Base Building Canvaser

VOCAL-KY is a grassroots membership organization dedicated to building the power of low-income people affected by the drug war, mass incarceration, HIV/AIDS, and homelessness to create healthy and just communities. We accomplish this through community organizing, advocacy, direct services, and strategic communications.

Position Description

The GrassRoots Organizing to Win (GROW) Canvasser role is a part-time position, with the opportunity to become full-time. The GROW program is VOCAL-KY's base-building program, dedicated to growing the organization's membership and power. We do this through regular outreach, new member recruitment, and mobilizing members and leaders to meetings, protests, and other events. GROW Canvassers are a vital part of VOCAL-KY's organizing infrastructure, strengthening the organization's base and expanding capacity across campaigns. Examples of active campaigns include advancing policies to reduce criminalization and incarceration and increasing access to housing, services, and care for people who use drugs, people experiencing homelessness, formerly incarcerated people, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Job Responsibilities:

Other duties may be assigned. On an ongoing basis regular duties include the following:

• Base Building: Conduct daily community outreach among people directly impacted by HIV/AIDS, drug use, mass incarceration, and homelessness.
• Phone Banking: Conduct mass phone calls to new contacts made during outreach, and to existing members and leaders to mobilize them to action.
• Data-entry: Manage data input from base building and phone banking by using VOCAL-NY’s custom CRM database.
• Grassroots fundraising: Conduct occasional fundraising via “phone banking” to existing donors, and/or through street outreach.

Requirements / Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have strong communication and leadership skills, and be eager to be in the community talking to new people every day. Candidates must be organized and believe in and support VOCAL-KY’s community organizing model. Candidates must also demonstrate a deep commitment to social justice and be committed to building the power of low-income people living with HIV, drug users, the formerly incarcerated and the homeless.

The ideal candidate must have:

• Able to do 2-3 hours of outreach, 1-2 hours of data entry and 2-3 hours of phone banking 4 days a week between the hours of 9am-6pm
• Community organizing experience, or related experience, specifically doing community outreach and phone banking
• Must be willing and eager to conduct street-based, site-based, and/or door-knocking outreach multiple times a week, for several hours at a time, year-round.
• Proficiency with common business software (e.g. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email clients).
• Direct experience with, or demonstrated strength in one or more key areas of VOCAL-KY work.
• A car and driver’s license, ability to drive, and willingness to occasionally drive a 15-passenger van

This is not a remote position. It will require regular in-person supervision and staff meetings. The position will require occasional travel to Frankfort and throughout the region.

The position will report to a Director of Organizing and Campaigns and will work collaboratively with other members of the community organizing staff

VOCAL-KY offers a generous benefits package, which includes

• Paid Vacation Time (up to 20 days per year, prorated based on hours worked)
• Paid Wellness Time (up to 15 days per year, prorated based on hours worked)
• Paid Holidays & End-of-Year closing period (payable when falling on one’s regular work hours)
• Commuter reimbursement
• $30 monthly cell phone reimbursement or company phone
• Ongoing professional development and training opportunities, including $500 in annual professional development funding after one year of employment.