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Enhancing the BOC Volunteer Experience

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The call is out for BOC volunteers! Every Athletic Trainer (AT) can find an opportunity to be involved, shape the athletic training profession, expand their network, as well as enhance their career. There are many personal and professional impacts of volunteering. Taking an active part in the BOC allows ATs to make connections with other professionals they might not normally meet. In addition, it provides ATs a different lens for understanding the value of certification and what that means to the profession.

As an organization, the BOC relies heavily on its volunteers to advance its mission. The many ATs and allied experts that serve on the BOC Board of Directors, various committees, task forces, councils and work groups spend numerous hours in support of the activities and services that drive the BOC mission. BOC volunteers represent diversity within the athletic training community and the BOC’s goal is to draw more and more ATs from varying professional settings and personal standpoints to be part of this growing team. In support of these ATs, and with the goal of an expanded volunteer force, the BOC has created a new Volunteer Engagement Outreach (VEO) program, focusing on the entire volunteer experience.

Volunteer Survey

To help successfully launch the new VEO program, it was important to learn directly from volunteers why they choose to provide their time and talent to the BOC, and to begin to understand why they continue to serve the organization. A volunteer survey was implemented in late 2021 to gather input. The results are as follows:

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Launch of VEO

The launch of the BOC’s new VEO program includes a new web section which includes volunteer activity descriptions and testimonials from current volunteers expressing the value service brings. An updated portal and application enable ATs and others to volunteer for multiple ongoing or time-sensitive opportunities – short, medium and long-term. The BOC will provide proactive and intentional callouts for such specific volunteer opportunities. In addition, micro volunteer options will be available to allow ATs to provide assistance through a smaller time commitment.

In addition to volunteer recruitment, the VEO program is focused on retention. A brand-new volunteer onboarding and orientation program is in development, to be supported by a volunteer mentor program, as well as volunteer resources. VEO will work to develop a strong, highly engaged pipeline of volunteers and a formalized, robust volunteer recognition program to bring attention to contributions of BOC volunteers throughout the year.

Visit the BOC website to find out more about the VEO program and start your volunteer experience.

This article was originally published in the 2022 summer "Cert Update" newsletter.

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