About the VMT
The VMT is the LuMinHoS Volunteer Management Team.
Typically, small non-profit organizations, those without much money, operate with a working board. Members of the Board are called upon to do everything from setting the vision and goals for the organization to stuffing the envelopes for mailings. Larger non-profit organizations, those that have more money, operate with a governing board that sets goals, and with paid employees who do everything necessary for carrying out the goals, including the stuffing of envelopes.
For years and years, LuMinHoS operated with a working board and one employee, the Chaplain. In 2013, the board met for an all-day review and planning session. The purpose of the session was to develop a different organizational structure to take some tasks off the Board’s plate, and to take some tasks off the Chaplain’s plate. As there wasn’t money to hire staff, the outcome of the planning session was to put in place a Volunteer Management Team. This team of volunteers would serve much like employees, but without pay.
Today the VMT functions well as a link between the Board and the Chaplain. The VMT receives its mandate from the Board, and it works to support and assist the chaplain with many of the day-to-day tasks that need to be done.
The VMT operates with four sub-committees or teams:
- Events Committee
- Visitations Committee
- Communications Committee
- Finance Committee
A representative from the VMT gives a report at each Board meeting.
With the VMT in place, the Board can delegate some of its responsibilities to the VMT. Other functions to be carried out by Board members. Likewise, the Chaplain can call upon members of the VMT to take care of many tasks that would otherwise overflow from his plate. This gives him more time to do the front-line work of his calling—visiting patients in the hospitals of Saskatoon!
Would You Like to Serve on the VMT?
The work of LuMinHoS’s dedicated crew of volunteers is integral to our ministry. We are always looking for people to serve on the various VMT committees. If you would like to be on one, please contact the LuMinHoS at office@luminhos.org or 306-229-3515.
Here’s a bit more information about what each of the committees does:
Events
Under the leadership of its Chair, this committee is responsible for planning most of LuMinHoS’s events. In consultation with the Board’s Resource Development Committee and the Board itself, the Events Committee dreams up dinners and other fundraisers, chooses venues and dates, arranges for catering, decorates the venue, and oversees ticket sales.
Visitations
The Visitation Chairperson takes care of the major organizing and visiting responsibilities. A committee member takes care of the recordkeeping of visits.
The two major efforts of this committee are to be sure there is a Cover Chaplain in place when our Called Chaplain needs to be away…and the other major area is to secure and support laypeople to help with visiting in the hospitals. New visitors, both clergy and lay, are assisted in qualifying them for visiting…getting their applications, background checks and photo ID hospital tags.
For Lay Visitors, “Info Sessions” are held occasionally for those who are wondering what hospital visiting involves. And “Visitors’ Venues” are scheduled for active visitors to share some of their experiences, hear their questions, and learn a little more from our Chaplain about visitation skills and methods.
Communications
The Communications committee helps out with all LuMinHoS’s external communications. In particular, it assists with The Caregiver and with promoting events.