Giving back goes viral with new virtual volunteer fair

Dr. Sarah Petschonek’s vision for connecting individuals to volunteer opportunities took a quantum leap on March 31 with the launch of a new program, Volio. The latest of Petschonek’s innovations, Volio is touted as the country’s first “virtual volunteer fair,” and Memphians were the first to have online access.

“The launch could not have gone better. Within hours Volio was the most shared thing we’ve ever had on Volunteer Odyssey’s Facebook page. We’ve received very positive feedback from volunteers saying how informative the program is and how easy it is to use. And we’ve had numerous responses from nonprofits indicating that they would like to be part of the program,” said Petschonek.

Almost three years ago, Petschonek returned to Memphis and established the nonprofit organization Volunteer Odyssey. Her intent was to help job seekers hone their communication and social media skills while they connected to prospective employers through volunteer opportunities. This volunteer match-making was an innovation unto itself, but now Petschonek has put Memphis on the map for innovation in volunteerism with Volio.

 “I noticed there wasn’t any easy way to get plugged into volunteer opportunities in Memphis,” she said. “Traditionally, a volunteer would attend an actual volunteer fair, visit tables and kiosks, and sign up for e-mail lists. But the engagement and return on investment for the nonprofit organizations just wasn’t there. Often because taking the first step was full of uncertainty, people weren’t connecting with long-term, meaningful volunteer experiences.”

According to Petschonek, a virtual volunteer fair solves these problems by offering an interactive platform and engaging videos. Prospective volunteers are transported through cyberspace to volunteer experiences across Memphis where volunteer coordinators greet them and demonstrate how they can make a difference within an organization. 

“Volio is the first program of its kind in Memphis— it is also a landmark platform for the entire country,” said Petschonek. “The program factors in trying to get younger people to begin volunteering by embracing newer technologies to offer a realistic 90 second preview. Conceptually, we really want to turn people into committed and dedicated volunteers. Volio launched with five featured nonprofit organizations of Memphis: Habitat for Humanity, Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, Dorothy Day House of Hospitality, World Relief, and the Carpenter Art Garden.”

Laura Lemly, a Junior Kindergarten teacher who serves as a chairperson for the Service Learning Committee at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School, viewed the Volio link and said, “Our committee was excited about the volunteer possibilities. This can be a powerful tool for motivating Memphians and it will definitely help the staff at my school as we try to instill a passion for serving others. It makes opportunities truly come to life!”

The platform was designed by archer>malmo and is easy to navigate from any mobile device, personal computer, tablet or smartphone.

“Archer Malmo is proud to sponsor Volunteer Odyssey and their innovative approach to improving volunteerism. Their vision for a virtual volunteer fair inspired our team to create the brand and platform for Volio. We are excited to be part of the momentum at Volunteer Odyssey and look forward to more great things from them,” said Russ Williams, CEO at Archer Malmo.

Volio is available to nonprofit organizations on a subscription-based model and is offered free to users (prospective volunteers). For information about joining Volio, contact Sarah or visit theirwebsite.