Samantha Belmont

Dr. Suzanne Stauffer

LIS 7406
February 27, 2017

Library Program:
Volunteer Toward Your Career

Type of Library:
This program was imagined for an urban or suburban library system and can be implemented in
libraries of any size with a large enough meeting room. Community demographics should
include a significant number of unemployed or underemployed adults, as well as adults with
varying levels of income and education, in order for the program to be in demand and effective.

Target Audience:
The target audience is adults of all ages and backgrounds with limited experience or education
in their desired field. This includes working adults who are underemployed; adults who wish to
transition to a new field; unemployed adults; individuals new to the job market; and adults
reentering the workforce after a hiatus. The workshop can be conducted with most group sizes,
but 10-20 would be ideal. Registration should be limited to 25 for space and discussion
considerations.

Type and Purpose:

This program is a workshop to provide attendees with assistance and direction in advancing or
changing careers. Getting ones foot in the door can be hard, and for someone with limited
experience or education in their desired field, it can be challenging to demonstrate to potential
employers that they have the skills and talents to succeed in their chosen career. This workshop
will help participants identify the skills they need to reach their career goals and demonstrate
how the right volunteer opportunities can illustrate those skills to potential employers. The
unfortunate reality is that not everyone can commit the time and money necessary for college
courses, professional training, or unpaid internships when they want to begin a career. This
workshop will present volunteer work as a cost-efficient, flexible alternative for building ones
resume and demonstrating professional ability. Ideally, this workshop would take place one day
to two weeks prior to a volunteer fair hosted at the library to encourage attendance of the fair
and maximize the workshops usefulness for participants.

Activities will include an introduction, career goals discussion and necessary skills brainstorming
in small groups, small group discussion of how those skills can be demonstrated or learned
through volunteer work, seminar-style presentation of advice and resources for finding relevant
volunteer opportunities, and a Q&A session with 3 representatives from local agencies and
nonprofits who organize and/or utilize volunteers. Worksheets and resource sheets will be
provided. Individuals should have a general idea of the type of jobs they will be seeking. Self
assessment links will be provided at registration. The program will be presented by the librarian
and developed with input from the communitys career center, as well as agencies and
nonprofits offering volunteer opportunities. For example, potential resources and sources of
Q&A guests in the Baton Rouge area include Capital Area United Way, Catholic Charities of the
Diocese of Baton Rouge, and Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge, among others. If
implemented in East Baton Rouge Parish, the workshop would be conducted with the Baton
Rouge Career Center housed in the Main Library at Goodwood.

Planning Chronology:

6 months:
Propose program to the library for approval.
Reserve meeting space with projector.
Identify and contact community partners and Q&A guests
3 months:
Submit presentation, worksheets, and resource list to community partners for feedback.
2 months:
Revise materials and program according to feedback.
Resubmit for feedback.
Confirm Q&A guests.
1 month:
Finalize materials and presentation.
Set up registration and replies with self assessment information.
Write and share press release.
Notify local job assistance agencies.
3 weeks:
Promote on social media.
1 week:
Send registrants reminder email.
Print materials for registrants.
1 day:
Send registrants second reminder email.
Print materials for any late registrants.
Confirm Q&A guests for last minute cancellations. (Find replacement, if necessary.)
Pick up refreshments.
Day of the event:
Organize the space and test equipment.

Event:
~15 min: Introduction and break into groups of 3-6 depending on group size (Participants should
receive materials at the door.)
~30 min: Small group discussion of career goals and necessary skills
~20 min: Share small group findings with full group.
~30 minutes: Small group brainstorm of volunteer activities to build or demonstrate those skills
~20 min: Share small group findings with full group.
~ 30 min: Seminar-style presentation of advice and resources for finding volunteer opportunities
~10 min: Introduce Q&A guests
~1 hour: Q&A session moderated by librarian
~10 min: Wrap up and reiteration of resources

Materials and Resources:

Chairs
Tables
Meeting space
Laptop and Projector
Community partners
Resource lists
Workshop packet
Pencils
Light refreshments (snacks and beverages)

Estimated Cost:
Printing costs should be minimal, as should the cost of providing pencils. Space and equipment
should be available through the library. Quality refreshments can easily be bought for less than
$50 to feed a group of 25. For example, see this fruit platter: https://www.samsclub.com/
sams/fruit-cheese-party-tray/prod16510130.ip. If funding is still an issue, it may be possible to
have a community partner donate refreshments.

Assessment Measures/Method:
Attendance is the most obvious measure of this programs success. Feedback can also be
collected from community partners. The library can follow up with participants with a survey via
email immediately after the event and a few months later to determine if they found the
workshop helpful, if they implemented (or plan to implement) the lessons learned, and whether
or not that implementation helped their career. Community partners can also report whether
participants sought volunteer opportunities with their organization.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Samantha Belmont
Adult Services Librarian
Pretend Library
555 Imagination Drive, Lala Land LA 27555
(555) 555-5555
sbelmo1@pretendlibrary.org
Pretendlibrary.org

Volunteer Toward Your Career Workshop

If you are looking for a low-cost, flexible way to break into a new career, join us in Room 101 of
the Pretend Library on March 4, 2017 from 9 AM to 1 PM for the Volunteer Toward Your Career
Workshop. Identify the skills needed to reach your career goals and discover how volunteer
work can illustrate those skills to potential employers Representatives from three local volunteer
organizations will answer questions at the end of the program. Adults and teens of all ages and
backgrounds are welcome to attend. Registration is required. Please call (555) 555-5555 or
register online at pretendlibrary.org/totallyrealregistrationlink.

This program is ideal for anyone looking to start their first career or transition to a new career.
Not everyone can commit the time and money necessary for college courses, professional
training, or unpaid internships when they want to begin a new career. Volunteering can be an
effective alternative. Join us to learn how to find and utilize volunteer experiences to bring you
closer to your career goals. This workshop will be presented by Samantha Belmont, Adult
Services Librarian at the Pretend Library. Light refreshments will be provided. For more
information, email Samantha Belmont at sbelmo1@pretendlibrary.org or call the Pretend
Library.
###