Veteran Outreach Coordinators

We exist and are effective because every day citizens are willing to stand up and bring the message of The Mission Continues into their communities. Our Veteran Outreach Coordinators (VOCs) bring a variety of skills and backgrounds to the mission. It is through our VOCs that we are able to not just change lives but strengthen communities and build a stronger nation.

VOC Mission Statement:

The Mission Continues Veteran Outreach Coordinator (VOC) will ensure that the services of the Mission Continues Fellowship Program are offered to all eligible veterans in all communities throughout the United States. Further, the VOC will ensure that information and awareness efforts are present in these communities as a means to attract support and prospective Fellow interest.

What is a Veteran Outreach Coordinator?

The Fellowship Veteran Outreach Coordinator is the backbone of The Mission Continues. A VOC, in short, is a representative of The Mission Continues in their community that offers the resources and services of The Mission Continues Fellowship Program. A VOC will raise awareness of the Mission Continues Fellowship Program and identify strong prospects eligible for a Fellowship.

VOCs are strategically located in different geographical areas of the country-with a focus on major metropolitan areas and locations with high military or veteran populations. A VOC serves as a liaison for The Mission Continues in a specific location. Without VOCs The Mission Continues cannot exist.

What is Veteran Outreach Coordinator Mission Success?

As stated above, our Veteran Outreach Coordinators are successful when they are able to provide the following services to their communities:

1. Offer the services of The Mission Continues Fellowship Program to eligible veterans
2. Raise awareness about The Mission Continues and its mission and philosophy

As the eyes and ears of The Mission Continues in each community, Veteran Outreach Coordinators identify veterans that have the potential to serve their communities as Mission Continues Fellows. This is the key task of each VOC, and strong fellows are the cornerstone of our organization. Additionally, our VOCs raise awareness for the services and mission of The Mission Continues. By distributing literature, speaking to audiences, and securing partnerships, the VOC can begin to open channels for Fellow recruitment and Fellowship Program support.

Who is the ideal Veteran Outreach Coordinator?

Our ideal Veteran Outreach Coordinators are everyday people of military and/or civilian backgrounds who wish to both bring hope and light to our returning wounded veterans and service and values to their community.

As the local face of The Mission Continues, VOCs must serve as good examples of citizen leaders. VOCs will be encouraged to address audiences, interview prospective fellows, and conduct meetings with local service organizations, while portraying The Mission Continues positively in their words and actions.

Each VOC's methods are unique and we encourage all to find their own method for living out the values of The Mission Continues in their community. Our mission is to support all VOCs in their efforts.

How do I start?

The best way to start as a VOC in your community is to learn about the Mission Continues. We've made the following resources available for your convenience:

• The Mission Continues Story
  
• Past success of Alumni Fellows
• Future Goals of the Mission Continues
• VOC Outreach Guide
• VOC PPTs and public speaking points
• VOC Testimonies
• Lessons Learned and Best Practices
• FAQ

This literature will help inform you and guide you in your efforts in your community. Once you feel that all your questions are answered, you may wish to begin your outreach.

VOC Outreach:

A common question among our VOCs is "Where do I find these veterans?" Every VOC has a unique method of how to best identify strong prospects for the Fellowship Program. Examples are:

• Local veteran organizations
• VA Hospitals
• Local posts or bases
• Veterans related events
• School Veteran Clubs
• Churches

More examples can be found in the VOC Outreach Guide. Also found in the guide is how to approach these installations and best offer the services of The Mission Continues. It is more common for our VOCs to provide some general information through literature and speaking to audiences before they actually begin a one-on-one dialogue with a veteran.

Once a dialogue is initiated between the VOC and the eligible veteran, the Mission Continues will provide guidance on how to best offer the services of the Fellowship Program and assess whether the veteran is a good fit for the program.

Once a strong prospect is identified, the VOC will hand off the relationship to the Mission Continues national office in St. Louis, MO. Motivated Mission Continues representatives will continue to work with the prospect through the application process and the actual Fellowship. The VOC will remain a point of contact for the Fellow throughout and beyond the Fellowship, however, the VOC is then encouraged to again identify and recruit the next prospective Fellow.

A Nation Served:

At The Mission Continues, it is our belief that our returning wounded veterans are not "issues," but incredible assets. We believe that, if given the opportunity to serve, these veterans will not only strengthen and build-up our communities, but also inspire and encourage all of us to challenge ourselves to stand up as strong "citizen leaders" for our neighbor, for those in need, for a nation, and in honor of those that have fallen in service to our country.

However, to offer these services to our deserving wounded veterans, we must rely on the initiative of our community members to serve as Veteran Outreach Coordinators.

For more information on The Mission Continues, please visit us on the web at www.missioncontinues.org or contact The Mission Continues Fellowship Program staff:

Tiffany Garcia
Fellowship Program Associate
tgarcia@missioncontinues.org

(314) 588-8805
Mission Continues
1141 South 7th Street
St. Louis, MO 63104