Volunteering – old page

Every little thing you do helps build our community. Telling another survivor or a therapist about us, mentioning GrassRoots on Facebook or LinkedIn, or sending us an inspiring quote or a beautiful photo that you took. 

When you consider the possibility of volunteering, chances are you think, “What could I offer GrassRoots?” And all too often, the internal answer is, “Not much.”

Think again! RA/MC survivors are apt to vastly undervalue their skills and talents. After all, we have been carefully trained to have extremely low self-esteem in order to make us easy to control. We can do so much more than we believe we can! Fighting the “you can’t do anything, you are incompetent” programming can be exhilarating as well as frightening.

So, take a deep breath and see if anything on this list sounds interesting.

  • Being a facilitator or co-facilitator for an online group (men’s group, LBGTQ+ group, Christian group, etc.)
  • Leading a workshop (ex: writing/art/movement – one time or monthly/quarterly)
  • Leading informal art/writing groups for younger parts
  • Maintaining the webpage (updating events/changing up the pictures/fix editing errors, etc.)
  • Managing Eventbrite (updating events/changing up the pictures/fix editing errors, etc.)
  • Proofreading and/or editing a variety of materials (website/Eventbrite/newsletter, etc.)
  • Writing: short articles
  • Newsletter: collecting material, organizing, formatting, writing, proofreading/editing
  • Researching a range of topics (ex: easy to use mailing list apps, alternative platforms to Zoom, use and misuse of AI in Zoom/Eventbrite)
  • Moderating and/or creating a message board/forum
  • Teaching new people to use Zoom
  • Sharing photographs and/or artwork for the website
  • Find and/or set up a ‘format friendly’ mailing list for the newsletter (ex: Mailchimp)

The other side of the equation is, “What can GrassRoots do for me?” That’s not selfish – it’s very reasonable. You shouldn’t be working with any organization where you don’t feel safe and valued. 

We want you to feel appreciated and fulfilled when helping us out. Some of the things we have heard from volunteers are:

  • It brought me out of isolation and into the company of people like me.
  • I had an opportunity to help others. 
  • I learned something new and useful.
  • I defied my perps, and nothing terrible happened.
  • It was fun, and we got to laugh a lot.
  • It built my confidence.
  • It helps bring purpose to my life.
  • It enriches my life.

How to Volunteer

Remember, this is an entirely volunteer organization. We are asking for your time and passion, not your money!

Once you have something in mind, please answer these questions and send them to us at grassrootsramccollective@gmail.com. (If you want to make sure we would be interested before starting the application process, please write to us at the same address.) 

For everything except online groups and events

Name and email:

  • Type of talent or skill you have to offer.
  • Are you a beginner or a pro?
  • What support do you need/want?
  • Do you need any special resources?
  • Would you like a time-limited or open-ended project?
  • Any questions for us?

For online groups and events*

Name and email:

Please give us as much detail as possible about the content of your event or the orientation of the proposed group.

  • Type of event/group. 
  • What is your goal and focus? 
  • Who is the ideal audience? Is it open to only RA/MC survivors? Is it open to therapists, support people? Is it open to all genders?
  • What would your role be? Would others be involved in some capacity?
  • Dates and times you want to run the event. 
  • What materials will you or the attendees need?
  • What support do you need?
  • Previous experience with organizing/leading events or groups. 
  • Any questions for us?

*For new ongoing events, GR is available to offer consultation on how to get started. If you are interested in facilitating/co-facilitating a group, you need to select and create the video platform you want to use, decide how you will have people register, and the contacting email address you want to use. The internet can help guide you in learning how to set up the platforms you decide on.

The Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed by the GrassRoots Steering Committee. If approved, one time events/workshops can have access to the video/registration platforms that we use. New, ongoing groups, can receive consulting on how to get started from GR, but will need to create their own video/registration platforms.

Please be aware it is important to be at a level of healing where you serve as role model for others. Events, in general, require thorough organization and preparation, while groups call for the ability to understand a variety of group dynamics and to manage your own triggers, others’ triggers, and conflicts, as well as to deal with unexpected situations. 

These skills create psychological and emotional safety for yourself and for those in your group or at your event. They promote growth, build resistance, and help increase a sense of agency for all.

It is a good idea to review your strengths and weaknesses, skill level, and existing sources of learning and support. This will increase your self-confidence and sense of safety. We offer a variety of resources, such as facilitator training and support meetings every couple of months and both written and in-person Zoom instruction. If you need resources that are not available through GrassRoots, we can suggest ways for you to find them. 

Thank You. . .

. . . to everybody who has read this page. May you tuck it in the back of your mind – maybe someday you will check the events page and sign up for something. Or perhaps you will consider joining the community by volunteering. To all of you, regardless of how deeply involved you choose to be, we appreciate you and welcome you wholeheartedly to the GrassRoots community.

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