Guide for Planning Group Service

Exploring why you are thinking about planning service gives you the opportunity to ensure this type of activity is the best fit for your group. Consider the following questions:

• What led you to plan this service activity?
  • Are you trying to offer a planned opportunity for your group to complete service hours together? Are you looking to bond as a group?
• How does volunteering/service align with your organization’s values?
  • Values congruence leads to more meaningful outcomes for all parties.
• What type of community need are you interested in learning more about or engaging in?
  • Does your group care about hunger, education, homelessness, aging populations, etc.?
• Does your group have any specific skills that might benefit a specific type organization?
  • Skills could include gardening, language skills, tutoring, nutrition, first-aid certification, and more.

Most service opportunities are either direct service or indirect service.

• Direct Service: Working directly for or with people who benefit from your service
  • Examples: serving food at a food kitchen, pulling weeds at a community garden, coaching youth, working the registration table at a nonprofit event
• Indirect Service: Service without being directly involved with those being served
  • Examples: Making dog toys for an animal shelter, preparing hygiene kits to donate to an organization
  • Indirect service events are limited to 2.0 hours.
  • Because these events are not on site at an organization, if your group plans an indirect service event, confirm with the JCLS that the event was approved by your community organization and that any donated items were received.

To qualify for service hours, all service events must be done in partnership with a community organization.

The JCLS believes that our community partners are experts in their respective fields and in what communities need.

We recommend starting your research by going to ServeUTK. From the home page, click the Community Partner tab. You can search for different areas of need or by organization name.

If you don’t find a community partner in ServeUTK, Volunteer East Tennessee is the region’s volunteer center, a matchmaker between community volunteers and nonprofit organizations.

We also recommend reviewing the JCLS Service Guidelines to make sure the organization qualifies as a community partner.

The JCLS is here to help! If you would like to meet with our team to help find a partner organization, submit the JCLS Service Request Form.

Your group has identified a need and a potential community partner, and now you are now ready to reach out to community partners! Establish your group’s answers to these questions before contacting the community partner:

• Pick a primary and backup contact person from your group who will communicate with the community partner.
  • JCLS Tip: Give them your email and cell phone number so they have options for contacting you.
• Determine possible event dates and times.
  • Many organizations have set days and times for hosting volunteers. Check their website before contacting them to see if this information is listed. You can also contact the JCLS to see if our office has a record of that organization’s preferences.
  • We recommend having a backup date in mind in case they are unable to host volunteers on your original date.
• Determine how many volunteers are available to serve.
  • JCLS Tip: Think realistically about how many members can commit to the event. Start with a realistic number, and if the event is a success, you can explore setting additional shifts and volunteer dates.
  • Overpromising the number of volunteers can have a negative impact on the project and the community partner. If you ask the community partner to build out a project for 50 people and only 10 attend, it will take your group much longer to complete the project.
• Brainstorm transportation options.
  • Ask the organization if there is enough parking for your group or if you will need to carpool.
• Discuss if your group can contribute materials or resources for the project.
  • If your group has gardening tools, art supplies, or other items that may help with the event, make a list of items you can bring or contribute.
  • If you are considering a project such as a hygiene kit drive, determine if you will host a donation drive to collect the items or if you have finances to purchase needed items.
• Think about the types of activities your members have the interest and ability to do. 
  • Sometimes, group volunteers are asked to do projects such as organizing, restocking, or cleaning instead of working directly with the population an organization serves. The JCLS recommends being flexible with the scope of the project. If you commit to going regularly, you will likely be able to take on more involved tasks.

Best practices for communicating with community partners:

• Patience and flexibility are key! Not all community partners have dedicated staff members for volunteer management. Give your partner ample time before your ideal event date and be flexible if they are not able to provide all event details until closer to the date.
• Some partners will be very responsive to email, while others might prefer a phone call. If one method doesn’t work, try another.

Email Template

Need help getting started? Try this template as you contact community partners.

Hello _____________, 

My name is [Insert your name]. I am a student at UTK and a member of [Insert organization name here, if applicable]. We have a group of [insert number] students looking to do service in the community, and we would love to serve with you if you have any upcoming group volunteer needs! We are hoping to serve on or around [insert date(s)] from [insert time range, if applicable]. If your organization has any projects or tasks that could be completed by our group, please let me know! 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [insert email address] or call me at [insert phone number]. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Thank you, 

[Insert your name]

Review the JCLS Service Guidelines to help confirm that it qualifies for service hours.

We recommend submitting your event to the JCLS for review using the Student Organization Event Submission Form to confirm that the event qualifies.

Now it’s time to set up the event in ServeUTK so attendees can register and track their hours. Use the Create a ServeUTK Event Guide to make sure you set the event up correctly. Events set up incorrectly may be disputed.

Would you like help setting up your event in ServeUTK? Fill out the form in Step 5 and the JCLS can assist you!

• Send details to attendees such as:
  • The ServeUTK event registration link
  • Transportation plan
  • Check in location
  • What to wear
  • What to bring
• Contact the community partner to confirm all details about the project and confirm the number of volunteers who will attend a week before the event.
  • If your volunteer number is lower than expected, communicate that with the community partner ASAP in case they need to shift the project or cancel the event.

We recommend gathering this information to have all event details in one place: 

• Service Time:
• Name of Organization:
• Service Site Address:
• Parking Information:
• Event Contact:
• Event Contact Phone:
• Check-In/Meet Up Instructions:
• Are there bathrooms on site?
• Is there a place to fill up water on site?
• Description of activity:
• Wear or bring to service:
• Organization Mission:  

This ensures the event will run smoothly as all information is in one place. This information can be sent out to any other event organizers or managers, so everyone has the same information.  

Congratulations on finishing your volunteer shift! Before you move on to the rest of your day, be sure to reflect on this experience.

Reflection is your opportunity to debrief the day, make meaning of the service project you completed, and understand your impact.

Review the Reflection Question Guide to guide your questions.

If you created the event in ServeUTK, be sure to check in all attendees and mark any no show volunteers following these steps:

On your computer:

1. Log into ServeUTK
2. Click Manage, then select your organization from the drop down
3. Click Events, then Manage Events, and select the event
4. Select today’s event, then click Registrations, Sign Registrations In
5. Click the blue sign in button for all attendees. Please do not sign in anyone who was not in attendance.

On your phone

1. Download the GivePulse app (the platform we use for ServeUTK)
2. Login to ServeUTK in the app
3. Click Profile
4. Click Switch to Admin
5. Search your event on the sign in tab
6. Select your event from the list
7. Swipe right to check in any attendees
8. Swipe left to mark absentees as no shows

Once you have checked them in for the event, that will create their impact and verify it on your behalf.

Send them an email, notecard, or give them a call to thank them for the opportunity! The template below may help you draft your message.

Hello [Insert Organization Contact]! 

On behalf of the [Insert Your Organization Name], thank you for hosting a group of our members at [Insert Nonprofit Name] on [Insert Date]. We thoroughly enjoyed serving with you all and [insert brief description of the tasks completed] and learning more about your organization’s mission and work. 

We’re so glad to give our members the opportunity to get involved in the Knoxville community, and we are grateful for your partnership in making that happen!  

If there are any projects in the future that you think would be a good fit for our group, please let me know.  

Sincerely, 

[Your Name] 

While this service opportunity is fresh, think about what’s next for your group. Will you go back to this organization to serve again together or individually? Will you find another community organization or community need that aligns with your group?  

Remember that sustained volunteering is the best way to serve. You know more about an organization, your community, and your volunteer skills on the second, fifth, or tenth time serving.