RIC: June Update
The RIC Oversight Committee is in full gear in June, working hard to get RIC up, running, and serving Orcas clients!
Our first tasks have been many, beginning with expanding the Oversight Committee to include four new members: Ryan Carpenter, associate pastor and counselor at Orcas Island Community Church; Sophie Lappas, long-time Orcas resident and experienced volunteer in a variety of related capacities; Erin O’Dell, Executive Director of Orcas Community Resource Center; and Larry Hampel, attorney and experienced community organizer. All of these strong community members are already contributing powerfully to our efforts. Welcome, Ryan, Sophie, Erin, and Larry!
High on the Committee’s list of priorities is hiring a qualified RIC Coordinator, and we need the community’s involvement! This is a part time, part-virtual position with variable hours of 1 to 6 hours per week for the nine months of the pilot project, and we believe that for some it will be possible to act as Coordinator even within the context of another job or family responsibilities. You’ll find a complete description of the job here. This is a vital position that will keep the activities of RIC moving forward. If you or someone you know may be a good fit, please contact us at support@ricorcas.com
With the help of our Advisors, we’ve also begun to design the training modules for our Volunteer Advocates, the essential people who will interact personally with RIC clients. Our plan is to schedule trainings beginning in July. RIC is lucky to have two experienced clinical Advisors in Larry Hughes and Julie Gottman, both knowledgeable about volunteer training for purposes very similar to ours.
And, most important of all, we are seeking volunteers to be our front-line RIC advocates. Our Volunteer Advocates are the keys to RIC’s success, the people with feet on the ground, working with RIC clients to help them make connections to essential services and supports. VAs are also the folks ready to help these same clients reintegrate into the community in time. We anticipate just one client to one Volunteer Advocate; this relationship is one-on-one, personal, and comprises the essence of RIC’s mission. Read about becoming a Volunteer Advocate , and consider applying!
Lastly, the entire RIC team—Oversight Committee and the many volunteers who helped us get to where we are—want to say Thank You! again to our generous donors. Achieving our fundraising goal in May is what has allowed us to launch this critical 9-month pilot project. Thank you!