Abstract
[Professional Administrative Study Title]
by
[your official name]
MA, [university], 20XX
BS, [university], 20XX
Professional Administrative Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Public Administration
University
[last month of the term you graduate] 20XX
Abstract
Like any other nonprofit organization, the firehouse Ministries of Birmingham faces financial challenges, lack of funds for general operations, existing programs, and lack of financial expertise and infrastructure. However, in this Pandemic, new challenges have arisen, and one typical issue is how to keep their volunteers safe from the coronavirus. It is essential to address the need for the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham to play a vital role in building a healthy community through critical services, thus contributing to economic stability and mobility. Also, the services it provides and the general running of the organization need funds for its sustainability. This research aims to determine ways in which the Firehouse Ministries can come up with an effective and safe plan for the use of volunteers during a pandemic crisis. Yet, there is a need to improve communities’ quality of life, which provides insights into nonprofit organizations (Lewis, 2017). The role of nonprofit organizations in supporting community needs is important, especially during the COVID-19 Pandessentialing an effective plan in place will help consolidate the government’s efforts to fight the Pandemic and Firehouse Ministries’ role in supporting other community needs, especially in offering shelter. In the rise of the COVID 19 pandemic, the Firehouse Ministries has faced many challenges, just like other organizations, with its volunteer staff by recruiting and retaining them. However, the COVID-19 Pandemic emergence has strained the organization to captivate volunteers to facilitate its strategic objectives.
The research used questionnaires administered as a tool for the data collection on randomly selected heads in the organization and also had a one on one talk with the General Management Officer of the organization. The data collected were examined using appropriate statistical tools and the hypotheses tested at a 95% confidence level. The organization’s website, financial reports, and economic conference proceedings from the organization’s finance office are the evidence used to base our conclusions. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis, and the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental (PESTLE) analysis were the analytical strategies used in the study’s administration. The findings were that there is a risk on the use of volunteers in the COVID 19 pandemic, and there was a need for ways in which the organization could come up with an effective, safe plan for the use of the volunteers. For public administrative practice, the recommendations will imply that there will be a smooth running of the organization; thus, there will be the social change for the organization will continue to give its critical services to the society. The organization’s volunteers will not be at risk of the coronavirus since the safe plans recommended will be put into practice.
[Professional Administrative Study Title]
by
[your official name]
MA, [university], 20XX
BS, [university], 20XX
Professional Administrative Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Public Administration
Walden University
[last month of the term you graduate] 20XX
Dedication
This study wholeheartedly is dedicated to the Executive Director of The Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham, who has done his best to ensure that homeless men have a roof on their heads, thus impacting positivity in people’s lives and inspiring more people to be that generous and kind of heart.
To all the people working in the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham, who have given their lives to serving the needy people of the society.
Acknowledgments
I wish to express my sincere thanks to our learned faculty for all the guidance throughout the study; the excellent tutorial services made the whole exercise possible. I further send my debt of gratitude to my family and friends for all their support that has been useful to me to get to this point in my study. Finally, I would like to thank all those I cannot mention here but have played their role well to inspire me behind the curtains.
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction to the Problem.. 1
Volunteer Safety Challenges Faced by the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham.. 1
Section 2: Conceptual Approach and Background. 4
Background and Approach to study. 4
Section 3: Data Collection Process and Analysis. 6
Section 4: Evaluation and Recommendations. 8
Concepts, Models Theories, Recommendations and Conclusion. 8
Appendix: Questions Included in Survey. 13
1………… What is the official name of this organization?. 13
2………… What role do you play in the running of the organization?. 13
3………… What actions do you take to keep yourself safe during this Pandemic as you volunteer in the organization?. 13
Section 1: Introduction to the Problem
Volunteer Safety Challenges Faced by the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham
Nonprofit organizations play a vital role in the society we are in today. Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham is a nonprofit organization, which was brought up in the year 1983 to help the chronically homeless men in the society around the Birmingham area by providing a roof for them to get the men into permanent supportive houses. Among the emergency services offered by the Firehouse Ministries are a soup kitchen that is open to everyone and not just the men, case management, clothing closet, emergency shelter, and a variety of housing options; permanent housing, transitional housing, and a haven that is meant for the men who have mental illnesses. With the emergency services offered, the Firehouse Ministries serve everyone unable to pay for such services. They are a low barrier, and indeed, they have stayed true to their mission and vision. (Ministries, 2020)
Just like any other nonprofit organization, Firehouse Ministries has many challenges during this crisis: financial challenges, the pressure to give results to the society, attracting and retaining the right talent, technological problems, regulation, and compliance, among other problems (Schnurbein, 2019). However, the greatest challenge among the challenges the organization faces during this Pandemic is the challenge to do with their volunteers’ safety because all the organization’s activities need volunteers who work very hard to keep the programs and services of the company running. This study will be significant to the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham and other organizations for their running; all of them need volunteers. More often than not, they face the same challenges that are solved in the same way.
Experts have done their surveys and proven that the volunteers’ safety is crucial in the organizations that put into use labor donations. The role of nonprofit organizations in supporting community needs is essential and much needed, especially during this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which involves volunteers. Having a more convenient plan in place for the volunteers’ safety will help consolidate the government’s efforts in fighting the coronavirus crisis and Firehouse Ministries’ role of giving support to communities’ by meeting some of the needy people’s, especially by sheltering them. The use of volunteers in nonprofit organizations considers the health interventions put in place by governments, especially the need to use face masks and sanitizing or thorough washing of hands with running water and soap. The public policy program gives support to nonprofit organizations to invest in health resources to protect volunteers and an establishment recently made up by governments. Some of the possible supports are used as safety plans for the volunteers include the use of face masks, sanitizers, and protective clothing in cases where the volunteers may meet individuals they serve within the communities. The formulation of a policy program has in it that volunteers will be based on a safety plan; therefore, volunteers’ health will be highly considered. Hence, this study’s design strategy was qualitative, with an observational study incorporated as an intervention method. The key findings were greatly developed and presented in narrative form.
Objectives of the Study
- To identify who the ways in which the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham was handling the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- To find out the challenges that the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham faced as far as the Pandemic volunteers are concerned.
- To identify other ways in which nonprofit organizations keep their volunteers safe from the infectious disease at this time of the crisis and in the rise of other pandemics.
- To recommend measures that can be used to curb the COVID-19 by the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham, thus keeping everybody safe, including the volunteers.
This study will hold significance to other nonprofit organizations for running similar organizations, and their needs are most likely the same, if not all.
In summary, there was the use of a mixed Approach of the study, the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches with various sources of data. The purpose of the study is to find out ways in which nonprofit organizations can come up with an effective, safe plan for the use of volunteers during a pandemic crisis. The key stakeholders in this research were the organization’s manager, the head of management in the organization, and the volunteers of Firehouse Ministries. They need to keep themselves safe from the coronavirus and help other people keep safe. The project is of great contribution to the public organization administration for the key matter of keeping volunteers safe during this Pandemic was well researched with conclusions and recommendations given. The project will impact the society for nonprofit organizations, and other organizations that put into use labor donations will know how to keep their volunteers safe from the Pandemic.
Section 2: Conceptual Approach and Background
Background and Approach of the study
I was inspired to take up this study by the fact that I have once worked as a volunteer in a nonprofit organization, and I am now inquisitive about how the volunteers are keeping safe in this time of the Pandemic. Also, I have a friend who has been working as a volunteer at the Firehouse Ministries, and he suggested I do this study following the organization. I had previous research on the challenges facing nonprofit organizations during this crisis. I got that there are many challenges, but the volunteers’ safety is an important matter that should be looked into. One thing I found out in the past is that many organizations need volunteers to help in running their programs and services to the community. In that case, there is a dire need for more safety plans for the use of volunteers during this COVID-19 Pandemic and other pandemics that may come in the future.
To find the sources in this study, I used the following approaches:
- I went to the library and did thorough research on nonprofit organizations and their challenges.
- I followed the citations in the library sources I got, which took me to primary sources of information on nonprofit organizations.
- Got some secondary sources of information from the Firehouse Ministries on how they were keeping safe from the infectious disease and how the volunteers were managing it.
- The website of the Firehouse Ministries was of great importance to know more about it. (Institute, 2018)
Section 3: Data Collection Process and Analysis
The research was a formal one. Therefore, appropriate procedures and techniques were used to identify, select, process, and analyze the research questions’ information. A case study of how the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham was keeping the volunteers safe from the Pandemic was done, and we identified the most used safety measure was the use of masks and sanitizers or running water and soap, which is very appropriate. Questionnaires were given to randomly selected volunteers in the organization to find out what safety measures they were using to manage the coronavirus pandemic. The data so collected were the primary ones and were assumed to be an accurate description of the sampled person’s opinion. Additionally, we had a one-on-one talk with the management officer, who explained how challenging it was to keep the volunteers safe from the Pandemic. The data collected was validated and subjected to appropriate statistical tools, and significant tests were carried out at a 95% level of confidence with non-parametric tests being applied in the critical areas.
The simple random sampling strategy was put into use, where each individual chosen in the data collection procedure was chosen entirely by chance. All the group members we chose from were given an equal chance or probability of being selected. This method proved to be efficient as it reduced biasness. It allowed sampling error to be calculated, and it is the most straightforward method in finding out the probability of a given event. Convenience sampling was also put into use for the participants selected were based on their availability, and their willingness to take part in the survey. Though useful, the results were prone to biasness, but I hoped for non-bias results from the participants.
The Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham organization needs the study in order to get recommendations towards the safety measures for their volunteers. The study was institutional, for it took part in accordance with the running of Firehouse Ministries and is very applicable to other nonprofit organizations. My project’s role was to carry out the whole study by collecting data from the chosen sources, analyzing the data, and giving my conclusions and recommendations. My motivations were my parents, faculty, and friends who work as volunteers at the organization; they kept me on toes to finish the study as desired. The potential biasness in the study could be from the sampling technique used; the convenience sampling for one could be willing to take part in the study but not willing to give the truth in the questionnaires.
Section 4: Evaluation and Recommendations
Concepts, Models Theories, Recommendations and Conclusion
Keeping the volunteers safe from the Pandemic is a crucial matter, for they are in the organization to assist in running the programs and services there. The big question was, what safety measure can the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham put into use to keep their volunteers safe from the Pandemic? Are there challenges it undergoes in the process of putting into use the safety measures for the coronavirus pandemic? Do the other volunteers in the organization put into use safety measures in this coronavirus pandemic?
This study’s primary purpose is to answer the questions of how the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham can come up with practical, safe plans for the use of volunteers during a pandemic crisis. We also wanted to know whether the Firehouse Ministries’ volunteers put into use safety measures to keep themselves from contracting the infectious disease. This was done with the organization manager’s help and the randomly selected volunteers who helped give the data we required in the study. With this, we are able to do the research and come up with conclusions and recommendations towards the challenge in question that would be of great importance not only to Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham but also other no-profit organizations. Nonprofit organizations all similarly run their programs and services. Thus, the financial challenges at Firehouse Ministries are just the same as those at other nonprofit organizations; if there is a difference, it is a very minute matter.
Questionnaires were put up asking whether the volunteers had safety plans for keeping themselves against the coronavirus, and randomly selected volunteers, who were available, were put to the test. The results were as shown in table two below. From the above, conclusions were made, which were non-bias to everyone. Analytical strategies were used to identify and eliminate the seemingly irrelevant data we had collected with the use of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis, and the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental (PESTLE) analysis. (NIBUSINESS, 2020)
A Table is showing the safety plans put into use by volunteers at Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham during this coronavirus pandemic.
| Safety plans | Wearing of Masks | Use of Sanitizers | Washing hands thoroughly with running water and soap |
| Volunteer | |||
| A | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| B | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| C | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A Table Showing How Much the workers at Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham Know of the Safety Plans during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
| No. of Workers | |
| Yes I know | 10 |
| No, I do not Know | 0 |
| I am not Sure | 5 |
From the above results, the following are the recommendations I came up with:
- The organization should create time to discuss the coronavirus disease and its safety measures to keep everybody in the know.
- Being the most relied on an organization for shelter in the Birmingham area, the organization should ensure the volunteers’ safety for they directly get in touch with those in need.
- The organization should provide sanitizers and face masks for free to the volunteers to keep them safe from the Pandemic.
In conclusion, the Firehouse Ministries of Birmingham is a nonprofit organization that works so hard to provide the best programs and services to society’s needy people. Grant-makers and well-wishers should see that their efforts are not in vain, thus continuing giving a hand to the organization by providing sanitizers and face masks to the organization. The organization needs more volunteers to positively impact the community, bringing change to the community’s critical areas.
References
Institute, S. (2018). Types of Sources; Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. SIA New York Library Guide.
Ministries, F. (2020). Firehouse Ministries. Bham Wiki.
NIBUSINESS. (2020). Measure Performance and set Targets: SWOT, PESTLE, and Other Models for Strategic Analysis. BUSINESS INFO.
Schnurbein, V. (2019). Investment- Readiness of Nonprofit Organizations- Criteria to Diagnose the Investment-readiness Level of a Nonprofit Organization. Expert Focus, 125-128.
Appendix: Questions Included in the Survey
- What is the official name of this organization?
- What role do you play in the running of the organization?
- What actions do you take to keep yourself safe during this Pandemic as you volunteer in the organization?
- Do you know any other safety measures volunteers could use to keep safe as they work in the organization?
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