The VISTA will research and document current volunteer engagement across 21 gardens, including assessing existing volunteer roles, observing volunteer activities, and compiling findings. The VISTA will also inventory volunteer-related systems and will map volunteer contributions to program outcomes, tracking volunteer efforts to support food production and community engagement.
The VISTA will develop an internal management framework by creating standardized volunteer role descriptions, expectations, and a recruitment pathway. They will identify important partner organizations and overall needs of the gardens to more effectively serve Tucsonans, especially low-income individuals. Through this work, the VISTA will also produce a volunteer handbook.
The VISTA will create and pilot new resources, such as: • Newsletters • Sign-up methods • Recognition • Orientation • Tracking systems Making adjustments based on feedback and pilot outcomes.