We are no longer accepting community partner applications for Fall 2009.
What is Badger Volunteers?
Badger Volunteers is one of the newest initiatives sponsored by the Morgridge Center. It is intended to provide meaningful and consistent service to the communities surrounding UW-Madison and to support students in service. Badger Volunteers is a student led program that engages University of Wisconsin-Madison student volunteers, develops student leaders and builds community partnerships. Through a train-the-trainer model, the staff teaches leadership skills to student issue team leaders who then recruit, train, place and manage the weekly service of UW student volunteers. Teams of Badger Volunteers serve our community partners on a regularly scheduled weekly basis.
How does it work?
Essentially, teams of students volunteer on a weekly basis with one non-profit organization on a set schedule. Each group of Badger Volunteers will have a student Badger Volunteer Leader to work with the community partner, train and manage the student volunteers, and serve as the point person for the team and Community Partner. Partner sites are determined, Badger Volunteer Leaders are identified, and individual students sign up for the project they are interested in. Each team receives education, training, and orientation on the organization, community, and social issue while providing meaningful weekly service for a semester.
Who can become a Badger Volunteer community partner?
Badger Volunteers will partner with select non-profit agencies in Madison for one semester. To be eligible as a Badger Volunteers Community Partner, an agency must:
(1) Demonstrate a community need to have volunteers in order to achieve their program's mission;
(2) Exhibit a commitment to a weekly service model;
(3) Have the capacity to handle a group of students at one time;
(4) Demonstrate a willingness to support a positive learning environment for student leaders and volunteers;
(5) Identify a contact person who welcomes the opportunity to serve as a Badger Volunteer Community Partner who is in the position to make the necessary time commitment; and
We also assess student interest, from both the leader and regular volunteer, to determine whether or not the placement is feasible with our student population to do the type of volunteer service that the agency requires. All potential new sites complete a proposal that asks basic questions about their program and their volunteer needs.
What kind of support is provided?
Each Badger Volunteer Community Partner is assigned one or more student Badger Volunteer Leaders. The student leader recruits, trains, and places student volunteers to designated sites. They also coordinate transportation, support, and hold reflections for Badger Volunteers. Badger Volunteers Leaders work to ensure the Badger Volunteers and Community Partner are supported and the program runs successfully.
Timeline for Fall 2009 Semester
Community Partner Applications Due: April 7, 2009
Badger Volunteer Leader selection for community partner sites: April 23, 2009
Badger Volunteer recruitment: September 2-September 16, 2009
Badger Volunteer training: September 17, 2009
First Week of volunteering: September 21, 2009
Last Week of volunteering: December 7, 2009
Questions? Please contact badgervol@morgridge.wisc.edu or 608-890-3338.
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