Professional Development for Volunteer Administrators

We all know that we need professional development. That's how we learn about new programs, enhance our knowledge and gain new skills - hopefully to help us do our jobs better. It is also important that each of us is getting professional development related to our role as a volunteer administrator.

It's easy to put professional development opportunities on the back burner, knowing that we have this program to conduct and that report to complete. However, professional development doesn't always have to mean we are out of the office for days at a time. But, if you're like me, you may find it even harder to participate in professional development that is internet-based and self-paced. It seems I can always find an excuse not to participate in an online training or complete a module because my long "to do" list is calling.

Here's an opportunity for professional development that you don't want to miss!

It's been awhile since National 4-H Council/Cooperative Extension Service enrolled in Everyone Ready, and there's only a handful of Texas Extension employees taking advantage of this opportunity for FREE professional development. Everyone Ready is an online volunteer management training, developed to provide all Extension employees with cutting-edge, practical information you can access anytime from anywhere. I kept putting off taking the time to look at the modules, but when I actually forced myself to do it, I discovered some great stuff! Tools, tips and advice on a variety of topics related to volunteer management.

So, try to take a few minutes to check it out! There are online modules you can listen to, and there's also self-instruction guides. A new training topic is made available each month. If you happen to miss a module, or find a topic of interest that was posted when this program started, you can still access it in the program archives.

For instructions on how to access this great online, self-paced professional development opportunity, go to http://od.tamu.edu - click on "volunteerism resources" and then click on "volunteer administrator resources." A link to Everyone Ready instructions is available at the bottom of the screen.