Sew Powerful Volunteer Job Description
Regional Coordinator - Open Location
Classification: All jobs for Sew Powerful are volunteers
Reports To: Area Manager
Current Incumbent: Various Volunteers
Job Description – Regional Coordinator
The Regional Coordinator is responsible to help grow Sew Powerful in a specific geographic region of their choosing by recruiting purse makers, raising awareness of Sew Powerful and securing donations. Regional Coordinators are asked to read and understand the Sew Powerful Statement of Faith setting forth our Christian beliefs.
Summary/Objective
The first objective of this position is to increase awareness of Sew Powerful and our mission to engage contributors.
Sew Powerful exists to combat extreme poverty Zambia, Africa. We do that by equipping community members with jobs as well as training, tools, and technical skills to make what we call “Purposeful Products”; products that can bless local children and empower their academic success.
The second objective of the position is to recruit purse makers. The Sew Powerful Purse is the packaging for the reusable hygiene products and the soap. The Purse is a gift to the girls and an encouragement to stay in school.
The third object is to secure donations. Donations may be in the form of financial contributions or when needed, in kind donations of items such as fabric, trims, strapping material, etc.
Essential Job Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Organizing others to sew purses, collecting fabric, and making kits.
- Increasing public awareness by speaking at civic and church groups.
- Participating in Quilt Shows by volunteering as the show organizer or booth staff.
- Collecting finished purses to mail to Washington.
- Participating in brainstorming and prayer as part of the world-wide team.
Competencies
- Initiative, energetic self-starter motivated to engage others in the Sew Powerful mission.
- Communication, strong verbal skills, and a friendly demeanor.
- Customer Focused, comfortable initiating conversations with show attendees, community groups and potential purse makers.
- Results Driven, willing to engage with Show management to achieve the event results.
- Sewing experience, clear understanding of sewing and the Sew Powerful Purse pattern. Understand and support the Sew Powerful Mission and Ministry.
- Technology, comfortable reading and writing email messages, attending video call meetings, locating and downloading files.
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no direct staff supervisory responsibilities. Will coordinate with other positions for the purpose of strategy, communication, and planning. May supervise volunteers on a temporary basis for specific events such as a Sew-a-thon.
Work Environment
This job operates in an off-site environment, generally from the Regional Coordinator’s own home. May work in others’ retail or civic facilities. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, etc. You will be provided a Sew Powerful email address, which will be the primary means of communication between the Regional Coordinator and other Sew Powerful volunteers and when representing Sew Powerful to the community at large. Our expectation is that Regional Coordinators check their Sew Powerful email at least once every 5 business days.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a volunteer to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the volunteer will be required to talk or hear. The volunteer frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands or fingers to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The volunteer may be asked to lift and/or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 25 pounds.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a volunteer position. Days and hours of work are determined by the volunteer, in coordination with Sew Powerful leadership, and will fluctuate based on the activities in which they are involved. Evening and weekend work is sometimes required as volunteer duties demand.
Travel
Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be necessary for certain volunteer activities. Travel related expenses are always covered by the volunteer.
Required Education and Experience
Two years or more of successful work experience, intermediate or above sewing skills and ability to warmly engage others in activities to reach a specific goal.
Preferred Education and Experience
Experience in event organization or project management; some exposure to public speaking is helpful.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications
- Willing to engage and strongly participate in activities of the organization.
- Heart for serving others to promote success with purposeful products.
- Willing to allow their Name, Region, Zip/Postal Code, and Sew Powerful email address to be posted on the Sew Powerful website and in other Sew Powerful published media.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the volunteer for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Organizing others to sew purses. The Regional Coordinator can organize local sew days to teach others how to make the purses and encourage them to get involved individually. This could be at fabric stores, civic clubs, schools service clubs, or just a group of your friends. This can also be done through others in your region, giving support to the many volunteers who might like to sponsor a sew day of their own. These scheduled sew days differ from the on-going work done by Chapters but Chapter members can be recruited to assist in the event.
Increasing public awareness. One of our biggest challenges is getting the word out. The Regional Coordinator can help by giving short presentations at all venue's that may be receptive. A few we have brainstormed are churches, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Clubs, 4-H, scouting organizations, school service clubs either at High Schools or Colleges, Quilt Guilds, etc. This may help to interest purse makers as well as financial donors. Again, this might be something you start and then train others to do in their local communities. Being available to answer questions and lend support to volunteers in your region will make a difference.
Collecting fabric and making kits. Many businesses or individuals may be willing to donate fabric or supplies. The Regional Coordinator can be the focal point for seeking these donations to pass on to purse makers or preparing the supplies to be used for donations at shows or events. Local events are a good place to offer the pattern and the pre-cut kit. You can explain the program and for a small donation ask anyone interested to take a kit and return the finished purse to Sew Powerful or to you. Sew Powerful has developed merchandise to offer for donations at quilt shows.
Collecting finished purses to ship to Washington. In the absence of a Country Purse Collector (non-US locations only), the Regional Coordinator should be available to collect purses from other purse makers in your region and consolidate the shipment. Some purser makers express a reluctance to engage due to the inconvenience or the cost of mailing. With a central drop off point or a local address for mailing, purse makers may feel encouraged and begin to make purses. We can arrange for Sew Powerful to reimburse the Regional Coordinator for shipping costs of the consolidated box. We can work together to make sure the process is refined and will work for everyone.
Serve as a Resource for Chapters within your Region. You will likely receive Sew Powerful emails directly from Chapter asking for direction, clarifications, or assistance. Our expectation is that you would be able to provide Chapter Leaders answers to their questions within 5 business days. Resources and contacts are provided to Regional Coordinators to assist you.
You may be invited to attend in-person Chapter meetings or Chapter events. If the location is within a reasonable distance of where you live, and appropriate safety protocols are in place, we would encourage you to attend. If the distance is further, you could suggest meeting with them via a video call.
We hold quarterly video call meetings with Chapter Leaders. This is an opportunity to bring them up to speed with what is happening or planned at Sew Powerful. You will be encouraged to attend these meetings to establish rapport with the Chapter Leaders and for them to put a face with a name. Occasionally, we may ask you to present a segment of the meeting.
You will be added to the email distribution list for the 'Chapter & Verse' newsletter for Chapters, to keep up with Chapter happenings.
Participating in brainstorming and prayer. We schedule a video call once a month with the Regional Coordinators to talk about ideas. We will make sure to let you know ahead of time when it is scheduled. On this call we will talk about what is working, what did we learn from other activities we tried, what might we do next... And we will pray together for the Sew Powerful ministry to thank God for what he is doing and listen to his direction for the future. The relationships we build as Regional Coordinators will be a wonderful support system to the purse makers, which in turn, will bless the girls and the seamstresses in Zambia.