203: Dignity and Respect Extends to Volunteers, Too

Brittni Coe from Metrocrest Services shares her approach to engaging in-person volunteers during a pandemic, and how she's created opportunities to engage a diverse population of volunteers.

Metrocrest Services in the greater Dallas Area provides food and support services to 600-800 clients a week. Food Pantry, Rides, Home Repair, Consignment Store, Ambassador - social media, represent MCS in the community. While they had a diverse clientele, volunteers came from the surrounding suburbs and didn't reflect the diverse community they served.

Guest Bio:

Brittni Coe
Volunteer Manager
Metrocrest Service

Brittni Coe has been an active volunteer for most of her life.  She caught the service bug early during her twelve years as a Girl Scout, and through her service in the AmeriCorps National Service Program. For the past three years Brittni has worked as the Volunteer Manager for Metrocrest Services in Texas. There she has been responsible for recruitment, training, and retention of the more than 5,000 volunteers who donate their time to help Metrocrest Services fulfill its mission of building a stronger community together. 

Brittni holds a bachelor's degree with concentrations in Sociology and Women's Studies from Texas Woman's University, and holds a certificate for Non Profit Management from the Center for Non Profit Management in Texas.  She is passionate about doing her part to ' repair the world' by promoting volunteerism and sparking the passion to give back in others.

Show Notes:

Brittni Coe from Metrocrest Services shares her approach to engaging in-person volunteers during a pandemic, and how she's created opportunities to engage a diverse population of volunteers.

Show Notes:

Metrocrest Services in the greater Dallas Area provides food and support services to 600-800 clients a week. Food Pantry, Rides, Home Repair, Consignment Store, Ambassador - social media, represent MCS in the community.

While they had a diverse clientele, volunteers came from the surrounding suburbs and didn’t reflect the diverse community they served. Brittni really wanted volunteers to better reflect the community as well as inspire the next generation of volunteers. The community is beginning to gentrify but there are still needs. Brittni shares her personal story to educate volunteers, and there’s no judgement - ability to volunteer is equitable.

Brittni treats everyone with dignity and respect and is shifting who a volunteer is. She has created opportunities for neurodiverse volunteers of all ages, court ordered volunteers, intergenerational opportunities, and is actively recruiting Xennials.

You can access Brittni’s COVID-19 Checklist here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VPfBxjg_NUB7BxCjKEzzR3yjwBGZ9ucG/view

To contact Brittni you can find her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittni-coe-607a151b7/

For More:

If you’re interested in more on the benefits of treating volunteers with dignity and respect check out Season 1 Episode 2 Putting Volunteer Wellness first with Megan Vixie https://www.timeandtalentpod.com/news/2019/10/14/102-putting-volunteer-wellness-first