Nation's Cities - January 23, 2012

6 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY
January 23, 2012

Promoting Volunteer Service: Community Engagement
to Solve Local Problems

Details: For more information about promoting service at the local level, contact Julie Bosland (NLC Institute for Youth, Education and Families) at (202) 626-3144 or bosland@nlc.org or Bonnie Mann (NLC Democratic Governance Initiative) at (202) 626-3125 or mann@ nlc.org.

Mesa, from page 1

to answer our calls for action
by rolling up their sleeves and
donating their time,” said
Michelle Alvis, volunteer coor-
dinator-neighborhood outreach
for the City of Mesa. “Mesa
residents serve as an excel-
lent example of what can be
accomplished when we come
together with a common vision
of strengthening our commu-
nity.”
In 2011, citizens of Mesa
volunteered a total of 236,045
hours, according to Sheila
Byrne, senior human resources
analyst for the city. Using the
Independent Sector Hourly
Rate of $21.36 determines dol-
lar value of service to the city at
just over $5 million.

Volunteers are also able to provide services that are not provided by staff such as the Library Homebound volunteers that deliver books, the Park Ambassadors Program and docents for the Arizona Museum of Natural History.

The program began more
than 20 years ago in a hand-
ful of departments and spread
throughout city government.
Large city departments such
as Mesa Arts Center, Arizona
Museum for Youth, Arizona
Museum of Natural History,
Library, Neighborhood
Outreach, Parks and Recreation
and Police Department have
volunteer coordinators. Other
departments, such as the City
Prosecutor’s Office, Economic
Development, Development
and Sustainability and Fire
Department, also use volunteers
and non-paid interns.

The volunteer program in Mesa, Ariz., offers service opportunities in a number of city departments, including the Police Department, Mesa Arts Center, Neighborhood Outreach and Parks and Recreation.

Strong Neighborhoods (BSN) initiative is a comprehensive neighborhood program led by the Neighborhood Outreach Office and the community to preserve and strengthen Mesa’s neighborhoods. A volunteer component is built into each BSN initiative.

• Participation and volunteer event organization for National Days of Service including: Make a Difference Day — a citywide volunteer event with more than 1,500 volunteers in 2011; 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance; MLK Day; Global Youth Service Day and National Volunteer Week.