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Sarah McKennon (left) talks with Christine Valenti about the volunteer opportunities available with Jonah's Run Alternative School. REBECCA SELL/THE FREE LANCE-STAR View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Volunteer job fair offers no pay , but new skills

Volunteers hunt for a way to get involved in their community, while nonprofits seek help

Date published: 4/8/2009

By KELLY HANNON

Help is wanted at dozens of nonprofit agencies in the Fredericksburg area.

Web designers are in demand. So are Spanish speakers, American Sign Language interpreters and anyone willing to spend time tutoring children, assisting the terminally ill or keeping the Rappahannock River clean.

None of the jobs comes with a paycheck.

But they do provide intangible benefits, like learning new skills or assisting the community, said Shelby Beck, Rappahannock United Way volunteer coordinator.

Beck's office has been busy lately. She keeps a list of volunteer jobs at nonprofit agencies in the Fredericksburg area, and she's getting more calls from potential volunteers as the local unemployment rate rises.

"A lot of people have more free time," Beck said. "They submit resumes looking for things that they can use their skills at. I think we have a lot more skill-based volunteering coming up, than just your normal send-me-anywhere [volunteering]."

To recruit volunteers directly, the Rappahannock United Way co-sponsored a volunteer fair Monday night with the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. The fair was marketed as a way to gain skills in a competitive job market. Nonprofits set up tables on the museum's three floors in downtown Fredericksburg. About 80 potential volunteers attended.

One volunteer was Carey Jernigan of Fredericksburg. Facing diminished vision from a medical condition and recently laid off, Jernigan was looking at environmental organizations, and anywhere he could gain more experience with audio work and broadcasting.

"Since my vision has declined I've had a lot of free time on my hands and I just wanted to check out and see some of the things they did, some of the fields of opportunity to volunteer in," Jernigan said. He's previously worked as a cook and in construction trades.

Patricia Mussey of Stafford was collecting material on behalf of her son, a freshman at Virginia Tech and Eagle Scout. He's interested in working outside or office work, and he has Web development skills.

"We're hoping for an internship but if that doesn't develop because of the economy, then we think volunteering would be a great way for him to learn skills and get a feel for what's available," Mussey said.

Plus, "I may find something that interests me," Mussey said.

VolunteerMatch.org spokesman Robert Rosenthal advises potential volunteers to consider three things before starting a hunt: Decide on a location. How far are you willing to travel to volunteer? Pick causes that motivate you. Then look for organizations that champion that cause. Determine what type of volunteer job interests you. Think about the day-to-day work. Do you want to work in an office with others or alone at home? Is physically demanding work OK, or do you prefer to be seated? Would you enjoy working with the public, or do you want to volunteer behind the scenes?

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Date published: 4/8/2009