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Frequently Asked Questions
Volunteering
Q1: How do you use volunteers?
Client service
Indirect service
Board and committees
Q2: Do I need to be a breast cancer survivor?
Q3: What is the time commitment?
Q4: What is the training?
Q1: How do you use volunteers?
For information about the volunteer opportunties listed below, please call us at 607-277-0960 or e-mail us at info@ibca.net.
I. Client Service
A. Support Companion
A Support Companion is a patient advocate who accompanies a client to a doctor’s
appointment or a treatment, or visits a client in the hospital or at home. The
Support Companion may also help a client and a client’s loved one prepare
for an appointment, but not actually go with them to the appointment.
B. Helpline Volunteer
The Helpline Volunteer offers information and referrals using our Referral
Book and other resources to the client based on her expressed concern or
question. They provide the staffing for the year round helpline which
is available 24 hours/day, 365 days a year. These volunteers check for messages
on the helpline answer machine and return those calls from their own homes.
C. Resource Center Volunteer
Our Resource Center volunteers go through the same client volunteer training
as Helpline Volunteers and Support Companions. After additional training with
our client services staff, they are available to assist with staffing
the Resource Center hours and meet with clients who come in for assistance and
information.
D. Peer Information Network
The Peer Information Network is a telephone network of breast cancer survivors
who volunteer to share their personal experiences with our clients. We will
match the issue the client wants to hear about with Peer Information Network
volunteers who have had similar issues or circumstances. Unlike our other volunteers,
volunteers on the Peer Information Network volunteers do not undergo specific training,
nor do they speak on behalf of the organization. This program makes the connection between
the client and the volunteer, but the volunteer shares only her personal experiences
and is speaking as an individual.
E. Professional Volunteers
From the very beginning, mental health professionals have volunteered their
professional expertise and service to our clients by facilitating our support
groups and offering one-time free counseling sessions. More recently, alternative
practitioners are providing one-time free sessions of massage therapy, acupuncture,
and other modalities to our clients.
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II. Indirect Service
A. Office Volunteers
These volunteers generally work in our office at set times each week and do
“whatever needs doing” that day. Common tasks are: working on mailings,
answering the phones, data entry, delivering brochures to doctor’s offices,
organizing files, running errands, and more.
B. Outreach Volunteers
These volunteers help us staff educational displays at outreach events and otherwise
help educate the community about cancer and our services.
C. Special Event Volunteers
Our annual Walk/5K Runand other special events (e.g., annual celebration,
education programs, fund raising events) depend heavily on volunteer involvement
for both planning and implementation.
D. Publication Volunteers
We always need volunteers to research and write articles for our newsletters
and other publications. Volunteers can also help with our website, perform graphic
design, and otherwise assist with our communication to the public.
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III. Board and Committee Volunteers
A. Board of Directors
The board of directors is responsible for policy development and oversight of
the entire organization. Board members play a key role in representing the community
to the Cancer Resource Center, and in representing CRCFL to the community.
B. Committees
CRCFL has several committees, comprised of community members, board
representatives, and staff, that contribute to the organization in specific
areas. These committees include: Advocacy, Fund Development, Program and Services,
Strategic Planning, Personnel, and Finance.
Q2: Do I need to be a breast cancer survivor?
No. Some of our founders and many of our volunteers are people who have not had breast cancer themselves, but are committed to helping in a variety of ways.
Q3: What is the time commitment?
This depends on the type of the volunteer position. Many of our volunteers work only one day a year on the Walkathon or some other event. A few volunteers are able to work several hours per week, every week. Many more volunteer a few hours each month.
Q4: What is the training?
The type and duration of training depends on the volunteer position. In general, there are three categories of training:
For the Walkathon and other special events: Training is provided for your specific task on the day of the event.
For office volunteers and others that might have some client contact: you'll be trained in confidentiality, learn how to greet and then refer clients who call or visit the office, be oriented to the CRCFL, and more.
For volunteers who routinely provide direct assistance to clients: you'll receive several hours of training in confidentiality, active listening skills, providing assistance to people in distress, cancer basics, and more.