British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa

BIFHSGO Volunteer Opportunities Available
If you would like to volunteer with your family history society, please consider one of the following positions and contact the Volunteer Coordinator:
More information on the positions listed below may also be obtained from the volunteer co-ordinator.

Alternatively submit a volunteer survey / form.

Why be a BIFHSGO Volunteer?

Several Board positions are currently open; more details here.
  1. Anglo-Celtic Roots-Canada Post Liaison
  2. Anglo-Celtic Roots-Distribution Team Leader
  3. Anglo-Celtic Roots- Illustrator
  4. Conference Catering Coordinator
  5. Conference Welcome Desk Coordinator
  6. BIFHSGO Electronic Newsletter Assistant(s)
  7. Name Tag Manager
  8. Photographer's Assistant(s)
  9. Publicity Assistant(s)
  10. Home Children Research Assistant(s)
  11. Director of Research (Board position)
  12. Research Project Leader(s)
  13. Volunteer Coordinator
  14. Research & Query Assistant(s)
  15. Assistant Conference Program Marketplace Coordinator(s)
  16. Conference Computer Room Assistants

RefVolunteer Job Description
1
Anglo-Celtic Roots-Canada Post Liaison

Description: The Anglo-Celtic Roots -Canada Post Liaison Volunteer leads the Distribution team in labelling, bundling and packaging the stuffed, pre-sorted ACR mailing envelopes into Canada Post Flat Tubs. Each Flat Tub measures approximately 48 cm x 29 cm x 31cm and weighs a maximum of 25 kg each, when filled.
To complete and electronically transmit the BIFHSGO order to Canada Post.
To deliver the ACR Flat Tubs to the main Canada Post terminal at Alta Vista Drive and Industrial Road and unload them onto a loading dock.
Skills: Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, Canada Post regulations for Publications Mail. Use of a vehicle suitable for transport and ability to lift 25 kg (60 lb) containers.
Time: One day every three months in mid-March, mid-June, mid-September and mid-December.
Start: Training Jan to begin March.
2
Anglo-Celtic Roots-Distribution Team Leader

Description:The Team Leader coordinates the Distribution Team to: Distribute Anglo-Celtic Roots, quarterly, at the Saturday morning meetings;
Assemble the prepared material (ACRs, inserts, franked envelopes and mailing labels) and prepare the envelopes for mailing the following week;
Interpret and comply with Canada Post's requirements for bundling, packaging and delivering the ACRs to the main Canada Post terminal.
Skills:Good organization skills and the ability to work as a team leader.
Time: Up to four days every three months in mid-March, mid-June, mid-September and mid-December, including one Saturday meeting in each time period.
Start: Training 12 Jan to begin March.
3
Anglo-Celtic Roots-Illustrator

Description:The illustrator will produce illustrations, especially maps, for the Anglo-Celtic Roots publication.
Advise authors on how to prepare their own illustrations for publication, either manually or on computer. Advice might include the selection of appropriate computer programmes and trouble-shooting problems encountered by authors when using them; where to obtain or rent appropriate drafting equipment & materials and contribute to the preparation of written guidelines for authors on illustration standards and preferred styles.
Skills: Professional illustrator experience would be an asset.
Ability to use and provide advice and assistance with text and graphic layout software.
Time: Up to 12 illustrations produced per year.
Start: Anytime
This position has been taken.
4
Conference Catering Coordinator

Description: To take responsibility for the catering needs of this year's fall conference;
To select the catering contractor in conjunction with the Conference Planning Committee;
To negotiate the menus, cost and other contract details;
To provide the caterer with the final numbers of lunches etc just prior to the conference;
To monitor the performance of the catering staff during the conference and to liaise with the supervisor.
Skills: Ability to negotiate a contract
Time:Attend monthly Conference Planning Meetings,
15 to 20 hours in February / March time frame,
As required during the conference.
Start: January
This position has been taken.
5
Conference Welcome Desk Coordinator

Description: To take responsibility for organizing the Welcome Desk for this year's fall conference;
To seek volunteers to operate the Welcome Desk;
To assign volunteers to their tasks and ensure that they are fully knowledgeable of their duties;
To prepare a schedule roster for the volunteers;
To prepare the conference registration packages;
To handle any cash collected at the Welcome Desk and provide the Treasurer with an accounting of the cash;
To supervise the Welcome Desk volunteers during the conference.
Skills: Good organizational skills and attention to detail.
Time:Attend monthly Conference Planning Meetings,
About 15 hours per month July to September,
As required during the week before and during the conference.
Start: January
This position has been taken.
6
BIFHSGO Electronic Newsletter Assistant(s)

Description: To work as part of a small team that provides BIFHSGO members with genealogical news of potential interest in a timely fashion;
To assist in the gathering of content from blogs, newsletters and websites for a monthly electronic newsletter;
To post gathered content to a shared web space; currently Google Documents;
Occasionally, in absence of the Editor, to format and finalize content of the Newsletter;
To pass on new Internet links to the BIFHSGO Webmaster.
Skills: Good computer/internet and writing skills. Good analytical skills are important.
Time: Up to 1 hour per week reviewing selected blogs. Occasionnally 2-3 hours in a month if finalizing information for the Newsletter.
Start: Anytime.
This position has been taken.
7
Name Tag Manager

Description: The Name Tag manager sorts, distributes and collects name tags at the monthly meetings;
Prepares Name Tags from Membership lists provided by Director Membership;
Possibility of preparing Name Tags for the annual conference from lists provided by the Conference Registrar.
Skills: Able to use an Excel spreadsheet and word processor merge functions.
Time: Before and after monthly meetings for distribution and collection and approximately 5 hours additional per month to maintain and sort name tags in preparation for monthly meetings.
Approximately 15 hours during the two weeks leading up to the September conference.
Start: Anytime.
This position has been taken.
8
Photographer's Assistant(s)

Description:The BIFHSGO Photographer takes photographs of the speakers and members at the monthly meetings, the Fall Conference and other events and prepares the photographs for publication in Anglo-Celtic Roots and on the BIFHSGO Website.
One or more Assistants are required to help the Photographer at busy times such as the Fall Conference and to replace him when he is unable to attend a Saturday morning meeting.
Potentially could take over the BIFHSGO Photographer position sometime after 2010.
Skills: Ability to use a digital camera in various situations to take portrait photographs, perform preliminary photo-editing and ability to transfer images via email.
Time: Monthly meetings and Fall Conference.
Start: Anytime.
9
Publicity Assistant(s)

Description: Prepares publicity posters and draft event announcements for local newspapers, magazines and e-newsletters.
Potential to replace Publicity Director at Board meetings in their absence.
Skills: Ability to use word processor (preferably Microsoft Word) and develop basic graphic layouts.
Ability to write concise event announcements.
Time: Assist with preparation of up to 10 publicity posters and event announcements for monthly meetings, the Fall Conference and up to 3 other events each year.
Start: Anytime.
10
Home Children Research Assistant(s)

Description: To extract Home Children information from the Department of Agriculture's immigration files, RG17 (1869-1893);
To order up pre-defined sets of RG17 files at Library and Archives and review the volumes for appropriate information;
To order up photocopies of relevant pages from the files (BIFHSGO cost);
Transcribe data from the copies into a pre-defined Excel spreadsheet.
Skills: Ability to handle and read fragile archival documents.
Basic computer skills; specific ability to use Excel.
Time: Typical time would be ˝ day per week at the LAC reading files and ˝ day at home per week transcribing relevant information into Excel spreadsheets.
Start: Anytime.
11
Director of Research (Board position)

Description:To initiate and coordinate research projects which support the objectives of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa.
To attend regular Board meetings to advise the Board on plans and progress of research projects.
To provide the Treasurer with financial input to the Society's annual budget for all research projects and activities.
To ensure that the Society's members are regularly informed of the progress being made on the various projects.
Skills:Knowledge of the Society's objectives and goals.
Initiative to propose new research projects. Ability to plan and coordinate one or more long term research projects.
Time: Monthly meetings and time as required to plan and coordinate research projects.
Start: Anytime.
This position has been taken.
12
Research Project Leader(s)

Description:To plan and coordinate a specific research project that has been approved by the Board;
In concert with the Director of Research define the research required to meet the objectives of the project;
To recruit volunteers and coordinate their work on defined research;
To provide status and progress reports to the Director of Research as required;
To provide the Director of Research with financial requirements for the Society's annual budget for project activities.
Skills: Ability to plan and coordinate a research project.
Initiative to propose new research projects. Ability to plan and coordinate one or more long term research projects.
Time: As required / as determined in consultation with Director Research.
Start: Anytime.
13
Volunteer Coordinator

Description:To maintain an inventory of volunteer assistants needed by the various BIFHSGO Directors, Event Coordinators and other functions;
To develop publicity to encourage members to volunteer;
To coordinate a Volunteer Desk at the Saturday meetings and a virtual Desk on the BIFHSGO website to provide prospective volunteers with information regarding volunteer requirements;
To liaise with Board Directors, Event coordinators, Anglo-Celtic Roots and publications managers regarding their volunteer needs.
Skills:Ability to discuss requirements with prospective volunteers; Basic word processing and email ability.
Initiative to propose new research projects. Ability to plan and coordinate one or more long term research projects.
Time: Monthly meetings and 2-3 hours per month preparing job descriptions.
Start: Anytime.
This position has been taken.
14
Research and Query Assistant(s)

Description:To respond to questions and queries from BIFHSGO members (and non-members) regarding family history and places of research in the Ottawa-Gatineau area;
To provide general guidance information, rather than detail and specific personal research, either written (email) or verbal to the requestor;
To refer the query or request to another Research/Query Assistant if unable to assist.
Skills:General knowledge of genealogy in general and research facilities in the Ottawa-Gatineau area;
Good knowledge of a specific area of genealogy such as any one of the countries in the United Kingdom; time in history, or important event in genealogical history;
Good knowledge of genealogical research techniques and practices.
Time: Demand driven by phone call and emails, but generally, 4-5 hours per month.
Start: Anytime.
15
Assistant Conference Program Marketplace Coordinator(s)

Description: Help organize the Marketplace program for the Fall Conference;
Help solicit potential marketplace exhibitors and Conference Program Book advertisers;
Help coordinate the publicity for the marketplace exhibitors and advertisers with the Director of Publicity and Conference Program Book editor;
Help plan and coordinate the table layout for the marketplace exhibitors, arrange appropriate table rentals and organize the table set-up and take-down.
Skills: Good organizational skills, attention to detail and home computer.
Time: Monthly Committee planning meetings January to September with 3-4 hours per month with peaks in April/May and August/September. Friday morning and Sunday afternoon of Conference.
Start: April 1
16
Conference Computer Room Assistants

Description: To assist conference attendees who sign up for computer sessions to access and research the internet. Websites such as Find My Past and Ancestry.com will be available for research.
Skills: Experience in internet research would be helpful, but advanced computer technical knowledge will not be required.
Time: Saturday and Sunday, Sept 19 and 20 at the Fall Conference. Two or three hours of work in the computer room per volunteer should be sufficient (time can be arranged so as not to interfere with attendance at conference lectures).
Start: Saturday morning at the Fall Conference.

The Board of Directors consists of nine people who have taken on various duties, as follows: President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership, Communications, Publicity, Education, Research and Projects. Special qualifications are not necessary for a person to perform the duties of any one of these positions. The Board meets once a month, on an evening acceptable to the majority of Board members. Each meeting usually takes not more than about an hour, depending on what is on the agenda. In the interests of keeping these meetings as short and efficient as possible, each Board member submits a short summary report of their activities during the past month, so that other members may read these before the meeting, and discussion is only needed if there are particular issues or questions that arise from the reports. As you are aware, the Society meets monthly, on Saturdays, for the regular talks and before-BIFHSGO educational sessions. Board members are not expected to attend every monthly meeting, although we generally try to have Board members available to greet members and visitors, and to accept membership applications.

Board PositionDescription
Communications Director The principal duties and responsibilities of the Director, Communications are as follows:
  1. As a member of the Board of Directors, to initiate and support Society activities designed to achieve the objectives of the Society.
  2. As Director, Communications, to be responsible, directly or indirectly, for Society print and electronic communications; namely, Anglo-Celtic Roots, the Website and Society publications.
  3. To attend regular Board meetings to advise the Board on communications plans and progress.
  4. To give counsel and support to the Editor of Anglo-Celtic Roots in the production of the journal and to manage the distribution of Anglo-Celtic Roots.
  5. To give counsel and support to the Webmaster in the production, maintenance and updating of the Website.
  6. To provide for (a) the editing and updating of the Society brochure, (b) the preparation of the Conference brochure and program, (c) the encouraging and facilitating of members’ writings for Society publication, (d) the printing of Society stationery and forms.
  7. To ensure that the Society's publications standards are maintained in all publications, to carry out the final editing of all publications, and to provide for all Society printing.
  8. To provide to the Treasurer input data for the Society's annual budget for all publishing activities and for the web site.
  9. To maintain a reference archive of the camera-ready copy of Anglo-Celtic Roots and other Society publications.
  10. To provide for the recruitment of volunteers for the many diverse components of the above responsibilities and to provide for succession planning for these volunteer positions.
Associate Directors:
Editor, Anglo-Celtic Roots
Webmaster
Membership Director The principle duties and responsibilities of the Director, Membership are as follows:
  1. Maintain comprehensive membership records on an annualized basis.
  2. Prepare and distribute membership cards for current year memberships.
  3. Support distribution of Anglo-Celtic Roots to current year memberships as well as Library, Institution and Exchange distribution.
  4. Provide current membership details to support e-mail and telephone tree communications to members.
  5. Periodically distribute membership contact information to the Board members and Associates and respond to requests for specific information on current members.
  6. Communicate with individual members on the status of their current membership.
  7. Provide general communication with the membership at large on membership matters including an annual report for publication in Anglo-Celtic Roots.
  8. Answer queries related to potential membership in the Society.
Assistants:
Membership Data Base Operator
Name Tag Producer and Distributor
Publicity Director The principle duties and responsibilities of the Director, Publicity are as follows:
  1. Provide advice and counsel to other members of the Board and associates on the role and practice of good publicity in achieving the objectives of the Society.
  2. Responsible directly or indirectly for all Society publicity, including announcements of regular meetings and special events, and publicity for the annual Conference.
  3. Responsible for Society display and information booths, including public posters and the BIFHSGO booth at chosen events.
  4. Establish an Annual Publicity and Plan Budget.
  5. Maintain contact with the editors of local papers or their representatives, the Ottawa Citizen and other publications catering to those potentially interested in BIFHSGO activities and events (such as the publications for seniors Forever Young, Fifty Plus, etc.), to discuss the goals of the Society, the policies of the paper regarding publishing information on organizations such as BIFHSGO, and their requirements for submissions.
  6. Investigate radio and television stations for the possibility of timely announcements and interviews with Society's officers and member "experts".
  7. Develop materials appropriate for BIFHSGO publicity.
  8. Develop guidelines for other members planning publicity on behalf of their events.
  9. Produce an Annual Report for publication in Anglo-Celtic Roots.
Assistants(as required)