Opportunity Search Results

Description

November has crept up on us! As the days feel shorter and we bundle up from the cold, there are still so many ways to get involved in the community. Express your gratitude to those close to you with holidays like Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday. See how you can volunteer, donate, and participate in the community. Sign-up now!

Click on the Sign-up button and you will be emailed your "Season of Gratitude" list of ideas!

Description

The Howard County Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is interested in a Spanish-speaking volunteer to assist it with its work. OCP handles complaints between consumers and businesses, and between tenants and their landlords. OCP also provides education, presentations, and provides outreach to the community on these topics. The volunteer would provide verbal and written translations to help investigators communicate with consumers or business owners and represent OCP at in-person or virtual programming where Spanish is necessary. This is an "on demand" volunteer opportunity to begin but can expand to regular "office hours" as the program expands. Excellent verbal and written skills in Spanish is required for this position.

This position will require a background check.

For more information, please contact Tracy Rezvani at trezvani@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-6569

Requirements

Minimum age: 21

Description

The Office of Consumer Protection is looking for a retired home inspector or home improvement contractor to assist with investigations. If you have time to give to the community, your expertise will be greatly appreciated in evaluating complex home improvement complaints, records, and facts. Some site visits may be required but the tasks will be mostly remote.

DUTIES:
- Evaluate documents, photographs, and other material submitted in connection with a consumer complaint
- Provide non-binding opinion on propriety of acts and omissions by contractors
- Possible site visits for in-person inspection of renovation/construction site

QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience as a license home inspector or contractor
- Strong attention to detail
- Good communication skills
- Feel comfortable working with the public

REQUIREMENTS:
- Be available to volunteer 1-4 hours per month
- Ability to access internet, email, and phone
- Ability to drive to site visits as needed
- Complete and pass a background check

If interested, please contact Tracy Rezvani at 410-313-6569 or trezvani@howardcountymd.gov

Requirements

Minimum age: 40

Description

Howard County Advisory Board on Consumer Protection (ABCP) seeks a volunteer legislative intern to research and provide general assistance to the Board's Legislative Sub-Committee.

Members of the ABCP are appointed by the Howard County Executive to work closely with the County's Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) to educate and protect Howard County residents against identity theft, fraudulent and unfair practices, and common scams. The Advisory Board provides feedback and recommendations on OCP's programs & assist in educating county residents on the services that OCP provides. The Advisory Board researches and assists OCP in the development of consumer education aimed at helping residents understand their consumer rights and make well-informed decisions about purchasing goods & services, landlord and tenant issues and more. The Board's Legislative Sub-Committee is tasked with researching and reviewing a flurry of legislation pending before the Maryland General Assembly to determine which would impact consumers and the services OCP provides, & makes recommendations on which bills should be opposed or supported. The Board submits an annual report on OCP to the County Executive and County Council. The ABCP is governed by Section 17.402, Howard County Code.

Responsibilities:
- Research & identify consumer related legislation introduced in the House and Senate of the Maryland General Assembly from January 2023 to May 2023
- Assist with the tracking and monitoring of consumer related legislation through the legislative process including the introduction of these bills, consideration by the House and Senate Committees as well as consideration on the Floor of both chambers, through enactment
- Assist with the development of a monthly Legislative Update to present to the Board and OCP
- This is a high volume, fast past position, which requires one or two hours of daily research. It provides an excellent opportunity to gain experience about public policy & legislative process, particularly for a student studying political science or law

Qualifications:
- Background & strong interest in consumer policy
- Strong research and writing skills
- Stellar organizational & administration skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Project oriented
- Ability to operate under tight work constraints

Requirements:
- Complete an Application for Volunteer Experience form
-Email resume & writing sample to Tracy Rezvani, trezvani@howardcountymd.gov

Requirements

Minimum age: 18

Description

The Office on Aging and Independence is seeking volunteers who are interested in assisting Bain 50+ Center staff with the Congregate Meal program. Congregate meals allow older adults to enjoy a well-balanced meal in a group setting, offering the opportunity for social engagement.

If you are interested in serving the older adult community, please consider volunteering with our Congregate Meal Team.

DUTIES:
· Set tables in the dining room
· Serve lunch
· Greet and check in attendees
· Assist attendees with registration forms
· Clean up after lunch is served

QUALIFICATIONS:
· Good communication skills
· Follow basic instructions and procedures
· Feel comfortable working with older adults

REQUIREMENTS:
· Be able to stand for long periods of time
· Commit to volunteer 1 day-2 days per week (Wednesdays and/or Thursdays)
· Available to volunteer 11 am-1 pm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
· Casual Dress
· Non-Slip Shoes (required)
· An apron will be provided

*This position will require qualified volunteers to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement Form.

Non-Disclosure Agreement Form Link:

Download Attachment: download

Requirements

Minimum age: 16

Description

The Office on Aging and Independence is seeking volunteers who are interested in assisting the Elkridge 50+ Center staff with the Congregate Meal program. Congregate meals allow older adults to enjoy a well-balanced meal in a group setting, offering the opportunity for social engagement.

If you are interested in serving the older adult community, please consider volunteering with our Congregate Meal Team.

DUTIES:
· Set tables in the dining room
· Serve lunch
· Greet and check in attendees
· Assist attendees with registration forms
· Clean up after lunch is served

QUALIFICATIONS:
· Good communication skills
· Follow basic instructions and procedures
· Feel comfortable working with older adults

REQUIREMENTS:
· Be able to stand for long periods of time
· Commit to volunteer 1 day-2 days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
· Available to volunteer for lunch on Tuesdays & Thursdays, 11 am-1 pm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
· Casual Dress
· Non-Slip Shoes
· An apron will be provided

*This position will require qualified volunteers to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement Form.

Non-Disclosure Agreement Form Link:

Download Attachment: download

Requirements

Minimum age: 16

Description

The Office on Aging and Independence is seeking volunteers who are interested in assisting Ellicott City 50+ Center staff with the Congregate Meal program. Congregate meals allow older adults to enjoy a well-balanced meal in a group setting, offering the opportunity for social engagement.

If you are interested in serving the older adult community, please consider volunteering with our Congregate Meal Team.

DUTIES:
· Set tables in the dining room
· Serve lunch
· Greet and check in attendees
· Assist attendees with registration forms
· Clean up after lunch is served

QUALIFICATIONS:
· Good communication skills
· Follow basic instructions and procedures
· Feel comfortable working with older adults

REQUIREMENTS:
· Be able to stand for long periods of time
· Commit to volunteer 1 day-2 days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
· Be available to volunteer for Lunch on Tuesdays, 11 am-1 pm; Breakfast on Thursdays, 8:30 am -11 am

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
· Casual Dress
· Non-Slip Shoes
· An apron will be provided

*This position will require qualified volunteers to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement Form.

Non-Disclosure Agreement Form Link:

Download Attachment: download

Requirements

Minimum age: 16

Description

The Office on Aging and Independence is seeking volunteers who are interested in assisting North Laurel 50+ Center staff with the Congregate Meal program. Congregate meals allow older adults to enjoy a well-balanced meal in a group setting, offering the opportunity for social engagement.

If you are interested in serving the older adult community, please consider volunteering with our Congregate Meal Team.

DUTIES:
· Set tables in the dining room
· Serve lunch
· Greet and check in attendees
· Assist attendees with registration forms
· Clean up after lunch is served

QUALIFICATIONS:
· Good communication skills
· Follow basic instructions and procedures
· Feel comfortable working with older adults

REQUIREMENTS:
· Be able to stand for long periods of time
· Commit to volunteer 1 day-2 days per week (Wednesdays and Fridays)
· Available to volunteer for lunch, 10:30 am-1:00 pm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
· Casual Dress
· Non-Slip Shoes
· An apron will be provided

*This position will require qualified volunteers to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement Form.

Non-Disclosure Agreement Form Link:

Download Attachment: download

Requirements

Minimum age: 16

Description

The Howard County Ombudsman Program is seeking volunteers who are comfortable working with older adults in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Volunteers conduct routine visits with residents to discuss their care experiences, provide education about their rights, and investigate and resolve complaints.

Qualifications:
- Must be 18 or older
- Have a valid MD Driver's License
- Be able to commit at least 4 hours per month

Training:
- Volunteers will be provided with an initial 4 days of training in a classroom setting
- Volunteers will be provided 8 hours of shadowing training
- Volunteers will be provided with bi-monthly educational trainings

Requirements:
- Volunteers must be available to attend all trainings/workshops
- Volunteers must be available to complete 8 hours of shadowing training
- Volunteers must attend bi-monthly continuing education meetings
- Volunteers must complete a background check and Non-Disclosure Agreement Form
- Volunteer must be free of any conflicts of interest
- Volunteers must report volunteer hours on website using login

Requirements

Minimum age: 18

Description

The Howard County Office on Aging & Independence, a division of the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services, will be hosting its annual Project Holiday Gift Giveaway and is in need of volunteers to sort, pack, label and divide up the gift bags. Project Holiday has been very successful in past years, providing holiday gifts for many assisted living residents, nursing home residents and older members of the community who may not be getting any other gifts. This is a VERY impactful event that will provide older adults in Howard County with some extra joy this season. If you are looking to make a positive impact in someone's life, please consider volunteering.

DUTIES:
- Sort items
- Organize items
- Pack items in bags
- Attach labels to bags
- Connect bags together with string
- Place bags in groupings

REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be able to stand for long periods of time
- Must be able to lift and move items, materials

In order to secure your spot, you must do the following 3 things:
- Register as a volunteer on THIS website (you will NOT be able to volunteer unless you are registered)
- Sign-up on THIS website for the Project Holiday volunteer opportunity (sign-up button is located to the left, under the picture)
- Click on the Sign-Up Genius link below to schedule your desired time.

SIGN-UP HERE:
Sign-Up Genius Link

EVENT DETAILS:
WHEN: December 14th, 3:30pm-6:30 pm & December 15th, 8:00 am-5:00 pm

ADDRESS: 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia 21046

In addition, if you would like to help make some of our older community members feel extra special this holiday season, please consider donating to our gift bags by purchasing items from this Donation List and dropping it off from November 2-December 2nd to one of our collection locations listed HERE.

Requirements

Minimum age: 15

Description

Do you have interest in teaching older adults how to use technology? We are looking for trainers! Senior Planet from AARP harnesses technology to enhance the way we age. Our courses, programs, and activities help seniors learn new skills, save money, exercise, make new friends, and so much more. It's a supportive learning community for older adults to make technology accessible and fun. Senior Planet boasts three styles of classes: lectures, workshops and longer courses. Topics range from how to set up an email to setting up a smart home and everything between. All trainers must complete a 5-week training course conducted virtually with Senior Planet.

Duties:
- Lead at least one Senior Planet workshop per quarter, schedule will be coordinated with the Senior Planet Administrator
- Submit information to Senior Planet Administrator for data entry

Requirements:
- Must be 18 or older
- Comfortable teaching and leading a class of adult learners
- Complete a 5-week virtual training lead by Senior Planet to obtain certification as Instructor (one-time, free)
- Must have knowledge of Google suite products, Apple products and general technology navigation
- Complete a Background Check

When: hours/days vary based on Trainer's schedule

If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Malarie Burgess at 410-313-6542 or mburgess@howardcountymd.gov

Requirements

Minimum age: 18

Description

The SeniorsTogether program is currently looking for volunteers, age 50+ to facilitate a variety of older adult groups. Facilitators take a dynamic role in the program. They provide guidance in the groups, leadership on program development, and can volunteer for the program in other ways. The groups provide a confidential, comfortable setting where men and women can share their concerns, insights, and ideas. An initial training is required, and ongoing training is also regularly scheduled. Facilitators are most successful if they like working with groups, are creative, flexible, and reliable, and possess very good listening skills. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. Professional trainer; materials provided; no cost.

DUTIES:
- Prepare for weekly group discussions/activity
- Guide group discussion on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.)
- Connect with members when absent from the group
- Delegate group tasks, such as attendance, card delivery, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS:
- Previous experience leading or guiding a small group
- Knowledge or experience with creating discussion and group dynamics
- Flexibility and reliability
- Excellent listening skills
- Implementing policies and procedures with direction from the program Coordinator

REQUIREMENTS:
- Be available to volunteer either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly at group sessions of one to one and half hour per session
- Attend all mandatory trainings
- Make a commitment to the group up to one year.
- Ability to access internet, email, and phone
- Complete and pass a background check if necessary

Requirements

Minimum age: 50

Description

The Loan Closet of Howard County, a division of the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services, has a need for volunteers to help process medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, to loan to Howard County residents. Many residents in need of medical equipment may not be able to afford these items, or they may only need equipment for a short period of time; others have medical equipment they no longer need. The Loan Closet brings these two communities of people together and volunteers would allow the Loan Closet to increase the pieces of equipment available. Please consider this volunteer opportunity.

DUTIES:
- Accept donations from the public
- Prepare medical equipment to be cleaned
- Load and unload medical equipment from an industrial cleaning device
- Assist residents in moving equipment to their cars

REQIREMENTS:
- Excellent Customer Service Skills
- Ability to politely interact with the public and provide donation receipts
- Lift and move equipment up to 50lbs
- Use tools and cleaning solutions to prepare equipment for sanitization
- Visually and physically inspect medical equipment
- Work at two-hour shift in a noisy and sometimes steamy environment
- Must be age 18 or older

In order to sign up, please use the link to the Sign-Up Genius below for more details regarding this volunteer opportunity and to schedule your time and date.

SIGN-UP HERE:
Sign-Up Genius Link

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact the Loan Closet of Howard County at loancloset@howardcountymd.gov or at 410-313-0363.

VOLUNTEER HOURS AVAILABLE
WHEN: Wednesdays 10:00 am-12:00 pm

WHERE: The Loan Closet, 7225 Riverwood Dr. Suite D-1, Columbia, MD 21046

CONTACT INFO: loancloset@howardcountymd.gov , 410-313-0363

Requirements

Minimum age: 18