By Melissa Farr, Senior Distributed Organizer, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
Signing up to be a new volunteer can make you nervous. No matter how much you admire an organization, becoming an active part of their work can raise personal doubts about whether you have the experience, skills, and knowledge to be successful. Volunteering with a multi-issue organization like Sierra Club that engages in a wide array of activities, from outings to advocacy and everything in between, can feel even more overwhelming as you consider which path might be the right one for you.
As an organizer with the Pennsylvania Chapter, I am always excited to share the many ways in which our Chapter and Local Groups are able to support new volunteers in their journeys. We offer task and issue-specific training, as well as individualized coaching. When you volunteer with the Sierra Club, you are not just another face in the crowd. We strive to understand your unique talents and what motivates your desire to volunteer with us so that we can find the best fit within our program.
There is something here for everyone. If your passion is the outdoors, our Outings Leader program provides an educational curriculum that will help you to grow from an outings participant into an outings leader. You’ll be able to plan your very own creative outdoor adventures!
If you're ready to raise your voice to let your lawmakers know where you stand on environmental bills, our Chapter Advocacy Team (C.A.T.) offers workshops to prepare you for action. Most comfortable writing letters? We’ll help you craft the best messages to get your letter into your local paper or your lawmaker’s inbox. Love texting or talking on the phone? We’ll teach you how to text and phone bank. Ready to step into your legislator’s office and meet face-to-face? We’ll guide you in planning your visit, developing your talking points, and connecting your personal story.
Perhaps you are passionate about reaching out to your neighbors and sharing Sierra Club’s work with your community. Engaging with a local group allows you to have an impact right where you live, addressing the most pressing issues in your region. Representing the Sierra Club at community events, such as Earth Day or Pride Festivals, is a wonderful way to grow our supporter base. We can teach you how to plan and set up your information table and how to effectively communicate with the public.
What do YOU want to learn? How do you want to take action for the environment? Let us know! We are developing new support systems for volunteers and want to hear what you need to find success and fulfillment with Sierra Club. Volunteering is a collaborative effort - your experience with Sierra Club should meet your objectives, as well as support our work. This is a journey we take together, towards a cleaner, healthier, more equitable environment for all!
If you’re ready to get started, sign up today for an upcoming Volunteer Open House. After the election, we’re holding a week-long celebration of new volunteers with an onboarding presentation every day from November 18 - 22, 2024. Register today!
This blog was included as part of the November 2024 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!