CHAPTER 1:  THE HEAD START VOLUNTEER EFFORT
 

Chapter Highlights Volunteers are active in program administration as well as all Head Start components: Education Health Parent involvement Social services. Volunteers provide many benefits to Head Start programs: Increased direct services to Head Start children and their families Increased moral support and encouragement to parents and staff improved program image in the community. A successful volunteer effort comprises many elements: A volunteer coordinator A volunteer plan Volunteer recruitment, screenIng, placement, and trainIng Ongoing training for staff and volunteers A volunteer recognition and evaluation system Program monitoring and evaluation Support of Head Start administration Proper fiscal management.

VOLUNTEERS IN HEAD START

Head Start programs have always relied on Head Start parents, citizens, and partnerships with other community agencies for a skilled and diverse volunteer pool. Volunteers provide a wide range of services and support to Head Start children and their families.

Volunteers In the Education Component

Both community and parent volunteers are widely used in the education component. Community volunteers may include high school students enrolled in parenting education classes, students enrolled in vocational education classes, college students who need practicum experience, retired teachers, or other professionals.

These volunteers perform many services for the Head Start program. In the classroom, they greatly extend the amount of adult/child interaction. Classroom volunteers read stories to children, extend children's play, and support children's involvement in various activity centers. They also help programs meet various Head Start regulations, for example, that there be three adults in the classroom. One of these individuals is to be a volunteer. Other regulations deal with meeting the specific needs of children.

The effective volunteer program can assist classroom teachers in the development of materials, filing, and other tasks. Volunteers can work with individual children, oversee learning centers, and make games and toys. In each of these instances the parent or community volunteer is an important part of the center staffing.

Volunteers may support the education coordinator in an advisory capacity as well. Community and parent volunteers serving on an educational advisory committee can help develop the educational component plan, review new materials, and evaluate volunteer services.


Other volunteers may be specialists in a specific area and offer short-term services. For instance, a local college professor may provide staff training, new curriculum ideas, or staff observations. A police officer may talk about safety or help children overcome their fear of police.

Volunteers In the Health Component

Like the education component, the health component uses a wide variety of volunteers. Every grantee is required to have a health advisory committee that includes parents and volunteer health professionals. This group helps the Head Start program to identify resources to meet the health needs of Head Start families and to meet policy requirements.

The health component uses professional volunteers to provide services to Head Start families. A dentist may offer dental cleaning and check-ups, a nutritionist may plan menus, a home economist may offer cooking classes to parents, or a psychologist may provide mental health evaluations.

The health coordinator may use volunteers to check children's height, weight, and blood pressure; help organize a health fair; provide training; keep the children's health records up to date; or provide transportation for children's medical or dental appointments.

The health component also uses volunteers in the classroom to support teacher efforts. Volunteers may teach children about personal hygiene, nutrition, and other health-related topics. After receiving appropriate training, volunteers may also help provide certain types of therapy to handicapped children or support the special needs of children with health impairments.

Volunteers In the Parent Involvement Component

Parents have always been considered full partners in the Head Start program. Parents must have a full voice in staff selection, budget authorization, and approval of all program plans. Parents fulfill this role as volunteers on the policy council and center committees, giving significant amounts of time in the process.

Parents also serve in other capacities. Some work as classroom assistants, lunchroom and kitchen helpers, custodial assistants, bus attendants, or office helpers.

Volunteers In the Social Services Component

The social services component develops community linkages and resources for Head Start families. The social services staff are the main link between the Head Start program, its families, and the larger community. Volunteers can help:


• Identify community groups that may help families meet basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, and transportation needs.
  
  
• Identify community groups that may help families become self-sufficient.
  
  
• Recruit Head Start's target population—children from the community's neediest families.
  
  The social services component also may use volunteers for direct service. A parent or community volunteer may visit homes with the social services staff, follow up on children who have been absent, or help with recruitment and enrollment activities.
  
  Head Start performance standards strongly advise that staff organize a social services advisory committee. This committee is to include Head Start parents and representatives from key community organizations and social service agencies.

Volunteers in Program Administration

Community and parent volunteers support and assist in the direct operation of each Head Start program through their involvement as policy council and advisory group members. Their decisions directly affect ever aspect of the program including the budget, operating policies, and selection of staff.

Volunteers also assist administratigve staff in other tyupes of program administration, including routine but necessary activities suck as typing, filling, answering phones, or handling mail. Local professionals willing to volunteer their time may provide fiscal, legal, or planning assistance

BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

Volunteer services have a long-range impact on the Head Start program, the child, the family, and volunteer. The immediate impact of a well-planned volunteer effort is seen increased services to children in each component area.

Community volunteers provide benefits to Head Start not only through the provision and expansion of services and training. They often serve as positive role models and mentors for parents who wish to improve their parenting skills, attain an educational diploma or degree, or develop career goals.

For many parents, serving as Head Start Volunteer is their first formal work experience. It can be the first step on a career ladder. For this reason, Head Start provides training and support systems for parent volunteers. This is one way that the program helps families become self-sufficient, enabling them to move out of poverty.

Head Start parent volunteers who assume leadership positions acknowledge their partnership in operation the program. With this partnership comes ownership and pride extending to the larger community. Likewise, senior citizens, health professionals, nutrition consultants, students, and community leaders feel ownership and responsibility for a program in which their special skills are well utilized, valued, and recognized. These individuals, in turn, communicate a positive program image to the community as a whole, affirming the quality of the program and its benefits to children and their families. This high-impact public relations stategy increases community support of and interest in the program.

ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

To ensure a smoooth-functioning and successful volunteer effort, programs will:


• Designate a volunteer coordinator.
  
  
• Develop an effective volunteer plan.
  
  
• Conduct careful recruitment, screening, and placement of volunteers.
  
  
• Provide ongoing training for both staff and volunteers.
  
  
• Develop a volunteer recognition and evaluation system.
  
  
• Provide ongoing supervision, monitoring, and evaluation.
  
  
• Maintain strong and ongoing support of the Head Start director.
  
  
• Maintain necessary recordkeeping and fiscal management systems.
  
  The remaining chapters of this handbook provide guidance for developing and managing an effective volunteer program.