Volunteer Appreciation Archives - Community Tech Network

Volunteering Benefits Ourselves and Others

Anna Beth Lane — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 21:32:26 +0000

Photo: CTN Instructor Sabrina Tam helps an older adult learner with his tablet. Some days, the news cycle and its global tragedies are overwhelming. It can be difficult to discern one’s role in the world when so many things seem to be going wrong. We want to help but don’t know how. We want to feel hopeful but often feel uncertain. While such feelings might drive us to distractions or binge-watching, research shows that helping others may be the best antidote. In 2018, professor Laurie Santos began teaching a course at Yale called “The Psychology of the Good Life.” The class quickly became one of the most popular courses in Yale’s 320-year history, with over 1,200 students in one session. In the course, students learn different science-backed strategies for feeling good. One of these strategies? Help others to help yourself. “The intuition that helping others is the key to our well-being right now fits with science,” Santos says in an article for NBC. “There’s lots of research showing that spending our time and money on other people can often make us happier than spending that same time or money on ourselves. … Taking time to do something nice for someone […]

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CTN’s Volunteers Build Community Through Connection

Anna Beth Lane — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 15:00:17 +0000

For over 13 years, CTN’s mission has been to transform lives through digital literacy. We believe that access to the internet is a human right and that those without the skills to use a computer are at risk of social and economic disadvantage. The core of our work is connection — we connect tech-savvy volunteers with older adults who want to learn how to navigate the internet. As our volunteers help more people get active online, they become more connected and active in their communities. When someone volunteers with CTN or a partner organization, we work hard to ensure they have a meaningful experience. Unlike volunteering to paint a building or clean up a park, volunteering as a digital coach encourages people to build sincere, lasting relationships. These one-on-one digital skills sessions often bring together people that would have never otherwise met. A high percentage of our volunteers fall into the millennial or Gen Z age groups, making them significantly younger than their older adult learners. Sometimes our learners and volunteers come from vastly different cultural and social backgrounds as well. Initially, these differences seem like a challenge to overcome, but they often become the most rewarding aspect of the […]

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From Volunteer to CEO: Kami Griffiths’ Volunteer Journey

Anna Beth Lane — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 15:30:13 +0000

Photo: July 2007, Kami Griffiths holds up a USB drive while teaching a digital skills class at the Hayes Valley Learning Center in San Francisco. “If you’re interested in starting a nonprofit, volunteer for one first,” says CTN’s co-founder and executive director Kami Griffiths. Kami began volunteering at a young age — from delivering cookies to retirement homes with her local 4-H group, to working with her father on literacy issues, to serving as a camp counselor. Coupled with her desire to help others, these early experiences set a foundation for a lifetime of service. When she graduated from college and started a corporate graphic design job in Minneapolis, Kami quickly felt that something was missing. “My job in no way made me feel like I was making the world a better place. That’s when I realized that I needed to start doing volunteerism again.” Though she had done some pro bono graphic design work and disparate service projects, Kami longed for the community and connection that volunteering often provides. “Nothing beats working with another human,” she reflects. “I wanted to actually help people build their skills. I like the response of, ‘oh I get it.’ When somebody has that aha moment, it […]

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Volunteer Jared Boddum’s Long, Rewarding Journey with CTN

Anna Beth Lane — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 16:02:53 +0000

“It’s not about the computer. That is an aspect of the work, but it is mostly about teaching, communication, and meeting people where they are,” says Jared Boddum, one of CTN’s longest-serving volunteers. Jared’s journey with CTN began back in 2015. At the time, he was searching for volunteer opportunities that would involve his Chinese-speaking skills. When he first interviewed with CTN, it was clear that Jared would make an incredible addition to our volunteer team. Not only did he speak Chinese, but he also spoke Spanish, German, and four other languages. Soon after Jared completed his volunteer training and got started, he decided to up his volunteering to twice a week. Eventually, his volunteer work with CTN expanded into a much larger engagement. In his first year, he served at seven different locations and worked with hundreds of seniors. In 2017, he was awarded the Digital Changemaker Award for his 400 hours of service to the Chinese-American community. He was also granted the Time Traveler Award for spending more than 280 hours serving in the Digital Literacy Corps — the most hours of all our volunteers. Fast forward to 2021: Jared has now worked with CTN off and on […]

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Research Shows That Volunteering Makes Us Happier

Anna Beth Lane — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:00:59 +0000

You know that warm feeling you get when you help someone out, brighten someone’s day, or better another person’s life? There is something rewarding about offering your time and resources to someone beyond yourself. Often what begins as a way to “give back” becomes a gift itself. As volunteer digital coach Arianna Chen reflects, “When you teach someone something, you learn from that too. Being able to go through everything with them, helping them figure out what is best for them, makes me feel good in return.” It’s no surprise then, that research shows that volunteering makes us happier! A recent study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who volunteer are happier than those who do not. Every two years from 1996 to 2014, researchers took data from nearly 70,000 research participants about their volunteering habits, mental health, levels of stress, and daily mood. The results? Not only does volunteering makes us happier — it can also improve our mental health over time. One benefit to volunteering is the sense of social connection it provides. By helping even just one person, you play a role in bettering your whole community. Further, volunteering provides the opportunity to build relationships […]

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Volunteer and Spread The Word!

Anna Beth Lane — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:20:57 +0000

Older adult learners are curious about new technology, but many lack the support and training necessary to use it. The internet can be an incredible tool for communication, creativity, and connection. It can also be daunting and confusing. CTN has no shortage of older adults wanting to learn new digital skills. However, we do have a shortage of digital coaches to pair them with. So what does being a volunteer digital coach entail? Senior learners enrolled in our Home Connect program receive remote digital training from CTN staff. After the initial training is complete, a learner is transitioned to a volunteer digital coach. For one hour a week, the coach meets with the learner over video chat to reinforce their newly acquired digital skills. They form a connection with their learner and empower them to feel confident online. As many seniors remain homebound, digital coaches have the unique opportunity to reduce isolation and loneliness for a vulnerable population. With the help of volunteers, Socorro Galvez attends weekly guitar lessons via Zoom. Maria Bajarano participates in online choir activities and exercise classes. Elmira Lagundi can video chat with her family members in the Philippines. “I am passionate about working with older […]

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A heartfelt THANK YOU you to our Volunteers

Kami Griffiths — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 02:59:10 +0000

Did you forget that the week of April 19 – 26 is National Volunteer Week? We haven’t! The staff of Community Tech Network wants to thank our past and current volunteers for the hope and inspiration they provide to our digital learners. Although the COVID-19 stay safe at home mandates have temporarily prevented CTN from organizing our annual Volunteer Appreciation Party, we want to share here the impact that volunteers have helped us make. Our preliminary 2019 service data has been compiled, and we are proud to report that 235 CTN volunteers provided 1,026 older adult and low-income learners with 8,904 separate learning encounters. Collectively, our dedicated volunteers provided a total 4,150 hours of service, the equivalent of two additional full-time employees! Using data from Independent Sector’s annual value of volunteer time study, the average value of an hour of volunteer time in the U.S. was $25.43. Applying that figure, CTN’s volunteers provided the equivalent of $105,161 worth of services to the communities we serve. National Volunteer Week, established in 1974, is a program of Points of Light. It is an opportunity to honor the impact of all those who do good in our communities and inspire others to make a difference and […]

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CTN Celebrates 2019 Volunteers!

Eric Babb — Thu, 23 May 2019 17:15:04 +0000

On May 22, CTN volunteers gathered at Google Community Space to celebrate their accomplishments from the past year. Sixteen CTN volunteers, staff, and partners came together to share stories over pizza and trivia. As CTN has done in the past, we recognized four outstanding volunteers for their continued dedication in the area of digital inclusion. Yingshan Bi, Student Leader Yingshan has volunteered with CTN for the past two years while completing prerequisite classes to study biochemistry. We have been so lucky to have Yingshan at Chinatown YWCA, where she has worked with the Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking population. Her dedication to serving a group of individuals over time has made it a rewarding experience for everyone! Yingshan is actually leaving CTN this summer as she transfers to start school at UC Berkeley. We wish her the best! Tiffany Huynh, Great Partner Tiffany has been a wonderful partner with CTN while at OMI Senior Center. Not only does she do such a great job coordinating with our volunteers, but she even spends time tutoring the learners as well! Tiffany is a great example of a partner who is committed to bridging the digital divide. We are very fortunate to be able to […]

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CTN Recognizes Our Outstanding Volunteers During Volunteer Appreciation Week!

Joanna Bell — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 01:07:40 +0000

Last Tuesday, CTN hosted our annual Volunteer Appreciation Party to celebrate the work and commitment of our volunteers across the Bay Area. Volunteers are the secret sauce that make CTN’s work possible, and we want to highlight their hard work and dedication! We were lucky to host the event in Exygy’s gorgeous indoor/outdoor space in the Mission. Staff and volunteers came together to mingle and have fun. In addition to the food, drink, and games (including a raffle!), we also recognized five particularly outstanding volunteers during the volunteer awards portion of the evening. Anna Vichitcholchai — Community Connector Anna has been volunteering at Centro Latino for almost a year and has truly become part of the community there. She has done a wonderful job of increasing participation in the computer lab, building a strong group of regulars and introducing many users to the computer for the first time. Her consistency, friendly presence, and initiative in engaging people in learning activities that connect to their lives and their interests truly makes her an outstanding volunteer. She also works full-time in San Jose, and were are so grateful that she continues to volunteer with us! Derek Slater — Mission Focus We are […]

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Three Cheers for Volunteers!

Joanna Bell — Wed, 03 May 2017 21:41:42 +0000

April 23 – 29 was National Volunteer Week, which was an opportunity to celebrate community service. CTN is fortunate to have an amazing group of people who donate their time and expertise in support of the mission to close the digital divide. Behind the scenes are the members of the CTN board who keep the organization functioning. But on the frontline are are the valiant volunteers of our Digital Literacy Corps who represent CTN in the communities we serve. In 2016, over 200 volunteers worked with nearly 16,000 people in computer centers across the Bay Area, giving almost 8,000 hours of their time! We think that’s pretty incredible. To celebrate our amazing Digital Literacy Corps, we organized the annual appreciation party, which this year took place on Wednesday, April 26, at MakeSchool. It was an occasion to reward all the volunteers and to recognize the extra-special contributions with the volunteer awards. Here is the lowdown on the 2017 award winners. Taylor Glas-Hochstettler: “Master Cultivator.” Taylor has cultivated great relationships with the staff at Castro Senior Center as well as with the learners, supporting them in building their skills and giving them what they need to become confident, independent computer users. […]

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