Sew Powerful Volunteer Job Description
Regional Coordinator Houston
June
Classification: All jobs for Sew Powerful are volunteers
Reports To: Sue Kirby
Current Incumbent: Various Volunteers
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Regional Coordinator is responsible to help grow Sew Powerful in a specific geographic region of their choosing by raising awareness and recruiting purse makers. Regional Coordinators are asked to read and understand the Sew Powerful Statement of Faith setting forth our Christian beliefs.
Summary/Objective
The objective of this position is to increase awareness of Sew Powerful and our mission.
We exist to combat extreme poverty in a very challenging place called Ngombe Compound in Lusaka Zambia. 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.
And 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.
Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (More detail included on the final page of this job description.)
- 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.
Competencies
- Communication, strong verbal skills and a friendly demeanor.
- Customer Focus, most be comfortable initiating the conversation with the show attendee and potential purse seamstress.
- Initiative, energetic self-starter motivated to engage others in the Sew Powerful mission.
- Results Driven, willing to engage with Show Management to achieve the event results.
- Technical Knowledge, clear understanding of sewing and the Sew Powerful Purse pattern. Understand and support the Sew Powerful Mission and Ministry.
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 their own home, may work in others retail or civic facilities. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
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 to finger, 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 frequently may be 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.
Required Education and Experience
- Two years or more of successful work experience sewing and engaging others in common activities to reach a specific goal.
Preferred Education and Experience
- Experience in event organization and public speaking is helpful.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications
- Willingness to engage and strongly participate in activities of the organization.
- Heart for serving others to promote success with purposeful products.
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.
Increasing public awareness. One of our biggest challenges is getting the word out. The Regional Coordinator can help by giving short presentations at any and all venue's that may be receptive. A few we have brainstormed are churches, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Clubs, 4-H, 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. The Regional Coordinator can be the focal point for seeking donations of fabric to pass on to purse makers or to cut into kits for a sew day. Local shows are a good place to have the pattern and the pre-cut kit with a booth. 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. Jason is working on marketing materials to support this idea. We are calling it a "show in a box", look for more news on this coming soon.
Collecting finished purses to mail to Washington. We are hoping the Regional Coordinator will be available to collect the 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, these purse makers may feel encouraged and begin to make purses. We can make arrangements 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.
Participating in brainstorming and prayer. We would like to schedule a call at least once a quarter with the Regional Coordinators to talk about ideas. The first call is tentatively late June. Please let me know if specific dates work better for you or are unavailable. 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.