Volunteer Program
The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind's Volunteer Program provides volunteers for registered consumers of MCB services and programs. The volunteer provides one-on-one services primarily in the homes of MCB consumers. Volunteers are matched primarily with consumers who live in the same community. Emphasis is placed on keeping the consumer and volunteer geographically as close as possible in order to eliminate potential transportation problems. This allows both the consumer and volunteer to share a knowledge and comfort level with their community.
Volunteers are recruited through a variety of sources. There are posters that emphasize the basic need and nature of the Volunteer Program. These "Share The Joy of Reading" posters are placed in any public area which allows them. However, they are provided extensively to libraries. The posters quickly highlight the need for people to read for MCB consumers.
The Volunteer Program is truly a volunteer program in that there is no compensation for a volunteer's service. Volunteers are matched almost exclusively on a person to person basis. Although reading is the greatest need of MCB consumers, volunteers do provide a wide range of other services. Among these, from which a consumer might benefit are: reading, friendly visiting in person or by phone, shopping assistance and local traveling companionship.
The service that a volunteer provides is determined entirely by a consumer's request and what a prospective volunteer feels comfortable with providing.
There are basic requirements for volunteers. They are requested to commit to a time period of a minimum of three months but the actual time donated can be weekly, monthly, bi-weekly or any mutually acceptable schedule. No volunteer is asked or expected to give more of him or herself than they are able.
A volunteer is required to attend one two-hour training session in the Boston office or at another mutually agreed upon location. These sessions are held every month during a workday and again in an early evening session. They last no more than 2 hours and include discussions about the program, the agency, blindness issues and a short film is presented. A prospective volunteer must complete an application and provide three strong personal or professional references and must agree to a CORI check. (Criminal Offense Record Inquiry).
The volunteer application provides MCB with basic personal information. The application also affords the new volunteer the opportunity to detail available days and times, likes and dislikes, some background information and any other information which would help to make the most beneficial and comfortable match for both the volunteer and the MCB consumer.
The application, training and matching process will take several weeks, but it is important that all information is considered so that those individuals who are matched will be as compatible as possible. If however, either the volunteer or the consumer is not comfortable with the match, a change will be made and a new match provided.
There is a history of very beneficial and interesting matches that have developed in the program. We have matched a law student with a retired judge, a devote religious person with someone in the clergy and an individual with music and computer expertise with a music writer who wanted to use a computer in their music writing.
Although we do require volunteers to be 18 years of age or older, we have had those who are younger. This is possible because a parent or legal guardian has become a volunteer with the younger person and they accompany the minor child during their volunteer work.
There are at any given time hundreds of blind consumers who are waiting for volunteers. A new volunteer can usually be matched quickly and the Commission for the Blind is very appreciative of the commitment volunteers make for our consumers.
If you care to volunteer or are in need of a volunteer, please contact Randall Pinch, Volunteer Supervisor at e-mail: Randall.Pinch@state.ma.us.
Download Volunteer Application Form
This information is provided by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.