Volunteer

Dream of being an event planner? How about a publicist? Looking for leadership experience?

Check out the openings Disability Connection has for volunteers and start living the dream while giving back to the community!

Disability Connection does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, and disability.

Volunteer Manager

A.    Duties/expectations: A Manager is needed to oversee all volunteer activities. Responsibilities of this manager include:

• Recruiting and training volunteers
• Coordinating volunteer actions and activities
• Tracking volunteer progress
• Creating and implementing a reward program for volunteers
• Maintaining the Disability Connection page at United Way’s Truist

B.     Time commitment: Time commitment is long term.  The commitment is part time however and the schedule can be very flexible.

C.    Location of volunteer position: Some activities can be performed from home, such as maintaining the United Way page. Volunteer training and tracking volunteer progress must be done in the Gulfport office. Recruiting volunteers can be completed from home, but also at various sites such as local schools and organizations. And, coordination of volunteer activities must be done at the various Disability Connection events around Biloxi.  

D.    Qualifications and requirements: All volunteers must be passionate about creating a connected community for those with disabilities! The volunteer manager must be able to get to the Gulfport office. The volunteer manager must have good planning, management, and people skills. All other skills can be developed over time. The volunteer must be willing to make a long term commitment and be willing to recruit and train a replacement should the volunteer manager wish to leave his or her duties.

E.     Benefits to the organization and volunteer: While this is a volunteer opportunity, and therefore you will not be paid, there are many other rewards. A gas-cost supplementation may be available. Volunteers will learn new skills, develop social relationships and professional contacts, gather a great deal of leadership experience, and give back to their community in a meaningful way.  

Resource Development Assistant

A.    Duties/expectations: A Resource Development Assistant is needed to:

• Research the grants Disability Connection is eligible for
• Manage and update the Google Docs records of Disability Connection’s grant history, track awards, and update the donation and sponsorship statistics pages for the year in question
• Assist in writing grant applications and proposals, as well as applications for sponsorships and donations
• Timely file resource request applications
• Write thank you notes for resource awards

B.     Time commitment: Time commitment is long term.  The commitment is part time however and the schedule can be very flexible. Multiple positions are available.  

C.    Location of volunteer position: The resource development assistant can fulfill all his or her duties from home following the initial volunteer training session in the Gulfport office.

D.    Qualifications and requirements: All volunteers must be passionate about creating a connected community for those with disabilities! The resource development assistant must be very organized and posses good time management and persuasive writing skills. The volunteer must be willing to make a long term commitment and be willing to recruit and train a replacement should the volunteer manager wish to leave his or her duties.  Training in Google Docs organization is available.  

E.     Benefits to the organization and volunteer: While this is a volunteer opportunity, and therefore you will not be paid, there are many other rewards. Volunteers will learn new skills, develop social relationships and professional contacts, gather a great deal of leadership experience, and give back to their community in a meaningful way. The resource development assistant will also develop excellent writing skills and experience in the competitive and growing world of grant writing and resource development.

Event Coordinator

A.    Duties/expectations: An event coordinator is needed to:

• Assist in planning Disability Connection’s four major yearly events and the quarterly network meetings
• Assist in devising event budgets and lists (needs, guests, vendors, donors etc.)
• Assist in event implementation on the day of the event in question
• Monitor and record event statistics following the event
• Write and send thank you notes to event participants, volunteers, and vendors

B.     Time commitment: Time commitment is long term.  The commitment is part time however and the schedule can be very flexible. Multiple positions are available. Must be willing to train your replacement upon the conclusion of your volunteer commitment.  

C.    Location of volunteer position: The event coordinator must fulfill the majority of his or her duties in our Gulfport office. Event implement will occur at the event site. Disability Connection’s events occur in Biloxi for the most part.  

D.    Qualifications and requirements: All volunteers must be passionate about creating a connected community for those with disabilities! The event coordinator must be able to get him or herself to the Gulfport office and the events when needed. The event coordinator must have a passion for event planning, and be detail oriented and possess good time management and planning skills. The volunteer must be willing to make a long term commitment and be willing to recruit and train a replacement should the event planner wish to leave his or her duties.

E.     Benefits to the organization and volunteer: While this is a volunteer opportunity, and therefore you will not be paid, there are many other rewards. A gas supplementation may be available. Volunteers will learn new skills, develop social relationships and professional contacts, gather a great deal of leadership experience, and give back to their community in a meaningful way. The event planner will also develop excellent planning and organizational skills and experience in the competitive and growing world of event planning and nonprofit operation.

Data Entry and Organization Assistant

A.    Duties/expectations: A data entry and organization assistant is needed to:

• Research organizations who serve individuals with disabilities across the state of Mississippi
• Create entries based on that research that include the organization name, location, contact information, and services provided in a Google Docs spreadsheet
• Enter that same information into a simple form on The Connection, Disability Connection’s online resource directory, or
• If that organization serves the southern-most 6 counties of Mississippi, enter that organization’s information into the South Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Resource Guide using graphic software

B.     Time commitment: Time commitment can be either short term or long term.  The commitment is part time and the schedule is very flexible. Multiple positions are available.

C.    Location of volunteer position: The data entry and organization assistant will perform their duties in our Gulfport office.  

D.    Qualifications and requirements: All volunteers must be passionate about creating a connected community for those with disabilities! The data entry and organization must be able to get to the Gulfport office. The data entry and organization assistant must have experiencing using phpmy software or adobe design software, or be will to learn! Training provided in all the software used for The Connection and the Community Resource Guide.

E.     Benefits to the organization and volunteer: While this is a volunteer opportunity, and therefore you will not be paid, there are many other rewards. Volunteers will learn new skills and develop social relationships and professional contacts, and give back to their community in a meaningful way. The data entry and organization assistant will also develop excellent research and organizational skills and experience, as well as knowledge in new technologies.   

How to apply/contact:

Any persons interested in this or any other Disability Connection volunteer position should call our office: 228-604-4020 or email office@disabilityconnection.org.