Equipping Volunteers - Hands On New Orleans has refined the "full service" volunteer approach to include volunteer recruitment, training, and activation, with a special focus on volunteer leadership.   We have trained and equipped many of our long-term volunteers to identify community needs, develop volunteer projects, and motivate and mentor newer volunteers through their three month experience.

Our Goal - The goal of this program is to sustain a Volunteer Leader program as part of Hands On New Orleans' long-term commitment to the community.   It is our plan to:

• provide a sustainable program model for Volunteer Leaders' service, including both visiting and local leaders.
• establish an ongoing training program for Volunteer Leaders to enable them to mobilize volunteers and engage community members effectively
• establish a locally-focused volunteer leader recruitment program focused on skilled labor, with strong linkages to New Orleans community.

Volunteer Leaders At Work - Our Volunteer Leaders are an integral component of our operations at Hands On New Orleans.   Each manages an average of 15 volunteers per day in the field, acting as the on-site supervisors for all of our projects. Projects may include working at food distribution centers, assisting at local animal shelters, wetland restoration, rebuilding homes with our construction program, collaborating with other local non-profits and much more.

Volunteer Leaders will develop one community project reflecting their focus area. We suggest that this project be in the form of a partnership with another non-profit in New Orleans.  Leaders will be responsible for the planning, recruiting, execution, and sustainability of their project.  The project should meet a critical community need, and engage locals in their own recovery. 

Service Learning - Volunteer Leaders will engage in service learning activities which include discussion panels with homeowners and citizen leaders in the community, as well as attending neighborhood, grassroots, and city council meetings.   We encourage Volunteer Leaders to examine deeper civic issues affecting the community and to develop at least one service learning presentation that they can share with our staff, the volunteers and the community.  

We want Hands On New Orleans to be a place that funnels passionate energy into the rebuilding of our city and   is  every three months sending leaders back to their respective homes, who are equipped and ready to spread a volunteer movement throughout the nation and spread that spirit throughout our city.

How do I apply? 

Please visit our website and submit an application:

Volunteer Leadership Academy