Volunteer Participation in State Agencies in Washington

8/6/2019 Volunteer Participation in State Agencies in Washington

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OLUNT ARV C IT IZEN PART IC IPA T ION IN STATE AGENC IESAND DEPARTM ENTS : AN ANAL VS IS O F VOLUNTEERPAR T IC IPA T IO N AND PRO FESS IO NA L M ANAG EM EN T

STRATEG IESby

N ~ ncy M~ c du ff~ndB (2 rb a r1 2J ob y" W in ans

July t 6 , 1990London S choo l o f E conom ics

fo rA sscc ta tton fo r V olun ta ry A c tion schc le rsAnnua1Con fe rence


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ABSTRACTA reseerch p ro jec t in 1 988 co nd u_c ted by the W a sh ing ton S ta teC en ter fo r V olun ta ry A ctio n show s the level o f vo lu n teeru tiliza tio n in S ta te a gen cies , b urea us , d ep artm en ts , a ndcomm iss io ns , th e perfo rm a nce o f p ro fess io na l vo lu nteers tra teg ies , cnd whether t~ in ing is a va ila b le fo r th ose who m anagevolunteer programs.

Int roduct ion

T he s ta te o f W csh ing ton ccknow ledges the im po rta nce o fvo lu nteers to go vern m en t p ro gra m s w ith en ab lin g leg is la tio n.itA vo lun teer sha ll m ean a person w ho perfo rm s any ass igned o ra u th o r ized du ties fo r the s ta te o r an y agen cy th ereo f, excep tem ergen cy serv ices w orkers a s desc rib ed by C hap ter 38 .52 R C W ,b rou gh t a bo ut b y on e's ow n free e n o r e e . recetves n o w ages , an d tsreg ts tered and accep ted as a vo lun teer b y th e s ta te o r an y agencyth ereo f ... fo r th e pu rp os e o f en ga g1 ng fn a uth or1 zed vo lu nteerserv ice: P rov id ed , tha t su ch person sha l1 be deem ed to be avo lun teer a lth ou gh he o r she m ay be g ran ted m a fn ten an ce andre im bu rsem en t fo r a c tu al expen ses necessa rl1 y In cu rred 1nperfo rm 1n g h ts o r h er a ss fgned o r au th orized d uties . (R ev ised C od eof WA, 1987, 51.12.035)

The passage o f th a t leg is la tion in 1987 (pa rts had beenpassed as ea rly a s 1 (71 ) gave perm iss io n to s ta te agenc ies~buref2us , commiestons, a nd d epa rtm en ts to u tilize a vo lun teerwo r k po ol. (T he va rio us types o f s ta te governm en t en tities w ill b eherea fter referred to a s agenc i es )

To eeterrm n e th e level o f vo lu nteer utihzatton.theWa sh ing ton S ta te C en ter fo r V o lun ta ry A ctio n co nd uc ted 8 s tudy

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in 1 988 o n vo lu nteer ec tiv it ies w ith in s ta te ~ gen cies . T he S ta tec en te r d efin ed vo lun teer in e co ver letter ~ s "a person w horen ders a id , perfo rm s a serv ice o r a ssum es en ob1 ig~ tio n o f h is o rh er o wn free w i l 1 . " R espon den ts w ere to ld th at th e pu rpo se o f th esu rvey w as "to fin d ou t h ow meny c itizen vo lu n teers a re b ein gu tilized th ro u ghou t s ta te ~ genc ies end the type o f w ork they ereperfo rm ing ." It a lso in d ic~ ted th~ t in fo rm a tio n w ou ld berequ es ted o n rec ru itm e nt, tra in in g en d p la cem e nt o f vo lu n teersa nd th e exp erien ce a nd tra in in g o f th os e m ~ n ag in g t he vo lu nteerp rog rams .T h e o vera l1 d ata w a s c om p iled fo r a ll res po nd in g a gen cies ,b y th e type o f a gency . T o a ssess ut i l t za t tcn , th e re sp o n d in gagenc ies w ere d iv id ed in to the types lis ted below . T he append ixl ists a n th e a gen cies u nd er th eir a ss ig ned ty pes

A dm i n is tra ti o n /R e g uIt i o nAr ts /His to ryEduca t i onLaw IJu s tic eM in o rity C o n cern sNa t u ra l Resou r ces /Env ir o nmen tS o c ia l S e rv ic eTranspor ta t ion/Ut i l i t iesIn add itio n to in fo rm a tio n on the num ber and type o fvo lu nteer in vo lvem en t in th e va rio us s ta te a gen cies , th e a uth orsw ere in teres ted in th e level o f p ro fess io na l m a na gem en texhib i ted by th e qu elit tc etlo ne a nd exp erien ce o f th os e m a n ag in g

vo lu n teer p ro gra m s . O n e w ay to m e as ure p ro fes sio na lmenaqernen t is to com pa re the u se o f vo lu n teer m anagem en ta ctiv it ies d eterm in ed b y th e A sso cia tio n fo r V o lu nteer

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A dm in is tra tio n 's s ta nd a rd s fo r th e C ertif ic at io n o f V o lu n teerAdm in i s t r a t o r s (eVA) .T he eV A s ta nd ard s a re a c om p ila tio n o f res ea rc h a ndm e as urem e nt o ver a 1 5 y ea r p erio d . T hey o utlin e th e p rim a ryc ha ra c ter is tic s o f a v olu n teer p ro gra m th a t u ses a p ro fes sio na lm a n a gem e n t p ro ces s. C V A w a s d ev elo ped b y exp er ien ced lo ng -te rm v olu n teer m e n ac ers , a ca dem ic s w ith exp er ien ce inv o lu n teer is m , a n d p ro fes sio n a l a d u lt ed u ca to rs . V o lu n teera dm in is tra to rs w o rk in g towerd c ert if ic a tio n m u s t demonstrateth eir k no w led ge a nd exp erien ce in s uc h jo b re la ted s ki1 1sa sfo rm a l rec ru itm en t a c t iv it ies , d ev elo pmen t a n d im p lem en ta tio no f vo lu n teer tra in in g, th e u se o f su ch th in gs a s jo b d es cr ip tio ns tos pe ll o u t v o lu n teer ro les /res po n sib ilit ies , a n d th e d ev elo pmen ta nd im p lem e n ta tio n o f rew a rd a nd rec og n it io n fo r v o lu n teers .O th er s kills req uired fo r c er tif ic a tio n in c lu d e d ec is io n -m a kin g ,s tra teg ic p ltm n in g , p ro b lem s o lv in g , g ro u p fa c ilita tio n , a n dle ad ers h ip . In a d d itio n , perttcipents in th e eV A p ro ces s d eve lo pp la ns fo r th eir o w n p ro fes sio na l d ev elo pm e n t.T h is s tu d y exam in es o n ly s ix o f th e sk ills requ ired o f th evo lu n teer m a n ag er in o rd er to o b ta in c ert if ic atio n . T hey a re , n od ou bt, th e m o st ta ng ib le a nd v is ib le o f th e requ ired s k ills fo rp ro fe ss io n a lly m a n a g ed v o lu n te er p ro g ram .

W here A r e V o lu n te ers1 26 s urvey s w ere s en t to W a sh in gto n s ta te a gen cies . 7 8 (6 1 .9 ")respo nd ed to th e su rvey . O f th e 78 respo nd en ts , 32 (41 ")rep or ted p art ic ip a t io n in th e p rev io us y ea r o f 3 8,8 33 v olu n teers .T hey a cc ou nted fo r 32 5,50 7 h ou rs o f d on ated serv ic e p er w eek .In o rga niz in g respo nses to th e su rvey b y ty pe, b ased o nth e ir fu n c tio n , th e lis t b e low repo rts th e to ta l n um b er o fres po nd en ts , th e n um b er w ith v olu n teer p ro gra m s , a nd th ep erc en t rep or tin g vo lu n teer a ctiv ity in 1 g a a .

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PERCENTAGE Of VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS BY TYPET Y P E T O T R L O F U I T H I U I T HR E S P O N D E N T S U O L U t f T E E R U O L U t f T .

P R O G R A n S P R O G .

Admin i s t ra t i on /Regu la t i on 20 7 3S~Educa t i on 0 0 0Law/Jus t i ce 9 5 55~M in o rity C o nc em s 5 2 40"Na tu r a l R esou rce s /Env i ro n . 1 t 1 1 100~Soc i a l Se r v ic e s 1 9 18 94%Transpor ta t ion /Ut i l i t ies 0 0 0Othe r 9 4 44~To t a l 78 32 n a

V o lu n teer in g B y T yp eT he w id e va rie ty o f vo lu nteers a nd a ctiv it ies m a keg en era liza tio ns extrem e ly d if f ic u lt. It is m o re illu m in a tin g torepo rt th e ra n ges b y type. Fu ll repo rts o f a ll respo n ses a re inc ha rts in th e a pp en d ix .In th e "A dm in is tra tio n /R e gu la to ry ll ty pe, th e B o a rd o fAccountancy reported the u se of 70-80 v o lu n te er s QverQ~1n~-2h ou rs p er w eek , w h i1 eth e S ec re ta ry o f S ta te 's o ff ic e u ses o nevo lu n teer fo r 1 1 - J 5 per w eek .

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In "Art/History" the Capit01 Museum uses 85 volunteersa nn u ally a vertlg in g 3 -4 h ou rs p er w eek .In th e "L a w a n d Ju stic e" ty pe, th e D ep artm e nt o f C o rrec tio n sh es o ver 50 00 vo lu nteers w ho g ive 3 -4 h ou r per w eek , w h ile th eW a sh in g to n S ta te T ra ffic S a fe ty C omm is sio n h a d 5 0 v o lu n teersw ork in g a n a vera ge o f 1 -2 h ou rs per w eek .A s a g ro u p, th e "N a tu ra l R e so u rc es /E n v iro nm e nt .. ty pe h a dth e la rg es t n um b er o f vo lu n teers overall, Ou td o o r Re c re a tio nwith 300 individuals and ~~ groups, Department of Fisheries with2 0 0-30 0 , a nd T h e S ta te P arks a nd R e crea tio n C omm is sio n w ith6 00 . H ou rs ra nged fro m 9 -1 0 h ou rs per w eek fo r th e Depa rtm en to f E co lo gy to 1 -2 h ou rs per w eek fo r th e Depa rtm en t o f N a tu ra lResou r ce .In th e "S o cia l S erv ices " typ e, th e D ep artm en t o f S o cia l a ndH ea lth S erv ices rep orted 1 60 0 vo lu nteers , w ith a w id e va rie ty o f

h o urs . T h e W o sh in g to n state S o ld iers H om e u ses 1S O vo lunteersa nn ua lly a vera g in g 1 -2 h ou rs p er w eek .In th e "O th er" ty p e, th e D ep artm en t o f P erso nn el u ses 2vo lu nteers fo r 1 -2 h ou rs per w eek .R e sp on den ts w ere a sked w h eth er vo lu n teer fu nc tio ns w erea dv iso ry o r p ro vid ed m o re d irec t serv ice. 75~ (2 4) repo rtedd irec t serv ice vo lu nteers a nd 43~ ( t 4) a dv is ory ro les . 1 1 (3 4~ )o fth e 32 d ep artm en ts a nd a gen cies h ad b oth .PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER M ANAG EM ENT ELEM ENTS

R esp on den ts w ere a sked to p ro vid e in fo rm a tio n th at w ou ldin d ic a te th e ra ng e a nd leve l o f p ro fess io na l m a n ag em en ta ctiv it ies b ein g ca rr ied o ut b y th e d es ig na ted vo lu nteera dm in is tra to r. T here w ere qu es tio ns o n th e su rvey a bo ut s ixe lem en ts requ ired fo r th e e ffec tive m a na gem en t o f vo lu n teerp ro gra m s. T hey w ere: 1 ) th e p resen ce a nd u se o f jo b d esc r ip tio n ,2 ) w ritten p o lic y re la ted to vo lu nteer a ctiv it ies , 3) p l annedrec ru itm e nt c am p a ig ns , 4 ) o rien ta tio n tra in in g,S ) rec og n itio n o fvo lu nteer a ctiv it ies , a nd 6 ) a reco rd keep in g sy s tem fo rvo lu n teer a ctiv it ies . A d ditio na lly resp on den ts w ere a sked a bo ut

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tra in in g fo r s ta ff o n vo lu n teer m an a gem en t a n d th e fu tu re u se o fvo l un tee rs .O f th e 32 a gen cies o f W a s hin gto n g overn m en t rep or tin gvo lu nteer u se , 0 2 '" (2 0) in d ic a ted e ith er fu ll o r p a rt-t im e s ta ff in go f th e vo lu n teer p ro g ram . S ix (21~) h ad fu ll-t im e s ta ff a ss ig n edto th e vo lu nteer p ro gra m . N in e (2 8~ ) respo nd en ts repo rted"p rev io u s exper ien ce w ork in g w ith vo lu n teers " a s a c r ite r ia o fem p lo ym en t. T hree (9 ~ ) o f th e a gen c ies in d ic a tin g th e u se o ffu ll-t im e s ta ff a SS ig nm e nts to co ord in a te vo lu nteer a ctiv it ies ,a n d a ls o requ ired p rev io us experien ce fo r th e jo b.V o lu n teer jo b d esc r ip tio n s w ere a va ila b le in fo u r ( 1 2% )o fth e a g en c ie s. 27(84") respon d en ts p ro v id ed som e type o freco gn it io n fo r vo lu n teers . S 9~ (1 8 ) repo rted o rien ta tio n a n dtra in in g fo r vo lu n teers . 30 respo n d en ts (9 2 ~ ) repo r ted h a v in greco rd keep in g s y s tem s o n vo lu nteer a ctiv it ies .

Programs w ith h ig h vo lu n teer vo lum e w ere m o s t like ly toh a ve a ll th e m a na gem en t e lem en ts in p la ce . T he Depa rtm en t o fC o rrec tio ns ( IIL aw a nd Ju stic e") , w ith 50 00 vo lu nteers , u sed five o fth e s ix m a na geria l e lem en ts , th e D epa rtm en t o f S oc ia l a nd H ea lthS erv ic es ("S o c ia l S erv ic es ") , w ith t 6 00 vo lu n teers , u sed a ll s ix .O f th e s ix m a na gem en t e lem en ts , th e A s ia n A m eric a n C ou nc ilu sed o nly o ne , reco gn it io n o f vo lu nteers . T hey h ad 1 2 vo lu nteersa vera g in g 3 -4 h o u rs per w eek . T he "m ilita ry " vo lu n teers lis ted inth e "O th er" c a tego ry u sed o nly tw o o f th e elem en ts , reg is te r in g1a vo lu nteers a nn ua lly . T he E m p lo ym e nt S ecu rity D ep artm e ntu sed o n ly tw o o f th e m an a gem en t e lem en ts ye t rec ru ited 100vo lu n teers a vera g in g 7 -8 ho u rs o f serv ic e per w eek .G e nera liza tio ns o n th e u se o f p ro fes s io na l vo lu n teerm a na gem en t s tra teq ies b y th e ty pe o f vo lu n teer a gen c y can n o tb e m a de. Fo r exam p le , in th e "S oc ia l S erv ic e" ty pe , th eD ep artm en t o f S o cia l & . H ea lth serv ic es u sed e ll th e to o lsa va ila b le w h ile E m plo ym en t S ecu r ity u sed on ly tw o. S ize o fv o lu n teer p ro g ram appea red to b e a m o re re lia b le in d ic a to r o fth e u se o f p ro fes s io n a l vo lu n teer e lem en ts th a n ty pe o f a gen c y .

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TRA IN ING46 .8~ ( 15 ) o f th e a gen c ies w ith vo lu n teer p ro gram s repo r tedo n -go in g tra in in g to en ha n ce th e sk ills o f p a id vo lu n tee ra dm in is tra to rs . T he fo llo w in g ch a r t s h ow s th e n um ber o f~gencies, department or Boards providing training for staff b yt ype .T RA IN IN G FOR S TA FF VOLUN TE ER A DM IN IS TR AT OR

#

I t 1 S n otew o r th y th at w hen a resp o n d en t m d ic a ted fu 1 1-tim es ta ff th ere w as a lw ay s o n -g o in g tra in in g a va ila b le . W h en th eresp o n d en t in d ic a ted a com b in a tio n o f fu ll t im e a n d pa rt t im e, itd id n o t a lw ay s fo llow th a t o n -g o in g tra in in g w as a va ila b le fo rs ta ff. It w a s even less like ly w h en th e re w a s o n ly pa r t t im e o r n oa s s ig n ed s ta ff..T h e Fu tu r eO ne s u rvey ques tio n a s ked th e respo n den ts to ln d ic a te th e ir

u se o f vo lu n teers in th e nex t f ive yea rs . O n ly o ne agen cyin d ica ted th e d is c o n tin ua tio n o f vo lu n teers , th e L iqu o r C on tro lB o a r d .T h ree e te te eg en cie5 in d ic ated th at w h ile th ey c urren tlyh a ve n o vo lu n tee rs , th ey w ill h a ve w ith in f ive yea rs . T heD ep ar tm e n t o f R e ve nu e, H um t.mR ig hts C omm is s io n , a nd U tilit ie sa nd T ra nspo rta t io n C om m iss io n in ten d to deve lo p vo lu n teerp r oq rems ,

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Observa t i ons1 . . A lm o s t 40 ,0 0 0 peop le per yea r a re vo lu n teer in g o ver 32 5 ,0 0 0h o u rs per w eek to th e ir s ta te to . en h a n ce th e qu a lity o f life inen viro nm e nta l, s oc ia l s erv ic e, h is to ry , ju st ic e, a nd m in or ityp r og r ams . A su b s ta ntia l n um b er o f p eo p le a re a ls o d o n a tin g tim eto in flu en ce th e a d m in is tra t io n a n d regu la t io n o f s ta te de live redserv ices . T h is n um b er is a lm o st . 1 ' " o f th e to ta l W a sh in g to n s ta tepopu l a t i on .2 . T he ra n ge o f jo b s a va ila b le to c itiz en s is s ta gger in g . It ra n gesfrom ad v iso ry a t th e Depa rtm en t o f S oc ia l a n d Hea lth S erv ices tod irec t serv ice to w elfa re rec ip ien ts w ith th e s am e agen cy .Peop le a re c lea n in g bea ches a n d lea din g to u rs a t th e C ap ito l.3. The c omm i tmen t by 32 a gen cies to co ntin ue cu rren t vo lu ntee rp ro g ram s~ w ith 3 m o re to c om e on lin e in th e n ex t f ive yea rs , a n do n ly o n e d is co n tin u in g a cu rren t p ro g ra m , in dic a tes a g row in gsen s it iv ity o f g o vernm en t to in vo lve c it izen s a t a ll leve ls a n d in av ar ie ty o f c ap ac ities .4 . T he s tu d y seem s to in d ic a te th e es ta b lis hm en t o f V O lu n ta ryp ro g ram s o r a d v iso ry b o a rd s w ith litt le a tten tio n b ya dm in is tra to rs to th e m anageria l e lem en ts n ecessa ry to o pera tea lo ng -te rm su ccess fu l procram5 S elec tin g in experien ced em p lo yees to o pera te th ese vo lu n ta ryc it iz en p ro g ram s is a n o th er in d ic a to r th a t few m anagers o f s ta tea gen c ies see a need fo r sp ec ia lized tra in in g in vo lu n teermeneqement , T his o b serva tio n is su ppo r ted b y th e u se o f pa rttim e s ta ff w ho rece ive n o o n -go in g tra in in g to o rga n ize a n dim plem en t th e w o rk to b e d o ne.6 . T he la rges t p ro g ram s ( in n um bers a n d h o u rs ) a re o ften th o sew ith p ro fess io n ally tra in ed s ta ff w ho rece ive o n -go in g tra in in g .T h is seem s to su ppo rt th e c o n nec tio n betw een tra in in g vo lu nteer

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m ~ nQ gers en d th eir a bi1 ity to en hen ce th e qu an tity a nd qu ality o fth e vo lu n teer p ro gra m .7 . Desp ite the absen ce o f key elem en ts v ita l to the m anagem en tof volunteer programs, citizens are attracted to serve in a, variety of state programs.8 . T h is s tud y d id n o t add ress the issue o f reten tio n . A keyques tio n fo r fu tu re resea rch is the connec tio n betw een the use o fvo lu nteer m en aqem en t elem en ts a nd th e w il1 in gn ess o fvo lu nteers to co ntin ue th eir serv ice.

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1988 S T A T E A G E N C Y S U R V E Y R E S U L T S~gency N ame R E S P O N S E C A T E G O R I E S # V O L . H R S / W K

A V E R A G E

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~ o ar d o f A c c o u n t . P X X X X X X X X 7 0 - 8 0 1 - 2D e p t . o f C o m m . D e v . F X X X N A X X X X X X X N A 2 0L a b o r & I n d u s t r i e s X X X X X N A N AL 1 c e n s l n g P X X X X X 2 0 - 2 5 2 0

L lq u o r C o n t r o l B d . X X N A N A 1 1 - 2P h a r m a c y B o o r d N A N A N A N A X N A N A X 7 7 - 8S e c re ta r y o f S ta t e N A N A N A X N A N A 1 1 1 - 1 5

A B I l : I I S I a B ~c a p 1 to l M u s e u m P X X X X X X X X X X 8 5 + 3-4

H l s t . S o c ie ty E a s t . W A F X X X X X X X 1 0 0 - 1 2 0 5 - 6L I b ra r y W A . S ta t e N A N A N A X X X X X 7 3-4

E DUC AT ION (N O R ES PON SE )LAW AND JU ST IC E

A t t o rn e y G e n . O f f i c e P X X X X X X X X X X 1 0 0 - 1 2 0 1 6 - 2 0C o r r e c t 1 o n s P/F X X X X X X X 5 0 1 6 3-4S t a te P a tr o l P X X X X X N A 1 1 - 1 5T r a m e S a f e t y X X X X X X X X X 1 8 5 7 - 8T ra f f i c . S a f e . C o m m . X X X X X 5 0 1 - 2


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Agency N am e RESPONSE CATEGOR I ES VOL . HRS /WKAVERAGE

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J ;iit .2I, J ! I~ Ii i i lie iiJ I J I I J I~ ! s C .M IN O R IT Y C O N C E R N S -

A s i a n /A m e r . A f fa ir s N A N A N A X X 1 2 3 - 4B l in d S e r v .D e p t N A N A X X W X X X 1 6 3

N A T U R A L R E S O U R C EC o n s e r v a t io n C o m m . N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A 1 0 - 1 5 3 - 4E c o l o g y : S h o r e lin e P X X X X X X X 8 0 9 - 1 0N a t u ra l R e s o u r c e P X X X X X X X 1 8 - 2 0 1 - 2O u to o a r R e c r e a tio n P X X X X X X X X 3 60 In d /9 9 grp s variesP a r k s e n d R e c re a tio n P X X X X X X 6 0 0 variesP u g . S o u n d W a te r Q u a . X X N A X X X X X X 7 0 0 1 - 2W lId l1 f e [C O M B . ] P/F X X X X X X X X X 2 8 3 0 variesF i s h e r i e s F X X X X X 2 0 0 - 3 0 0 N A

S O C I A L S E R V I C E SD . S . H . S . [ C O M B . ] P/F X X X X X X X X X X X 1 6 0 7 + variesE m p lo ym e n t S e c u rt t y P X X X X 1 0 0 7 - 8W A V e te ra n s H o m e P X X X X X X X 1 5 0 1 - 2W A S o ld ie rs H o m e F X X X X X X X X X X 1 5 0 5 - 6


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Agency Name R E S P O N S E C A T E G O R I E 5 z V O L . H R S / W KA V E R A G E

j IIIiiIIii ;iI ~ 1 iiI~ II- i I .iIJ , 1 f I JIi ~ ! ~ . .T R A N S P O R T A T IO N /U T IL IT IE S ( N O R E S P O N S E )O T H E R

M 1 U t a r y P X X N A N A 10 9 - 1 0Personnel N A N A N A X X N A N A 2 1-2~ rade /E con . Dev P X X X X X X X X 2 5 - 3 0 3 - 4

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Volunteer Participation in State Agencies in Washington