03 Employee Newsletter 2011 March

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The Spirit WithinA Newsletter for Volunteers of America, Utah Employees

March 2011Change one. Change many.TM

Measuring Client SatisfactionCWCs survey helps staff go the extra mile

The Center for Women and Children has taken

client satisfaction to another level as they increase

their numbers month after month, year after year

according to their in-house survey.

The purpose of this survey is to receive feedback

from clients about their experience at CWC. They

are asked about group meetings, staff, rules,

facility, and even the food that is served. The

survey is anonymous so that clients can provide

open and honest feedback. Although the survey is

not a mandatory part of their discharge,

approximately 90 percent of discharging clients

participate.

Meghan Fry, Director of Outcomes at CWC, saysEach month the survey results are tabulated and

posted for staff. I am hopeful that they act as a

regular reminder of how we can improve the

services we provide to our clients. I am a strong

believer that even though we do great work, we can

always improve on something.

Over time the best survey has been changed and

improved, to best capture current needs of clients

and most importantly, help staff see how their work

influences their clients experience.

Data is collected each month from these surveys

and emailed to CWC staff, division directors, and

senior management. As a result, staff on hand are

aware of present improvements that can be made

and also how wonderful they are. Their numbers

continue to climb each month as clients express

how positive their experience has been at the

center. Thank you CWC staff for always striving to

be better!

6.8%

13.7%

74.4%

5.1%

Needs Improvemen

Satisfactory

Wonderful

Not Applicable

Client Survey

Satisfaction Chart

July 2010- January 2011

Staff Insights

I enjoy reading what is happening or has happened. It is n

to know what we as staff, need to work on. I know personallwhen reading them, I see myself and what I need to work onbelieve that with them I have changed some of the ways I tre

not only clients, but staff as well. Thank you. Jennifer Cre

I would say that the form helps us better serve ourclients. We are more aware of what we need to do bettand its always wonderful to see the good feedback onhow awesome we are. Cami Pearce

I read the reports each month because it helps me tounderstand what our clients feel is important to their havingpositive experience. I think that all of the staff members nee

to act on the information we get from the clients through thesurveys. Cathy Harding

They are very helpful, at least to me. They help me tochange/think about how I work with clients. It shows usthat there is always room for improvement. Alexis Mille


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Martha Crook is VOAs Volunteer of the Month for FebruaryHomeless Youth Resource Center Volunteer

By Lindsay Hinton

Sue Ativalu, Martha Crook (volunteer), andCharis Pankratz at the Drop-In Center.

As Martha Crook celebrated her one year anniversary with

Volunteers of America this past February. She was also nominate

by staff members at the Drop-In Center to be the volunteer of themonth, a well deserved honor.

She is passionate about working with youth. She has worked with

them for over 30 years as a teacher. Part of what she loves about

working with the youth at the Drop-In Center is being able to

support them as they navigate the challenging waters of growing u

and finding their way.

Charis Pankratz, Coordinator of the Drop-In Center says, Martha

dedication to our youth has been sincere and enthusiastic. She

single-handedly took charge of our Christmas backpack project thwinter and rounded up over 120 complete backpacks for the

youth. As staff, we feel so lucky to have her positive energy and

support as a volunteer. In a relatively short time, Martha has

become an advocate for the HYRC and the youth it serves. We lo

forward to her continued involvement!

The story of how Martha was moved to action and found our door

is a heartbreakingly tender one. About 18 months ago, she lost he

21 year old son, David while he was working a summer job in

Denali National Park. It was her son who inspired her to

volunteer. She said his heart was always focused on those who dinot have a warm and safe place to call home, and she wanted to

honor his memory by offering her hands and heart to our

communitys homeless youth.

Martha shared, I donated some of his clothes to the HYRC. One

day while I was there sorting donations, some kids came in and

picked up Davids clothes. I watched with tears in my eyes at the

excitement and delight to be able to have them. I know David wa

right there in the room letting me know he was okay and that he

would be with me always through the kids at the center.

Martha is a remarkable woman, with a wonderful heart, and we ar

so grateful she chose to share it with our youth at Volunteers of

America, Utah. We are all very fortunate to have the benefit of

meeting people like Martha whose thoughtfulness and caring natu

moved her to action. Her support makes our community a better

place. Martha is also a symbol of hope; she experienced the greate

loss a parent could ever imagine, and within months of that loss, s

turned her pain into love and shared it with our youth, who so ofte

are without this very thing.

With sincere gratitude, we thank you Martha!

Above: Sue & Martha next to the backpack

project.Below: Martha with a grateful youth

with a new backpack..


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Join us on

www.facebook.com/voa

Board of Director

Bob Lake, Chair

Don Russell, Chair ElectRob Millard, Treasurer

Lorraine Jones, Secretary

Kathy Bray, President & CEChris Stock

Jim DreyfousTim May

George NikopoulosJason Burrow-Sanchez

Abbie Paxman

Robert Yorgason

Board Emeritus

Nicole Cushing

Barbara Sullivan

Do you have an idea f

The Spirit Within or oFacebook page?

Contact Katerina Tanuvas

801-363-9414 x 117

[email protected]

www.voaut.or

Upcoming Events & Announcements

Change one. Change many.

TM

Want to join the Voluntee

of America, Utah praye

chain?

Contact Pam Lloyd for deta(801) 363-9414

[email protected]

Annual Founders' Day BreakfastEvery year we celebrate the positive changes that have been made by those we serve.

When: Thursday, March 24, 2011

Time: 8:00- 9:00 a.m.

Where: Little America Hotel

500 S. Main Street

You can help by becoming a Table Captain forthe breakfast. Table Captains agree to fill a table

with 10 people (including you). The breakfast isfree. Guests will hear from successful formerclients and feel the power of positive change.

To become a Table Captain, e-mail

[email protected] or call 801-363-9414 ext. 104.

Psychopharmacology Insights for the Mental Health Professional

Date: Friday, March 4th, 2011

Time: 9:00am12:00pm

Location: 75 South 200 East

RSVP: [email protected]

Cost: Free

Presenters

Chris Stock, Pharm. D.Ron J. Llewelyn, Psy. D.

David Hildt, MFTI

Gain knowledge regarding the physiological

etiology of several mental illnesses & how

medications are used to treat the conditions.

Review recent literature on the impact of

psychopharmacology & psychotherapy on

genetic expression.

Gain an understanding about the impact of

personality on the effectiveness of

psychotropic medication.

Review major classifications of psychotropic

medications, including side effects, counter

indications, withdrawal effects, etc...

Presented by: The Volunteers of America Training Institute

Daylight Saving Time

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Remember to set your clocks one hour early.

Did You Know

The first American to advocate for daylight saving wasBenjamin Franklin. He realized in 1784 that many

people burned candles at night yet slept past dawn inthe summer, wasting early-morning sunlight.

03 Employee Newsletter 2011 March

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