To help New Haven nonprofits efficiently recruit the volunteers they need during these difficult times, a team of New Haven residents recently launched a partnership platform, NewHavenHelpWithCovid.com. Since our launch three weeks ago, more than 450 volunteers with various skills from computer programming and translation to driving and sewing have signed up, and 15 organizations have successfully recruited for multiple positions from our platform, including Agency on Aging, New Haven Reads, Junta for Progressive Action, Interfaith Volunteer Care Givers, and others.
But we are so much more than just a platform for matching volunteer supply and demand.
First, our platform is intended for speeding up recruitment. When a volunteer expresses interest for a position posted on the platform, the nonprofit automatically receives an email with their volunteer profile, which includes key information such as contact information, skills set, link to resume, etc. This is a useful feature for nonprofits that don’t have their own application portal. But even for those that do, by posting a position on the platform, we can help expedite recruitment for that position through our weekly newsletters and social media that our volunteers subscribe to.
Second, when our volunteers sign up, they are expected to download a learning app from our training partner, Blank Slate Technologies, that is preloaded with flash cards on the latest City of New Haven volunteer safety guidelines. They use the app once a week to ensure that the guidelines stay in the front of their minds. And if a nonprofit has organization-specific guidelines or training, we are happy to break those down into flash cards and push them into the app that our volunteers are already using.
Third, we are a team that stands ready to support New Haven nonprofits in whatever way is most helpful—we’ve helped organizations do targeted recruiting, post positions when they’ve been too overwhelmed, collect applications, etc.
If you are interested in learning more about NewHavenHelpWithCovid.com, contact team lead, Tiffany Chan at tiffany.chan@yale.edu.
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