Do you have a heart to help and the skills to lead? Then you’re exactly the type of volunteer Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance (OAYA) is looking for.
OAYA is hosting an Open House in the LGI Room at Oxford High School (745 N. Oxford Rd.) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept.. 18.
‘It’s pretty low-key,? said OAYA Caseworker Hank Szlenkier. ‘It’s just an opportunity for individuals to come in, enjoy some refreshments, watch a Power Point presentation on Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance and pick up some literature.?
OAYA is a nonprofit organization that works with youth, parents, schools, law enforcement agencies, Oakland County Probate Court and other community resources to help find solutions to problems. Its mission is to strengthen youth and families while reducing delinquency, abuse and neglect through volunteer involvement.
The upcoming Open House is designed to recruit new volunteers for leadership positions ranging from administering various youth programs to serving on the OAYA Board of Directors.
‘We have an adequate amount of workers and volunteers, but we need to replenish some leadership roles,? Szlenkier said.
Szlenkier noted the national average for a volunteer’s involvement with a nonprofit organization is anywhere from two to five years.
‘Some of our leadership volunteers have been around for 10 and 15 years,? he noted.
Szlenkier would like these longtime leaders to be able to retire or take a break, if they wish, without having to worry about who’s going to take their place.
‘If we had some new people come on board, (the veteran members) would feel confident there’s a new generation of leaders,? he said. ‘Right now, because we don’t have anyone, I know they feel the commitment and the pressure to stay on.?
The state’s poor economy is also playing a role in OAYA’s leadership vacuum as many potential volunteers/leaders have left Michigan for job opportunities in other states.
Thanks to Youth Assistance’s wide variety of programs ? including family education, mentoring, youth recognition and skill building ? volunteers can donate as much time as their personal schedules permit.
‘We have volunteer opportunities that range from someone who’s able to come in once a year for several hours for a particular project all the way up to the board of directors who meet twice a month for two-to-three hours per meeting,? Szlenkier said.
How important are volunteers to Youth Assistance?
‘Simply put, we live and breathe by our volunteers,? Szlenkier said. ‘Without them, it really diminishes our capacity to provide the high level of services that we’ve been providing these last 15 years.?
For more information about OAYA call (248) 969-5177.