Everything NARA does is done by volunteers, so this course exists to answer the questions people usually only get around to asking after a few months. Each module is taught from a narrated video — around fifty minutes of video in all — so set aside about ninety minutes for the whole course. Work through it at your own pace — your place is kept as you go — and finish with a twenty-question check and the acknowledgments we ask every volunteer to make.
The lessons
- Welcome to volunteering with NARA What you have signed up for and what happens next.
- Our history Why the Alliance was formed and what has happened so far.
- How the Alliance works: the national level The Board of Directors, territories, regions and your state, in one video.
- How the Alliance works: your local team States, club councils, field services, the portal tools and how an issue moves up the chain, in one video.
- Our mission and four key focus areas Outreach, Advocacy, Engagement and Resources, and the work under each, in one video.
- Our programs Club Week, the survey, councils, presenters, awards, the club database and the wiki.
- Charitable giving What our 501(c)(3) status means, the five funds, and how we recognize the people who give.
- Frequently asked questions The questions volunteers hear most at a table, answered straight.
- Next steps Where to start, how to find a place if you have not yet, and what we ask you to watch for.
- The knowledge check 20 questions on the lessons, graded straight away. Retake it as often as you like.