per month. Caseworkers must be at least 21 years old.
Intern: Family Outreach provides a non-paying, part-time internship position for students with a special interest in non-profit management and/or family counseling experience. Please let us know if you would like more information.
Board of Directors: Several positions are available on the Board of Directors, the group responsible for directing and overseeing all of Family Outreach's activities. Hours vary according to the position but generally average 3-10 hours per month, including a monthly board meeting.
FOCUS (Family Outreach Cares Understands and Supports): Volunteers deliver the Family Outreach New Parent Guide to St. Joseph Hospital and/or to College Station Medical Center. Each mom who gives birth at the hospital will receive a packet. Volunteers keep a log of how many guides have been delivered each month.
Speaker's Bureau: These volunteers are responsible for increasing awareness of our organization and its mission by speaking at various community events and organization meetings. Hours vary according to the needs of the organization and the volunteers' schedules.
Newsletter Editor/Writer: Three newsletters are published by Family Outreach, one each for volunteers, parents, and donors. Volunteers working on the newsletter are responsible for writing/procuring articles, designing the layout, publishing, and distributing the finished product by mail. Time commitment per volunteer may vary; publication of an entire newsletter typically takes 3-4 hours per month.
Parent Information Center: We maintain a library of books, magazines, and tapes for casework volunteers to use and share with parents. Volunteers are needed to organize and maintain this center, including maintaining - through purchase or donation - new materials and monitoring distribution. Hours vary according to the volunteers' schedules.
Fundraising: The continuation of the wonderful programs and resources Family Outreach provides to parents requires funding. These very important volunteers are responsible for ensuring the organization's flow of funds through grant writing and solicitation of private donations. Procurement of in-kind donations and overseeing special events may also be required. Hours vary according to the needs of the organization and the volunteers' schedules.
Human Resources: Volunteers in this area are responsible for identifying and recruiting additional volunteers to Family Outreach. Activities may include staffing booths at community fairs, speaking to organizations, and creating advertisements and flyers. Coordination with other committees is required. Additionally, HR volunteers may be requested to assist in the development of our semi-annual training sessions. Hours vary according to the needs of the organization and the volunteers' schedules.
Child Lures: Volunteers are trained to present the Child Lures curriculum for groups such as schools, day cares, and in-service trainings. The program is designed to provide children and youth with the knowledge to protect themselves from all types of sexual exploitation, including molestation, incest, rape, abduction, and child pornography. The program is designed to motivate students to think critically and follow their instincts.
