Town-gown collaboration offers 'speed dating' to match nonprofits, IU volunteers
Call it speed dating without the rejection.
The group Civic Engagement Campus Community Stakeholders -- a collaborative effort between United Way, the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network and 14 of Indiana University's programs, departments and projects on the Bloomington campus -- hosted a "speed matching" event similar to speed dating for representatives from area nonprofits and IU offices.
Photo by Aaron Bernstein
The Campus-Community Speed Matching Event for Civic Engagement, Volunteering and Service-Learning event helped volunteers find their match.
The Campus-Community Speed Matching Event for Civic Engagement, Volunteering and Service-Learning took place on July 30 in the gathering space at IU's Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center. The groups rotated at five-minute intervals so participants had the opportunity to meet with everyone involved. Each side spent about 90 seconds sharing their group's mission and then spent the remaining two minutes discussing common ground.
With this event, organizers sought to bring together staff members from the IU departments, programs and projects that are conduits for student volunteering and service-learning with the community nonprofit organizations that depend upon student volunteers to fulfill their missions.
"In addition to the five minute interviews, the Center for Student Leadership Development videotaped each organization's 90-second informative speech. We'll podcast the messages on our web site," said Kristine Nielsen, coordinator of Leadership Programs and Services at IU's Center for Student Leadership Development, which is a center of the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Colleen Rose is a master's student studying social work at IUPUI who also works with the Student Activities Office and Office of Service-Learning. As civic engagement coordinator for the IU Student Activities Office, Rose facilitates the group's stakeholder committee. She said the event was important because IU is a decentralized campus without a "one-stop shop" for students who want to become connected with community organizations.
"The speed matching event is the first event we've hosted as a group," said Rose. "It was really amazing how everyone on the committee really pitched in to make this happen."
"This was a great idea," said Lillian Casillas, director of La Casa. "I had a good opportunity to sit down with various potential IU partners to discuss in depth who we are as a community organization and how we can work together to engage students."
"As a non-profit in the community, we get calls all the time from students with requests for volunteer and service experiences," said Amy Jackson, development director for Stone Belt Arc. "Having now learned more about the myriad civic development programs available to students at IU, we'll be better positioned to make the best fit possible. This was a great opportunity to make connections on campus that will benefit both students and Stone Belt."
Civic Engagement Campus Community Stakeholders has been in operation for about two years. Next up for the group will be coming up with a mission statement and other initiatives that can be created to foster new partnerships between campus and community.
"This is the first step toward bringing these groups together more often and creating more partnerships for students," said Rose. "My hope is that there enough campus departments are represented here that all of those needs can be met, and that there's a partnership for everyone."
Participating campus organizations
21st Century Scholars
American Humanics
Civic Leadership Development (CLD)
Center for Student Leadership Development (CSLD)
Groups Program
Hudson and Holland Scholars Program
Hutton Honors College
IU Alumni Association
Office of First Year Experience Programs (FYE)
Office of Service-Learning (OSL)
Political and Civic Engagement Certificate (PACE)
Residential Programs and Services (RPS)
Student Activities Office (SAO)
SPEA Service Corps
Participating community organizations
American Cancer Society
Bloomington Playwright's Project
City of Bloomington Volunteer Network
El Centro Comunal Latino Inc.
Fair Trade Bloomington
Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County ReStore
Hoosier Hills Food Bank
MCCSC Adult Education at Broadview Learning Center
Monroe County United Ministries
My Sister's Closet of Monroe County
People and Animal Learning Services (PALS)
Special Olympics Indiana -- Monroe County
Stone Belt Arc Inc.
WFHB Community Radio
Youth and Community Center of Monroe County
Event sponsors included Advocate for Community Engagement, City of Bloomington Volunteer Network; Center for Student Leadership Development; Civic Leadership Development; Student Activities Office; and the IU Student Alumni Association.
