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Questions to Ask Yourself
Before joining a service or volunteer program you should ask yourself (and the program staff) some hard questions. Vision
What is the philosophy that drives the program? What kind of voice do participants have in providing future direction for the program? What is the role of community members in defining the program and its work? Where do you want to see the program in 5 years? How does the program's philosophy differ from my own values?
Roles
Will I be part of a service team, or will I be working alone? To whom will I be accountable, and what happens when there are conflicts? Will I be starting a new project or am I inheriting a job that already exists? What do I do when I strongly disagree with a policy/practice/action? Will I be working collaboratively with community members? What kinds of roles am I comfortable with? Which roles will be challenging for me?
Structure
Will I be working alone or in a team? Will I get to choose my service placement, or will it be decided by the organization? How will the work being done in the community be supported once I leave? How have the work sites/communities been chosen? How many other paid full-time or part-time staff does the organization employ? Are there other people who will be fulfilling a similar role at the organization? Has the organization employed people of my age and experience previously? What kind of structure(s) do I need to meet my potential?
Support
What initial training will I receive? What kind of ongoing training and support? How will my work be supervised? What kinds of benefits are a part of the compensation? health insurance? dental? What will the work environment be like? Is this an environment in which I learn well?
Professional Development
Are there opportunities for participants to have intentional conversations about their work? What have graduates of the program gone on to do? How will the program prepare me for meeting my future goals? |
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