Thank you for your interest in volunteering with NAMI Mass. Volunteers are essential to the work that NAMI Mass does.  Here are the current volunteer opportunities and how to get involved in each one.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Cindy Nelson, Volunteer Coordinator, at 781-938-4048 or cindynelson@namimass.org.

“Your time is the most valuable contribution you can make to our  organization. Thank you. ”

EVENTS

NAMIWalks Committee Member

The NAMIWalks committee helps execute the plan for the Massachusetts NAMIWalk. The NAMIWalks committee members also contribute to the big picture planning. Each committee member is also expected to join and take an active role in one subcommittee: food and beverage in-kind donations, identifying corporate sponsorships and or marketing.
Location: NAMI Mass Office (400 West Cummings Park, Suite 6650, Woburn, MA 01801-6528)
Time Commitment: Four to Eight hours per month average (November – May)
To Apply: Contact Karen Gromis at kgromis@namimass.org or 781-938-4048.

Events Intern/Volunteer

This is an unpaid internship, volunteer position, work-study or course credit position. The Walk Assistant will be able to experience all aspects of the events department including corporate sponsorship and team development, event planning, and communications. This internship will be heavily focused on assisting with event planning for the annual NAMIWalk (May).

Responsibilities:

• Update written materials for event solicitation, invites and program materials.
• Solicit cash and in-kind donations through mailings, phone calls and personal visits if appropriate.
• Work on event logistics, leading up to event, execution of event and follow-up for walk, kick-off luncheon, convention, etc.
• Prepare and execute event recognition program
• Prepare the NAMI Mass newsletter
• Assist with researching and writing grant proposals
• Tackle other projects as assigned
• Provide back-up administrative support when needed.

Qualifications:

• Strong organizational skills with strong attention to detail
• Strong administrative skills, Work, Excel, Powerpoint
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Knowledge of media relations and marketing
• Familiarity with fund-raising a plus
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks
• Ability to interact with a diverse range of people
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a willingness to travel

Availability: Beginning of January through May

Time Commitment: 20-25 hours per week
Qualifications: See above list
To Apply: Send a resume and cover letter to Karen Gromis, Walk Manger  kgromis@namimass.org

NAMIWalks Volunteers

At least 100 volunteers are needed during NAMIWalks.  Volunteers assist with set up, clean up, registration, rest stops, and cheering.  This is the largest anti-stigma event in Massachusetts and funds NAMI Mass free education and support programs as well as local chapter programs.
Location: Artesani Park (1234 Soldiers Field Rd., Brighton, MA 02135)
Time Commitment: Two to Six hours on or before the day of the event
To Apply: Fill out the WalkVolunteerInterestForm and return it to our office. After the form is reviewed you will be contacted. If you have any questions, please contact Cindy Nelson, Volunteer Coordinator

Set-up/Break-down
Set-Up 6:30-7:30am
Brief Orientation 6:00-6:15am Signs orientation by Karen
Break-Down 12:30-1:30pm

To run smoothly, 8 volunteers are needed. You will first unload the Truck that brought items from the office. You help put up canopies and up tables and chairs at the registration, food, volunteer check-in, first aid, and the vender areas. Break-down involves taking down the canopies and folding up the tables and it should be over and you’ll be out of the park no later than 2pm. Some clean-up may be required (usually picking up water bottles).

You’ll be hanging the Walk banner and other banners where the Karen Gromis, Walk Manager, indicates. You’ll also be placing kilometer sponsor signs along the Walk route and you will be putting up signs at all the booths where they need help, which is most of them. It’s good to work in a team since some signs need to be held by one person while the other one fastens it. We’ll supply the fasteners and tools necessary.

Water Stops
Arrive by 9:00am
Brief orientation 9:00-9:15am which will include an overall safety discussion
Drop off at your Water spot between 9:45-10:30am
Walk back or pick up between 12:30-1:00pm

There are 3 water stops around the 3 mile/5 kilometer route. Each water stop will have 2 people stationed at a table so 6 volunteers are needed. You can sit at this task and will need to get up occasionally to place water bottles on the table so they’re available for walkers to retrieve. Some will be placed in a barrel that has ice near or next to you. You’ll also replace the bottles put on the table with some that you put into the ice. There should be some water bottles that have not been in the barrel with the ice in case there are people who don’t want very cold water. One of the people at the water stop should have a cell phone in case you need to contact us or we need to contact you.

Safety
Arrive by 9:00am
Brief orientation 9:00-9:20am
Drop off at your Safety spot between 9:45-10:30am
Walk back or pick up between 12:30-1:00pm

There are 6 safety positions located at various spots around the 3 mile/5 kilometer route. Some spots require 2 people (total 9 volunteers needed). Each safety person will be given a fluorescent colored vest to wear. Your primary responsibilities are: to monitor the crowd for people needing assistance, guide the crowd to safely stay on the route and if there is a problem to respond promptly. You can sit at this task but will need to watch the walkers carefully to spot anyone who may need assistance in the form of: 1) pick-up by a lag wagon which will give them a ride back to the main parking lot; or 2) call the nurse’s station to ask for medical assistance for someone who has fallen/injured themselves or anyone who needs medical attention. There will be a briefing of the procedures beforehand and you’ll receive the contact info for the nurse at the First Aid area and your Volunteer Captain. No medical knowledge or experience is necessary. Always err on the side of caution and contact the nurse on her cell phone for guidance if you’re unsure. We have an EMS team on site for emergencies, so no one should feel that they can’t contact the nurse for guidance on how to proceed.

Parking
Arrive by 7:00am
Brief Orientation: 7:00-7:15am

Once your satellite lot is full, please report to your Volunteer Captain in the main lot for further instructions
7 Volunteers are needed for this area. There are 12 parking satellite lots located near the Walk site. Shuttle buses will pick people up after they’ve parked their car and take them to the Walk site. There will be 2-3 people stationed at the satellite lot and once the lot is full, they move on to the next satellite lot and so on. At the satellite lot, you direct people to where they can and can’t park. Tell the drivers to put the colored paper parking directions for that lot on the dashboard. Anyone with a different color paper has to be directed to that respective satellite lot.
If you’re stationed in the main parking lot, you’ll be handing out colored parking directions. When the sheets of a particular color are used up that particular satellite lot is full and then the next color is for next satellite lot. Some volunteers will be involved with the safe unloading of the buses and directing people off of buses to where registration and the stage areas are located.

Food Area
Arrive by 7:00am
Clean-up: 1-1:30am

There is one large food booth. There are 3 volunteers needed for this area. You will have to stand most of the time for this position. Since you’ll do a lot of bending and lifting (nothing too heavy) this position is not for anyone with any back problems. You’ll help during set-up time to put some of the food out and organize the remaining food so it’s easy to replenish as necessary.

Registration
Arrive by 8:00am
Brief Orientation 8-8:30am
You should be done by 12:30pm

12 volunteers are needed for this area. There are 4 tables in one area for pre-registered walkers/teams and 3 tables where walkers will fill out forms. You can sit at this task but must be good with details and follow-through. It can be very hectic between 9:30-11:00am so you have to be able to work well with lots of people. Registration begins at 9am. Some of you will be dealing with Walk Team Captains and some with individual walkers. Some of you will help individual walkers fill out registration forms. Generally things taper off soon after 11am when the walk starts so you’ll be able to help pack up (if able) and leave by 1pm.

T-shirts
Arrive by 8:00am
Brief Orientation 8:00-8:15am
You should be done by 1:00pm

This area needs 3 or 4 volunteers. Walkers get a t-shirt if they raise $100. They will get a ticket at registration which they hand into one of you. If they’re a member of a team, then the Team Captain brings over the number of tickets and tells you how many t-shirts of each size they need and you collect the tickets. Be sure the number of tickets match the number of t-shirts given.

You’ll also have to organize your area and replenish as necessary. This is a busy spot most of the time from 9am until 1pm so you must have stamina. You’ll be handing out Walk t-shirts to team captains and walkers with tickets. You’ll also have to organize your area and replenish as necessary. This is a busy spot most of the time from 9am until 1pm so you must have stamina.

One of you will might be selling hats and making change. Please be careful giving change. Don’t be rushed, count it twice. Leave the bill(s) that the customer handed to you out in plain sight until you’ve given them their change, if any is due.

Start/Stop (2)
Arrive by 10:15am
You’ll be done by 11:30am

You will be standing at the start line to help regulate the flow of the walk line so no one gets trampled or that the walkers don’t back up. We supply tall Start/Stop signs that you use to start and stop the walk line according to the speed of the walkers. We’ll provide extra guidance the morning of the Walk taking into account the weather and other factors.

Finish line
Arrive by 10:15am
You should be done by 1:30pm

You will be cheering the walkers as they cross the finish line!! Some of you will be handing out the walk pin to walkers. Cheerleading squads are welcome here and along the route. We need to give a lot of encouragement so a lot of volunteers are needed! This task only lasts about 2 hours.