AVKO is constantly in need of volunteers to help with its
goals of eradicating the problems associated with illiteracy
and dyslexia. Volunteering is not only rewarding to
the volunteer and to the Foundation and those we serve;
volunteer hours can be used for community service hours,
experience working in a non-profit, networking, references
and letters of recommendation, etc. AVKO not
only needs people who can work in our reading clinic in
Birch Run, MI, but we also can use the help of people from their
owncommunities. Read on for a few of
the many things for which we need volunteer assistance.
If you have other ideas of how you could help out, please
let us know.
All of these positions are available as internships as
well; an increased time commitment and level of dedication
are obviously expected for internships. The most
meaningful internships will involve time spent in our clinic
in Birch Run; however, internships may also be virtual if
the person is dedicated, driven, and communicative.
For our "virtual" volunteers, we like to "meet" at least
once every other week or every week to see how the project
is going, record the number of hours worked, and delegate
new tasks if necessary. Note that these divisions of
tasks are somewhat arbitrary -- you may wish to work on
several of these projects. Please fill out a volunteer
application to give us some basic information about you for
our records.
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Volunteer Coordinator Minimum commitment of 10 hours a week. Potential
for paid position in the future.
- Experience working with volunteers or managing others
needed.
- Coordinates the volunteers' projects and schedules, finds
new projects, and reports to management on progress.
Board Member Minimum commitment of 15 hours a month.
- Attend board meetings, provide input for the direction
of AVKO, and vote on agenda items.
- Be a representative of AVKO, promoting its ideals and
goals.
- Secure benefactors for AVKO.
Graphics Designer Minimum commitment of 1-2 hours a week.
- Intermediate knowledge of graphics creation and
modification and various graphics software.
- Create ad copy, logos, flyers, and other graphics as
necessary.
- Create flash banners and graphics for website.
- See Graphic
Designer Guide for some of the many projects for which
we need help.
Marketing Intern 1 Minimum commitment of 8-10 hours a week.
- Basic knowledge of computers and the internet (will
train for more complex assignments).
- Manage social networking sites (Facebook,
Twitter,
Blogger,
LinkedIn), online groups, and list-servs for AVKO.
- Contribute original content/copy for the blog, etc.
Marketing Intern 2 Minimum commitment of 6-8 hours a week.
- Basic knowledge of computers and the internet (will
train for more complex assignments).
- Locate and secure potential new distributors of AVKO
materials via Google searches, culling of Educational /
Homeschool Supply literature and directories, and online
business listings.
- Verify our directory of distributor information on our
website, and verify the accuracy of the information about
AVKO materials on their proprietary websites, including
prices, descriptions, and pictures.
- Use this
form letter for retailers (with customized names) to
request that they become
AVKO retailers.
Marketing Intern 3 Minimum commitment of 6-8 hours a week.
- Basic knowledge of computers and the internet (will
train for more complex assignments).
- Locate and secure potential new schools and educators via
Google searches, online directories, etc.
Marketing Intern 4 Minimum commitment of 6-8 hours a week.
- Basic knowledge of computers and the internet (will
train for more complex assignments).
- Locate online and physical resources of interest to AVKO's
members. Locate and secure link exchanges with other
websites. Submit AVKO's contact information to online
directories for homeschool supply stores, disability
services, non-profit organizations, dyslexia resources,
educational supplies, etc.
- Use this
form letter for libraries (with customized names) to
explain the resources we have available for libraries.
- Use this
form letter for non-profit organizations (with
customized names) to request partnership, free and low-cost
materials, and referral networks.
Website Traffic Volunteer Minimum commitment of 2-6 hours a week.
- Basic knowledge of computers, internet, Boolean web
searching, and meta tags (will train as necessary).
- Perform online searches from the perspective of
homeschoolers and verify page ranks of AVKO websites/webpages.
- Verify Meta tags (keywords) of sites and propose
suggestions of additional keywords to increase page ranks.
- Use Web Traffic
Volunteer Guidelines as a starting point and the
Back-end Sitemap
to do this systematically.
Quality Control 1 Minimum commitment of 2-4 hours a week or as needed
/ as available.
- Basic knowledge of computers and the internet (will
train for more complex assignments).
- Surf the AVKO websites and find spelling/grammar errors,
navigational issues, and dead links.
- Use the Website
Quality Control Guide as a reference for how the
website should be.
- Use the Back-end
Sitemap to do this systematically.
Quality Control 2 Minimum commitment of 2-4 hours a week or as needed
/ as available.
- Proficiency in English grammar and spelling
- Proofread AVKO literature and educational materials for
spelling/grammar mistakes. Verify page references.
- Use the Guide for
Proofreading Materials as a reference.
Homeschooler Support 1 Minimum commitment of 2-4 hours a week; 6-8
preferable.
- Experience working with K-12 education or
homeschooling.
- Find existing and create new resources (articles,
pamphlets, webpages, newsletters, etc.) for homeschoolers.
- Be available as a resource person to talk to homeschoolers
(via phone, IM, e-mail) about their situations, curriculum
needs, etc.
Homeschooler Support 2 Minimum commitment of 4-6 hours a week; 8-10
preferable.
- Basic knowledge of computers and the internet (will
train for more complex assignments).
- Provide a regular "briefing" on current homeschool trends,
support resources, curriculum resources, popular websites,
and news and research related to homeschooling and dyslexia.
- Come up with creative ways in which this information can
be relayed back to AVKO's members and how AVKO can create
additional or modify existing resources to better meet the
needs of its members.
Curriculum Writer Minimum commitment of 2-4 hours a week or as needed;
10-12 preferable.
- Basic knowledge of computers, the internet, and word
processing (will train for complex assignments).
- Brainstorm creative ways that AVKO materials can be used
for homeschooling, educating, and remediation above and
beyond their "intended" uses. Talk to current members
and customers about how they use their materials.
- Create lesson plans, worksheets, games, and support
materials.
- See the
Curriculum Writer Guide for suggestions for curriculum
to develop.
AVKO Tutor Minimum commitment of 2 hours a week.
- Passion to help others learn to read and spell or learn
to teach others how to learn and spell.
- Become trained in the AVKO tutoring methods and acquainted
with AVKO Materials; become a certified AVKO tutor.
- Tutor students in the language arts; train parents, tutors
and teachers how to teach the AVKO way.
- Set up local adult literacy programs in your community.
Post the Adult Literacy Program
flyer in your community.
- See the Get Involved page
for more information.
Library Cataloger Minimum commitment of 2 hours a week.
- Basic computer skills (will train if necessary).
- Enter Bernice Webb Memorial Library contents into a
spreadsheet for cataloging and reference.
Grant Writer Minimum commitment of 10-15 hours a week or as
needed. Potential for paid opportunity in the future.
- Basic knowledge of computers, the internet, and word
processing (will train for complex assignments).
- Knowledge of grant writing or eagerness to learn.
- Write grants for AVKO projects, including a spelling
research study, development of multimedia presentations,
workshops and inservices for the local area, improvement of
the facility, etc.
- Follow up on grant proposals, writing thank you for
consideration and thank you for approval letters.
- Use the Grant Writer Guide.
Fundraiser Minimum commitment of 4-8 hours a week.
- Basic knowledge of fundraising and customer
service/sales.
- Secure benefactors and corporate sponsors for AVKO,
including memberships, monetary donations, donations of
materials, etc.
- Use this
form
letter for corporations to request donations in-kind,
donations of services, advertising, etc.
