Project Types
There are 2 types of posts on our sites: Referrals and HandsOn Managed (Volunteer Leader). Read more about each below.
Referrals
After attending training, a staff from your organization posts your volunteer needs directly to the site. Opportunities are searchable and volunteers learn about the opportunity at our site and click a button to either "sign up" and hold a slot right away or "express interest" and be screened by you or work out a schedule to attend.
This referral notifies your organization contact via email. You then follow up with the volunteer directly to schedule them to serve. These can either be date/time specific or ongoing or skill based needs. You can screen volunteers so you can require any background checks, skills, training, or whatever you need.
Date/Time Specific Referral Criteria:
Happen on a specific date or multiple dates, are searchable, and are featured on our Opportunity Calendar. These should be posted 4 weeks before the date for best results.
Example of a "Date/Time Specific" Referral
Date and Time Specific-Sign Up
- When you need a certain number of volunteers, all of whom will be volunteering on the same date, start time and end time
- They immediately hold a slot and get confirmation email
- Volunteers can come to one date/time without having to commit to any others
- Volunteers are not screened
Date and Time Specific-Express Interest
- When you need a certain number of volunteers, all of whom will be volunteering at the same date and time
- Volunteers can come to one date/time without having to commit to any others
- You want to review and/or contact each volunteer before confirming them
Ongoing Referral Criteria
Post your ongoing needs or those that require a committment or a skill (ex: a grant writer, a tutor, a van driver). You list the parameters and then schedule the volunteer once they contact you. These are posted for no longer than 4 months into the future at one time (can be extended at end). These opportunities are searchable in our database by multiple criteria.
Example of an "Inpidually Scheduled/Express Interest" Referral
Inpidually Scheduled-Express Interest with Schedule
- When you have a flexible or ongoing schedule of when you need volunteers
- Each volunteer may be scheduled for a different date and time
- Volunteers will see the times you indicated a need, and will be able to express interest for any period within your specified schedule
Inpidually Scheduled-Express Interest Only
- When you simply want volunteers to indicate they are interested
- There is no schedule of days or times volunteers are needed
- You are not even required to list a location
- Well-suited for capturing general interest
HandsOn Managed (Volunteer Leader)
Volunteer trends tell us that people are looking for episodic volunteer opportunities. We want to help bring these volunteers to your organization to meet your needs!
We'll work with you to scope or participate in an existing recurring, done-in-a-day type project over the course of a year. These projects are listed on our online Opportunity Calendar on specific dates and are facilitated by HandsOn Volunteer Leaders or staff, working in conjunction with your organization.
Please email us or give us a call at (804) 409-5618 if you would like to talk about setting up a HandsOn Volunteer Leader Project.
Examples:
"Meal Crew" with The Doorways
"Rally the ReStore" with Richmond Habitat for Humanity
Take a look at all our current Volunteer Leader projects
Criteria:
- Done-in-a-day (usually 2-6 hours) on some recurring schedule (e.g. once a month, once a quarter)
- Group-based (usually 10+ volunteers who may be different each time)
- Often takes place during evenings or weekends
- Dates are known in advance and are planned for a year on a recurring schedule (the 3rd Saturday, the 2nd Monday, etc)
- Volunteer Leaders are dedicated to your organization for the length of the project and know your needs
- Activities directly serve your mission and communities in the City of Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, or Chesterfield counties
- No advance training or special skills are required of the volunteers
- Representative from your organization is present throughout the service project (at least in the beginning)
- Any needed volunteer supplies are provided by your organization (supply grants may be available)
- Volunteer Leaders manage the sign ups, communication, and confirming attendance of the volunteers for you in our system
- They can also be trained by you in whatever special skills you'd like them to have to lead the project
- Wrap-up reflection at project's end, led by the HandsOn Volunteer Leader