Vaccine Site Volunteering Update: Mass Vaccination Site

This bulletin was sent at 03/01/2021 05:29 PM CST
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Vaccine Volunteering Update
NOLA Ready Corps Logo

March 2021

Hello MRC and NOLA Ready Volunteer Corps members, 

Happy first day of March, we have some updates for you!

NOLA Ready is excited to partner with LCMC to run a mass vaccination site at the Convention Center. Although we do not have a firm timeline yet, this site will begin running in the very near future. Shifts aren't up on Better Impact yet, but we'll add them in once we hear the official start date. We'll be looking for 15-30 volunteers per day to support LCMC operations, which will run 7 days a week. We can't wait to get started and work with you to continue to expand vaccine access to the New Orleans community! In the meantime we'll continue to run our City vaccine sites. Shifts for City sites continue to be live in Better Impact on the Opportunities Page. 

Please see below for the "lifecycle" of a volunteer shift, and for first-timers, what to expect after you sign up to volunteer. 

This email also includes information about Better Impact:

  • We are sharing more information below about how to sign up for shifts. 
  • We're also asking you to opt in to texts from the volunteer team, so that we can inform you of any last minute changes to a shift. As you may know if you are a NOLA Ready volunteer, emergencies (including setting up vaccine sites) are very fluid and have many moving parts. Times and locations may change unexpectedly at the last minute, and we want to be able to communicate that information to you ASAP. We won't text you unnecessarily, just about last minute shift changes. 
  • Please also log in to your profile to add a clear, unobstructed view of your face. You may be working with many different staff members at vaccine sites, and not everyone may be able to recognize you on sight. With a profile picture, it will be easier for the team to be able to know which volunteers they are working with. Especially if you are a rockstar volunteer, or if you have a specialized skill (like speaking Spanish), it'll help our team to be able to place you into specific roles onsite. 

Thanks, and hope to see you at a COVID-19 vaccine site with us very soon!

- The Team at NOLA Ready

- The Team at MRC

volunteer@nola.gov

Lifecycle of a Volunteer Shift

  1. First, sign up for a shift using the Opportunities Page (instructions below). ​
  2. 1-2 days before your shift, you will receive a confirmation email from our volunteer coordination team with instructions, information about what to bring and expect for your shift including dates, times, locations, parking and entry information, whether meals will be provided, whether PPE will be provided, etc. After receiving this email, please feel free to reach out to volunteer@nola.gov if you have questions about the shift. ​
  3. On the day of your shift, show up onsite on time at the designated time and location described in your confirmation email. At the start of your shift, you will receive a briefing that covers the role of official personnel and volunteers on scene, safety info, instructions, task-orientations, introduction of your on-site supervisor, and other important information you will need to know for your shift. This briefing is the key to your success as a volunteer. That’s why it’s important to show up on time to receive this important briefing. ​
  4. Then, volunteer! You will have an onsite supervisor that you can go to with questions and if you need support.​
  5. After your shift, you will receive a volunteer feedback survey, so that you can share feedback you may have with the volunteer team and the vaccine site planning team. 

Signing Up for Shifts

If you've already trained up, check our Opportunities Page to see volunteer shifts and sign up for them. We recommend bookmarking the page and checking back periodically as our volunteer team adds more shifts in

We’ve found that the default settings are better on the Opportunities page (the link listed above) rather than on the Opportunities calendar, or on the app. So if you’re having difficulty seeing shifts, try using the link above.

Shifts are visible to volunteers who have completed all three trainings in the POD Training Curriculum. If you have completed VAC 100, HIP 100, and have uploaded the FEMA ICS certificate into your profile, and you are still not able to see shifts, please email volunteer@nola.gov and we can help problem solve. 

Opt into Texts & Add Your Picture in Better Impact

Due to emergencies being fluid situations with many moving parts, shift locations & times may change last minute. We’ll obviously send you an email about any last minute changes. But we highly recommend that you opt in to text alerts on the Better Impact page, so that we can also reach you via text last minute if needed, in case you don't see an email. Don’t worry, we will not text you unnecessarily. 

FIRST, log in to your profile.

SECOND, on the homepage go to the square on the right that says “My Profile” and use your mouse to hover over it. The blue sidebar menu will pop up. 

THIRD, on the blue sidebar, click on "Contact Information" (see "how to" image below).

Step 1

FOURTH, after you click on "Contact Information", the contact information page will pop up. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where can you put in your cell phone number. Be sure to "check" the box that enables you to receive text messages on your phone (see "how-to" image below). ​

Again, we won’t text you unnecessarily, just if volunteer plans or instructions change at the last minute. 

Step 2

FIFTH, while you’re on this page, go ahead and upload a clear picture of your face! (See "how-to" image below.)​

As we ramp up COVID-19 vaccine site operations, you may be working with different Vaccine Site Supervisors while you're onsite volunteering. It’s helpful for our team if there’s a picture of you in the system so that they can recognize you when arrive onsite. This is particularly helpful if you have specialized skills and we’re looking to place you into a specific role when you arrive at the vaccine site. ​

ste 3

Seeking NOLA Ready Interns

The NOLA Ready Team has applications available for two interns. The application deadline is rolling for for positions. 

Data Entry Intern

This intern will be primarily supporting COVID-19 vaccine site planning by inputting data into systems. This intern will support the NOLA Ready team as we ramp up vaccine distribution by updating volunteer profiles. Applicants should be very organized and timely, and have a meticulous attention to detail. 

Click here to apply, and indicate in your application that you are interested in the Data Entry Intern position. 

Social Media Intern

This intern will be supporting social media outreach by creating video content for various social media platforms, including Tik Tok. Applicants should be creative and have an interest in communicating public health messaging and facilitating behavior change through messaging. Applicants of color are encouraged to apply. 

Click here to apply. To complete your application, you will also need to submit 2-3 sample social media videos to lamellem@nola.gov. 

NOLA Ready is the City of New Orleans' emergency preparedness campaign, managed by the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 

 

This message contains emergency preparedness information. Emergency alerts are sent through a separate program. To sign up for emergency alerts, text your zip code to 888777 or go to ready.nola.gov/alerts.