Fostering and Maximizing a Volunteer Relationship with New York University

"University Settlement (US), a settlement house located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, provides a broad range of services, including child care, senior services, after­school programs, and other community support services to its primarily immigrant community. In May 2007, US identified a need to develop an under­standing of its volunteer base and to seek recommendations on strengthening volunteer programs, particularly the ones it has with New York University (NYU). Through interviews and surveys conducted with key personnel at US and NYU, the Capstone team gathered data and other evidence to determine the extent of the impact of the current relationship, as well as an overall understanding of US's existing volunteer program. The report includes suggestions to US on how to maximize its volunteer efforts, utilize the community engagement resources at NYU, and strategies to improve the organization's volunteer programs. "