County To Host 55+ Volunteer Leadership Program To Combat Community Challenges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2018

ELKTON, MD. -- The Cecil County Department of Community Services will offer a free 6-week Volunteer Leadership Program (55VLP) for adults ages 55 or older this spring. The program is designed to cultivate mature leaders across the county to address the challenges of homelessness, opioid addiction and opportunity youth -- young people who are not in school or work.

Using volunteer service as a strategy to meet these needs, 55VLP participants will study the issues with local organizations, learn project management and leadership skills, and work to develop volunteer responses.

Volunteers will participate in an innovation lab where they will be briefed on the current challenges and how they are being handled in Cecil County, to be better equipped to becoming ambassadors and to raise awareness. Local and national experts will offer training on assessment, project planning and implementation. Participants will then use their knowledge to formulate local solutions and community-based responses to three interconnected crises.

Twenty to 30 volunteers will commit to attend at least five of six sessions during May and June, learning from each other, and joining teams to take action. The sessions will take place in different locations across Cecil County. The program will meet on Thursdays beginning May 3rd, from 9AM to 1PM. Lunch will be provided.

"This program cultivates leadership opportunities for volunteers while simultaneously addressing issues impacting Cecil County. There are so many potential positive benefits of this program from increased volunteer outlets for those approaching retirement age to new and creative responses to addressing homelessness, opioid addiction and disconnected youth. It has always been the goal of the Volunteer Office to develop innovate resources and expand opportunities and this program clearly seeks to achieve that objective," explained David Trolio, Director of Community Services.

55VLP is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Services through the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) grant.

For more information, or to register as a participant, please contact Krista Gilmore, Volunteer/Community Resource Coordinator, at kgilmore@ccgov.org or 410-996-8416.

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