How to Submit a GREAT Involvement Form…Read This Before You Fill Out Your Form.

We really do use this information to match members with meaningful volunteer roles!  We have many people filling out forms for our 200+ volunteer roles.  While your involvement form is one indicator we have of your interests and skills, we depend on you providing us with good information so that we can match you to a great volunteer role that will be both interesting and rewarding for you.

Unfortunately, often the responses  we receive to the questions are vague and general – leaving us with not much to go on as we attempt to find the best volunteer fit for you.

Here are some tips for submitting a helpful Volunteer Involvement Form.

DO:

• Be really specific, the more information we have the better we can place you in a role that is right for you. This is a time to err on the side of over-communicating.
• Share information about time constraints and really busy times during your year.
• Do you have a preferred working style? Share it! There’s nothing worse than being on a detail heavy project when you’re an ideas person who dislikes managing details.
• Have you had a new experience in your professional role that you think might be useful to share? 
• Do you have long term aspirations for future AFA roles? Share those…even if you’re not ready to be in a larger leadership role now, it helps us know the kinds of experiences you’d like to gain so that you can reach that goal one day.
• Check as many of the positions in which you’d be willing to serve.  If you don’t check it, we probably won’t (without your permission) put you in a role in which you indicated no interest.
• Do look past the Annual Meeting Planning Team! There is more to volunteering than being on the Annual Meeting Planning Team (AMPT)…  Did you know that last year, of the 160 forms that were submitted by the priority deadline, over 106 people wanted positions on the AMPT? So PLEASE, be willing to consider a wide variety of volunteer roles…even ones that aren’t on the AMPT. 

Examples of Great Response to the Involvement Form Questions. The following statements came from real volunteers’ Involvement Forms. These examples display how you can be specific about what you are looking for in a volunteer role.

What talents, skills, and interests do you have that would benefit AFA?

• I’m interested in supporting the growth of new professionals.
• I also have an interest in research and assessment.
• I have excellent writing skills and would be interested in supporting the Association in any efforts where these skills could be useful.
• I am a good collaborator with others and work well in groups tasked with creating new ideas.
• I have volunteered in many roles for AFA and feel like I know how to support keeping a project on task with distance volunteers. I could be effective in managing a new and challenging initiative for the Association because of this skill.
• I chaired a campus committee this past year that did a program review – I found that I am really good at evaluating current programming and analyzing opportunities for improvement.
• I am a very detailed-oriented person and do well with tasks that require attention to detail. I believe that I am good at effectively communicating with others and planning events. 

What do you want to learn or gain from your experiences as a volunteer for AFA?

• I am interested in learning about the strategic planning experience.
• I am interested in serving the Association and at the same time learning about important trends in our field.
• I am ultimately interested in running for a Board level position within the Association at some (unknown) point in the future. I would like to pursue volunteer experiences that provide me with a broad based experience that will allow me to learn more about the Association.

What sort of responsibilities would you NOT want as a volunteer for AFA?

• I’ve learned that I’m better in a supporting role as an AFA Volunteer rather than being responsible for managing volunteer experiences.
• Any committee or volunteer role where I would work alone is also not a good match for me. I work best when working in a team.
• My spring semester is VERY busy, so a volunteer role that has its primary work load during March – May would not be a good fit more me.
• I have served on the “X” committee for the past two years and am really ready for a new and different experience as a volunteer this year.

Examples of Not Great (But Pretty Typical) Response to the Involvement Form Questions. It can be extremely difficult to place 200+ volunteers into meaningful experiences with responses like these.

What talents, skills, and interests do you have that would benefit AFA?

• I bring energy and enthusiasm. I just love AFA and want to be involved.

What do you want to learn or gain from your experiences as a volunteer for AFA?

• I want to learn more about AFA and get to know other professionals in our field.

What sort of responsibilities would you NOT want as a volunteer for AFA?

• N/A
• I’d be happy doing anything

Thanks for reading AND thanks in advance for giving us detailed information about YOU and your interests on your own 2011 Involvement Form.