What is a Volunteer Center?

While there are many volunteer associations, and many organizations in colleges, hospitals, and cities that recruit, train and place volunteers, most are not volunteer centers.

• Volunteer centers are set apart by their inclusiveness within the whole community. They serve all nonprofits and all residents; they do not limit their service to a particular issue, group of people, or type of activity.
• Because of their neutrality and dedication to the whole community, they can take a leadership position in convening other individuals and groups to find solutions to complex problems requiring more than one perspective.

Volunteer Centers hold these values in common:

We believe that people enrich their own lives and strengthen their communities through volunteer service.

• We believe that diversity is an asset to a community, because different perspectives and values bring cohesiveness and better problem resolution.
• We believe that we function best when individuals, neighborhoods, businesses, government, nonprofits, schools, faith-based and other community organizations collaborate to achieve a common vision and purpose.
• We are committed to excellence through the effective use of strategies, accountability for outcomes and sharing of knowledge and best practices with others.

Volunteer Centers offer programs and services (core competencies) that:

• Connect people with opportunities to serve.
• Build the capacity for effective local volunteering.
• Promote volunteering.
• Participate in strategic initiatives that mobilize volunteers to meet local needs.