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Volunteers
AHEM
aims to involve and empower Massachusetts homeschoolers in the
process of maintaining the rights of individual families to homeschool,
today and in the future.
Thanks
for your interest in becoming a volunteer with AHEM. Most
of our virtual volunteer opportunities take only a few hours to
complete. All can be done from the comfort of your own home. Some
are opportunities for kids or teens, as well as adults, to help
out a cause that is important to them.
Here
are some sample jobs an online volunteer might do:
•
Proofing the web site
• Organizing a field trip
• Fundraising
• Tracking legislation
• Writing
newsletter articles, especially "Meet Massachusetts Homeschoolers"
If you've
already volunteered with us in person, great! Feel free to skip
down to where it says "All Virtual Volunteers." If you
are new to our organization, please continue.
New
AHEM Volunteers
Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts, Inc. (AHEM) is
a nonprofit, independent, grassroots, volunteer-run, educational
organization that gathers and disseminates information about homeschooling
in Massachusetts through education, advocacy, and events. We believe
that informed and active homeschoolers are their own best advocates
in maintaining the right to independently homeschool. We welcome
and value the participation of anyone interested in homeschooling
in Massachusetts. AHEM is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
We rely
on volunteers, both onsite and online, to make it all happen.
Please browse this web site to find out more. If you live in the
Boston area, we strongly encourage you to consider volunteering
in person as well.
All
Virtual Volunteers
Volunteering from a home or work computer is different from
working on-site with an organization for many obvious reasons:
there's usually more flexibility in the use of your time, a greater
degree of independence, you interact very little (if at all) with
various staff members, etc. For some, these differences make virtual
volunteering ideal; these same reasons can make it difficult for
others.
Setting
your own schedule is one of the chief joys of virtual volunteering.
However, there's nothing virtual about the commitment you are
making, nor the deadlines you are assigned to complete the volunteer
work. The organization is counting on you to finish any projects
you volunteer for. When you agree to a virtual volunteering
assignment, you are agreeing to completing the assignment on time.
It's
so easy to say yes to volunteering via the Internet that many
individuals sign up to do so before really considering their expectations
and schedule for an assignment. Before you volunteer to help an
organization via the Internet, consider the following to determine
if you are ready:
•
Are you comfortable working on your own, without direct supervision?
That doesn't mean you shouldn't ask for guidance when you need
it. However, virtual assignments are best for those people who
enjoy working on their own, with just occasional supervision.
• Do you answer your emails quickly (no more than 48 hours/two
business days after receipt)? The organization may need to
contact you with a critical issue before you complete the assignment.
If you are interacting one-on-one with someone as part of the
virtual assignment, responsiveness is crucial to the success of
your online relationship.
Volunteers
are responsible for maintaining their own equipment and service
provider accounts. AHEM cannot reimburse you for any equipment
or access charges incurred as a result of your volunteering.
Interested
in volunteering? Please click
here for the application.
Thanks
to past and current volunteers!
Back to Get
Involved.
Information
on this page is from the Virtual Volunteering Project, http://www.serviceleader.org/vv/,
part of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service,
at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs.
The
information on this website does not constitute legal advice;
it is provided for informational purposes only.
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