Volunteer Qualities
Volunteers are urged to join the resource pool if they are managers / administrators and they have these qualities:
- Have significant experience in one or more areas of local government management
- Have experience in dealing with elected and appointed officials from other jurisdictions
- Are from varying size organizations and different geographic locations within Illinois
- Can assemble and share resource documents with participating officials or communities
- Are committed to this program and advancing the value of professional management throughout the State
Responsibilities
Volunteer managers / administrators primary responsibilities will include:
- Responding in a timely fashion to inquiries for assistance
- Responding verbally with the intention of opening lines of communication and making a more educated assessment of inquiry
- Attempting to understand the problem or issue being presented and assessing what type of advice is being sought
- Offering only general advice and background support to inquiring officials
- Providing some general guidance with regard to mapping out a self-help strategy for inquiring officials or communities
- Being clear and concise that feedback is general in nature and there is no universal answer to any given situation
What a volunteer manager / administrator should not do:
- Do not make specific recommendations
- Do not be critical about situations or scenarios presented to them by inquiring participants
- Do not spend an enormous amount of time on any particular inquiry
- Do not refer participants to other resources without first contacting that resource to ensure that the communication is bridged
Resources
