DOVIA-LA May Meeting at Debs Park

Join DOVIA-LA in May for a hyrid meeting presented by Meghan Maloney!

Hosted By: DOVIA-LA (Directors of Volunteers in Agencies – Los Angeles) is a professional membership association for individuals who lead, manage, and recruit volunteers for a diverse range of nonprofit organizations. DOVIA-LA members meet bi-monthly to network, build skills, and learn about current issues in the field of volunteer management. DOVIA-LA is a program of L.A. Works.

• Attendees will be led through "Charity to Solidarity - Auditing your Volunteer Program" by Meghan Maloney, CVA, Director of Volunteers and Cohort Program at Executive Service Corps Southern California and DOVIA-LA Advisory Committee Member.
• The one-hour interactive training challenges participants to move beyond traditional 'charity' models and re-examine power dynamics within their volunteer programs. How can you ensure that your service opportunities meet your organization’s mission and not a volunteers’ self-serving motivations? Participants will learn how to audit their recruitment messaging, onboard volunteers with a focus on systemic context, and manage "savior" narratives with grace and clarity.
• Following the training, guests will learn from Evy Serrano, Director of Audubon Center at Debs Park. Evy will present on the Center's Community Science and how they engage volunteers at the Audubon Center, specifically within their Monarch Project. After the presentation, we will head out ot the field and see a model of how volunteers work and collect data. With some luck, we will see some beautiful monarchs!
• The Audubon Center is a vibrant community hub dedicated to protecting birds, restoring habitats, and inspiring people to connect with nature. The Center, with the help of volunteers, uses hands on conservation, climate action, and a wide range of programs to create healthy, resilient environment for both wildfire and people. 
• Join us to gain practical strategies for building a more equitable, dignified, and sustainable volunteer culture. We can transform volunteers from well-intentioned helpers into effective allies and partners of our organizations.
• This meeting will be offered in a hyrbid setting, members may choose to attend virtually or in-person.  We recommend attending in person for the best experience.
• During this meeting, volunteer engagement professionals will have opportunities to engage with one another in group discussions and we will take time for community support and to hear from members looking to learn about experience with an issue or resource need. 

• Meghan Maloney, CVA has played a key role at Executive Senior Corps since 2015. Now as Director, Volunteers and Cohort Programs, Meghan consultants onboarding and volunteer management. She is passionate about the nonprofit sector and has served 3 years of AmeriCorps Service. Meghan has also been a vital part of DOVIA-LA, previously serving as Vice President and currently on DOVIA-LA Advisory Committee. 
• Evelyn Serrano is the Director of Audubon Center at Debs Park. Evelyn holds a Bachelor's Degree from UCSC in Marine Biology and a Master's degree in Conservation Biology from CSFU. The Audubon Center at Debs Park serves as a community hub for environmental justice and advocacy work in Los Angeles and across the Audubon network. At the Audubon Center, Evelyn uses her knowledge and experience to connect people with nature and empower visitors to see themselves as naturalist.

• Location: The event will take place IN PERSON and virtually on Zoom.
  • In Person Meeting Location: Audubon Center at Debs park, 4700 Griffin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 900031
• Breakdown of Events:
  • 9:00 -10:00am: "Charity to Solidarity - Auditing your Volunteer Program" by Meghan Maloney.
  • 10:00-11:00am: Presentation and tour of Volunteer Programs at Audubon Center at Debs Park, presented by Evy Serrano.
  • 11:00am-11:15am: In-person attendees, can expect the meeting to run until 11:15am to experiencee the tour of the Monarch Project at the Audubon Center.
• Important Information: 
  • This meeting is in collaboration with the Council for Certification in Volunteer Adminstration (CCVA). Online attendees will register for the webinar with the CCVA link that will be sent in your confirmation email. Please join that link at 9:00am to particpate in "Charity to Solidarity - Auditing your Volunteer Program" by Meghan Maloney. At 10:00am, you will join DOVIA-LA's zoom link to regroup with the in-person DOVIA-LA attendees for a conversation on SNAP Benefits and Evy Serranos presentation on the Audubon Centers Community Science Efforts.
  • In-person attendees should come prepared with some form of sun protection such as a hat and sunscreen.
• Registration Required:
  • DOVIA-LA Meetings are free for members.
  • You do not need to be a DOVIA-LA member to attend this meeting.
  • If you are not a member, please consider purchasing a membership to gain the benefits of membership and support our local community of volunteer managers. Find out more here: https://volunteer.laworks.com/dovia-la-membership.

Please feel free to share information about registering for this event with any other volunteer engagement and non-profit professionals who may be interested in this topic.
If you have any questions, accommodation needs or need support with registration or your DOVIA-LA membership, please contact the Opportunity Coordinator below.