AtlantaOutdoorClub
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About the AOC > Ways To Volunteer

If you enjoy participating in the AOC, there are many ways you can contribute to the club’s success.

Become a Trip Leader

Trip leaders are the backbone of the club. These volunteers create and lead our events, and the rewards are many:

  • Give back to the AOC (and feel good about yourself). You’ll earn a lot of respect and gratitude from other members.
  • Get to do the activity you want to do, when you want to do it.
  • Be guaranteed to get on the event.
  • Develop greater leadership skills.

Members are eligible to become trip leaders once they’ve been an active member for at least three months, have completed at least 15 non-social AOC events, and have zero no-shows. Potential trip leaders undergo a rewarding training and mentoring program, followed by certification as an official trip leader with the ability to post events.

If you’re interested in becoming a trip leader, please email the Director of Trip Leader Training and Recruitment for a prompt response.


Join the Management Team

The club’s operations are managed by a management team consisting of both elected and appointed members.

Elections are held annually for three executive office positions – a president and two vice-presidents – as well as two member ambassadors. Terms are concurrent with the calendar year, January 1 to December 31. Each fall, members will be provided information on eligibility requirements for running for office and participating as a voter.

The executive officers appoint other members to serve in a variety of support positions. Job descriptions for both elected and appointed positions are described below. If you have a special skill or interest, please email the AOC President for information on how you can help.

Here is a current listing of all volunteers, including trip leaders.


Attend a Volunteer Event

The AOC partners with organizations that share our values and love of the outdoors to provide members with opportunities to give back to the community. Common activities include trail maintenance events, river clean-ups, and promoting the AOC and the outdoors at local festivals. Volunteer events often incorporate an outdoor activity of some sort, and they are a rewarding way to participate in the club.


Become an AOC Partner

Do you own or work for a business that would benefit from exposure on the AOC’s heavily trafficked website? For more information, please email the Director of Marketing.



Job Descriptions

EXECUTIVE OFFICE POSITIONS

President

  1. Work with the VPs to appoint Directors, Coordinators and Administrative positions and decide their roles at the beginning of the term.
  2. Collaborate with the VPs to plan objectives and make decisions regarding the Club.
  3. Review and oversee club administration and finances.
  4. Address member issues (i.e. inappropriate behavior, conflicts, etc.).
  5. Establish a climate of enthusiasm, openness, and concern. Follow up, congratulate, and listen.
  6. Communicate with volunteers and update club members on pertinent information.
  7. Ensure volunteers clearly understand and carry out their responsibilities throughout the year.
  8. Encourage members to run for positions. Be very observant of those you think can do well with certain posts for the next year.
  9. Succession - prepare the successor President for duties.

Vice Presidents

  1. Work with the President to appoint Directors, Coordinators and Administrative positions and decide their roles at the beginning of the term.
  2. Collaborate with the President to plan objectives and make decisions regarding the Club.
  3. Work with President as a team with planning, objectives and decision making activities.
  4. Assist President in addressing and dealing with member issues (i.e. inappropriate behavior, conflicts, etc.).
  5. Manage the club waiver, rental agreement and other legal document verbiage.
  6. Help the President assist or guide Directors as required.
  7. Encourage members to run for positions. Be very observant of those you think can do well with certain posts for the next year.
  8. Succession - prepare the successor Vice President team for duties.

Skills required: Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


Director at Large

  1. Position is filled at the discretion of the EOs and may be held by the Past President.
  2. Assist Executive Officers with transition into newly elected positions.
  3. Assist in coaching/training volunteers to perform their duties as requested by EOs.
  4. Assist President in performing duties of open positions as requested.

Note: The President and VPs are known collectively as the Executive Office or EO for short.


MEMBER AMBASSADORS

Member Ambassadors

  1. Share opinions and thoughts as represented by the general membership.
  2. Follow up with new members after their first event experience with the AOC by reading and/or answer feedback emails and share those emails as appropriate (i.e. forwarding them to the Trip Leader on event and adding words of encouragement).
  3. Assist Social Director with greeting and welcoming new members at AOC Socials.
  4. Offer additional assistance and ideas on reaching out to new members.
  5. Consider performing duties of open positions as requested.
  6. Succession - Prepare the successor Member Ambassadors for position duties if requested.

Skills required: Excellent communication skills. Professional yet friendly and appropriate manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month, plus time required to perform duties of open volunteer positions.


DIRECTOR POSITIONS

Director of Social Events

  1. Organize and post monthly AOC Social events, including determining and securing locations and dates.
  2. Create and maintain Volunteer Name Badges for the AOC Socials.
  3. Organize volunteers to help with greeting and sign in at AOC Socials, and assist Member Ambassadors with greeting new members as required.
  4. Assist EO Team with planning of Summer Social event and Holiday Party as needed, helping to secure locations for these events and recruit additional help as needed.
  5. Succession - Prepare the successor Social Director for duties if requested.

Skills required: Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills.  Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


Director of Technology/Webmaster

  1. Develop and maintain web site functionality and content.
  2. Ensure integrity of club database.
  3. Ensure nightly clean-up routine runs properly.
  4. Regular back up the club database to local machine.
  5. Update content on static informational pages on web site.
  6. Update web site options for site formatting and functioning.
  7. Update announcement on club home page.
  8. Succession - Prepare next Director of Technologies for duties if requested.

Director of Events

  1. Monitor events to ensure Trip Leaders are following procedure is being followed properly by all trip leaders.
  2. Assist Trip Leaders as needed.
  3. Encourage Trip Leaders to lead events.
  4. Try to be in the know of closed parks, weather conditions, etc and share information with TLs.
  5. Follow-up periodically with inactive Trip Leaders to ensure that the volunteer page stays current and up-to-date.
  6. Succession - Prepare the successor Director of Events for duties if requested.

Skills Required:  Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


Director of Trip Leader Training and Recruitment

  1. Maintain training materials and procedures.
  2. Oversee the position of Trip Leader Coordinator(s).
  3. Oversee Potential Trip Leader (PTL) program.
  4. Recruit Potential Trip Leaders from experienced and knowledgeable membership base.
  5. Assist Potential Trip Leaders with creating events as needed.
  6. Ensure Potential Trip Leaders are familiar with Club event procedures, policies and safety standards.
  7. Answer questions for Trip Leaders in Training and/or put them in touch with the appropriate volunteer.
  8. Approve Potential Trip Leaders to continue with Co-lead and/or solo events.
  9. Obtain feedback from members attending a Potential Trip Leaders events.
  10. Update the progress of Potential Trip Leaders in the PTL program on AOC PTL documents.
  11. Give Potential Trip Leaders website access to create and post events during solo phase of training.
  12. Request and/or Update Potential Trip Leaders Bio, picture and email on the AOC member page.
  13. Submit Potential Trip Leaders to the Executive Officers for Approval to be a Trip Leader.
  14. Succession - Prepare the successor Director of Events for duties if requested.

Skills Required:  Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


Director of Paid Events

  1. Provide support to TLs who want to post paid events. Work with them closely throughout the process. Consider group training other TLs through a Learn event.
  2. Responsible for reviewing all paid events prior to posting. This includes events where members will pay AOC directly or the TL directly. DPE is to inform EOs once approved.
  3. Ensure that each paid event is managed in a fiscally responsible manner covering items such as, details outlining cancellation of the event, as well as covering refund cutoff date for payments, member cost, event price and the name of the service provider(s) along with any other important and essential elements of a paid event.
  4. Ensure that the Trip Leader has covered all the necessarily expenses and is including those in the cost of the trip as to not have any unexpected cost surprises that may create additional expenses.
  5. Work with Treasurers as needed to coordinate events and payment information ensuring conditions for advance payments have been satisfied.
  6. Succession - Prepare the successor Director of Paid Events for duties if requested.

Skills required: Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


Director of Marketing

  1. Maintain existing partnership and sponsorships.
  2. Seek out new opportunities for the AOC to partner with existing businesses and organizations in the community.
  3. Coordinate and implement internal marketing to get our members engaged and involved in club objectives.
  4. Promote the club through various means to raise its visibility, create a positive image, and attract new members.
  5. Ensure banner ads are up to date and maintained on the website.
  6. Succession - Prepare the successor Director of Marketing for duties if requested.

Skills required: Marketing background a bonus but not a must.  Excellent communication and coordination skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 10 hours/month.


Director of Outreach

  1. To find and develop ties with other agencies/outfits that align with the AOC core values.
  2. Maintain a database/file for aligned partnership agencies, what they do, and contact info for the Trip Leaders to access easily.
  3. Follow up on contacts and emails that have opportunities for the AOC to share materials and reach out to our local community.  Help organize and promote AOC Outreach opportunities through these contacts, setting up events and organizing Trip Leaders to lead.
  4. Help put together and maintain a current handout and/or brochure along with other promotional items that can be used for outreach events. 
  5. Develop and submit to the EOs a budget for Outreach collateral material and make sure they are available for events.
  6. Help establish a standard set up or display that can be easily provided to Trip Leaders coordinating these events. 
  7. Maintain a list of AOC owned items such as Canopy, coolers, tables, etc. that would be commonly used for Outreach events and accessible to Trip Leader for use.
  8. Maintain and/or established social and business networking sites such as Facebook Group Page, Twitter Account, Instagram and SnapChat.  Engage AOC members to provide, post and engage in social media accounts.
  9. Succession - Prepare the successor Director of Outreach for duties if requested.>

Skills required:  Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 10 hours/month.


Director of Volunteer Events - Trails, Streams and Park Maintenance

  1. Find and develop ties with agencies/outfits that align with the AOC core values.  Examples are trail maintenance, river clean up, and other outdoor related volunteer work. 
  2. Create and maintain a list of these agencies, contacts and trails they maintain that can be used by trip leaders.
  3. Establish and maintain a close working relationship with cleanup and trail maintenance groups such as REI, friends of various parks, and other outdoor companies or groups - to establish and engage them in volunteer partnerships.
  4. Help organize and promote at least one monthly AOC volunteer opportunities, including leading by example.  Utilizing tools like the FB TL Connection to expose these opportunities and finding Trip Leaders who are willing to lead events.  This includes helping in whatever way possible in assisting TL with questions on posting and leading these events, may also include Learn events as part of this overall training for TLs.
  5. Help make the National Trail Day, (which is the 1st Sat in June each year) making it a big event for the AOC and promoting Club Volunteerism.
  6. Handle all incoming email and other requests for volunteer work opportunities.
  7. Look at sponsoring a trail.  One that the AOC regularly does maintenance work on (i.e. say once a month at Vickery Creek, or Hike Inn Nature Trail).
  8. Succession- Prepare the successor Director of Volunteer Events for duties if requested.

Skills required: Excellent leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITIONS

Assistant Directors

  1. Assist Directors with job tasks and objective.
  2. Learn position to fill in for the Director as needed.

ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS

Treasurer

  1. Manage club finances.
  2. Receive and post member payments for events.
  3. Make event payments to service providers.
  4. Manage club PayPal account.
  5. Manage club expense payments, such as web hosting, etc.
  6. Manage club budget.
  7. File paperwork with the State.
  8. Provide monthly Financial Statements to Executive Officers and Shareholders.
  9. Check PO Box.
  10. Help to facilitate the filing of tax returns.
  11. Answer e-mail inquiries set to treasurer@atlantaoutdoorclub.com.

Skills required: Some bookkeeping experience. Must be bondable. Time commitment: About 15 hours/month.


Secretary

  1. Responsible for taking minutes at all board meetings and Trip Leader meetings.
  2. Work with officers on any assigned projects or activities.

Coordinator of Learn Events

  1. Help organize and promote at least one monthly AOC Learn opportunity for club members.
  2. Locate several location options to hold such events, (i.e. outdoor park area, restaurant or meeting room).
  3. Research and create a list of Learn Event topics such as Intro to Hiking, Intro to Backpacking, etc.
  4. Find Trip Leaders or experts in the subject who are willing to lead the Learn Event, utilizing tools like the FB TL Connection to expose the opportunities and finding Trip Leaders who are will to lead events that have experience in the topic.  This includes helping in whatever way possible in assisting TL with questions on posting and leading these events. Assure that the Trip Leader is well prepared for the Learn Event including any handout information that might be helpful.
  5. Succession- Prepare the successor Coordinator of Learn Events for duties if requested.

Skills required: Good leadership, coordination and communication skills.  Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment: About 10 hours/month.


Volunteer Training Coordinator

  1. Assist in recruiting Potential Trip Leaders from experienced and knowledgeable membership base.
  2. Assist in keeping training materials and procedures current as requested.
  3. Assigned as a Mentor for incoming Potential Trip Leaders (PTL).
  4. Assist in training and coaching Potential Trip Leaders on club procedures for leading events.
  5. Assist Potential Trip Leaders with events as needed.
  6. Assist in answering questions for Potential Trip Leaders and/or put them in touch with the appropriate volunteer.
  7. Assist in monitoring Potential Trip Leader events to ensure procedures are being followed.
  8. Assist Director of Trip Leader Training with relative duties as requested.

Skills required: Good leadership, coordination and communication skills. Professional yet friendly and approachable manner. Time commitment:  About 15 hours/month.


Content Manager

  1. Regularly review static web site content such as the About Us pages, Membership pages, and Event Pages to ensure it is correct and up-to-date.
  2. Create and update club email addresses/forwarders.
  3. Update Website Options and fields.
  4. Assist Webmaster with announcements on club home page.
  5. Assist Webmaster with slide show changes on the AOC home page.
  6. Assist Webmaster with site changes as needed.
  7. Maintain AOC Public and Members only Facebook page.
  8. Succession - Prepare the successor Content Manager for duties if requested.

Skills required: Good organizational and communication skills. Excellent written communication skills and good computer skills with knowledge of HTML/ASP/ACCESS. Time commitment:About 10 hours/month.


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