What We Do
ABOUT THE COMMISSION
The Utah Commission on Volunteers, an office of the Lieutenant Governor, is housed with the Utah Division of Housing and Community Development. The Commission is comprised of 25 members representing local government, community based organizations and statewide networks with five full time staff. It furthers its mission of improving communities through service and volunteering by focusing on promoting community collaboration, volunteer recognition, youth service, and administering AmeriCorps national service and Citizen Corps emergency preparedness programs
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2009
- With a state investment of approximately $172K the Commission’s total leveraged funding is over $11 million
- Utah ranked #1 in the nation for volunteering for six years 2003-2008 (Corporation for National and Community Service report, “Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings”)
- On average, Utah’s 880,000 volunteers dedicate 161.9 million hours of service (2008 survey)
- Estimated economic contribution of the volunteer hours served is $3.3 billion annually
NATIONAL SERVICE
This year AmeriCorps, the Domestic Peace Corps engaged more than 75,000 Americans nationwide in intensive, results-driven service. In 2009 Utah’s AmeriCorps programs utilize over 300 AmeriCorps members to address critical unmet needs in our communities. These members tutor and mentor youth, connect underserved populations to health care resources, clean and tend parks and streams, provide recreational opportunities for those with disabilities, teach environmental stewardship, operate after school programs and help communities prepare for disasters.
- In 2009 the Commission was awarded $3,001,568 in federal AmeriCorps grant funding that was passed through to 11 AmeriCorps*State Programs
- AmeriCorps members mobilized more than 9,000 volunteers who provided over 150,000 hours of service.
CITIZEN CORPS
Citizen Corps, a vital component of USA Freedom Corps, was created to help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. We bring government and community leaders from all sectors together to involve the full community in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. Working in partnership with Homeland Security and emergency managers we are building stronger communities through training and are expanding the reach of the program by continuing to support the Be Ready Utah initiative. 2009 federal funding for the Citizen Corps program was $185,514
- Citizen Corps programs trained approximately 700 individuals in volunteer management and coordination
- Approximately 3000 individuals trained in community and individual preparedness
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION/VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION
The Commission seeks to build and cultivate capacity in the volunteer and service community, recognize volunteer leaders, and inspire statewide volunteerism through collaboration and consensus. The event that brings these elements all together in one place is our annual Conference on Service. The 2009 Conference “Now is the Time….This is the Place” was a success. Post-Conference Surveys indicated that the workshops were innovative and helpful, the conference procession was well organized, and that attendees had the opportunity to network and gain insight for their future careers and organizations. It was the largest conference to date with nearly 500 people in attendance.
YOUTH SERVICE
The Commission seeks to foster civic engagement and leadership development in youth and increase the number of young people serving in their communities. Youth service is a proven strategy that promotes positive social behaviors, prepares youth for the workplace, and provides them with lifelong habits of leadership, problem-solving, empathy, and self-reliance.