HOW IT WORKS
Companis makes our community healthier, safer, and more just by fostering skilled volunteer service. We match volunteer professionals and nonprofits to bridge the gap in delivering vital services in the greater Puget Sound.
The magic is in the matchmaking — but how does the matchmaking work?
Everything we do starts and ends with relationships. That means getting to know our volunteers and our nonprofit partners personally. Here’s the secret: we listen.
We listen closely. For the things that you say loudly, and the things that are a little bit quieter. The things we learn from you, about you, are how we make the right connections at the right time.
Here’s what you can expect after you click the “apply” button:
- Companis program staff review your application.
- We schedule a time to get to know you.
- We listen and gather important details about who you are and what you’re looking for.
- We connect the dots in our Companis vault of community knowledge (figurative of course, we don’t have a literal vault).
- We make introductions between volunteers and nonprofits that we think will be a great mutual fit.
- Companis facilitates the written agreement between the nonprofit partner and the volunteer, which outlines the kind of work, hours, length of time, etc.
- We provide quarterly events for all volunteers, and as-needed support for nonprofits, for the duration of the placement, with a focus on building community and celebrating service.
Of course, not everything is instantaneous.
There’s a little bit of luck and a dash of community synergy that’s always in the mix too.
Why it works – Companis supports our volunteers throughout their service
Our mission to foster skilled volunteer service begins with the matchmaking, and is delivered beyond that through personalized volunteer supports that sustain a Companis Worker during their service commitment. The Companis Volunteer Support program offers quarterly events & 1:1 support that help us live into the meaning of our name: “To share bread and sustenance together.” Companis events are an ‘ala carte’ menu for our placed volunteers to choose from, and volunteers always receive direct assistance, advocacy and check-ins from Companis staff.
The difference this makes among our volunteers is outstanding: On an average annual basis, 96% of Companis Workers complete their placements, compared with a national volunteer average of 60 to 65% annually. Supported volunteers are fulfilled volunteers, building healthy and resilient community, and have a lot of fun along the way. That’s why so many of them continue their service year after year.