Teen Volunteering

Everyone is welcome to apply to be a member (grades 6-12). The TVA is a group dedicated to planning events and supporting various ways to make the library a better place for teens and an integral part of the South Brunswick community. The TVA is also a space to make friends, learn how to organize, create and make ideas into realities. In order to accomplish these goals, we need active and motivated members. Yes, this is a volunteer organization and there are volunteer hours associated with it. HOWEVER, it must be noted that we are looking for members who genuinely care about the community at large and the library specifically; not just people looking for hours. If you just want to earn a few hours, you should check the blog, and jump into helping with random events, no harm done no minimums to meet.
MEMBERSHIP IN THE TVA HAS NO BEARING ON YOUR ABILITY TO VOLUNTEER AT THE LIBRARY. It is a separate branch of volunteering with a specific focus. Membership in the TVA has a limit of 75, if we are at our limit, then potential members will be places on a waiting list. You will be told whether you have been accepted or are on the waiting list.

Member benefits:

Members receive a TVA t-shirt, volunteer opportunities not published on the blog, sometimes just first choice of opportunities before they are posted. Members have the ability to create events and activities for their peers at the library and in the community at large.

How to join the TVA:

• In order to become a TVA member, you fill out a TVA application. Applications will be read and applicants will be evaluated based on their answers as well as their overall involvement and/or behavior in activities at the library. Applicants will be contacted and given the results of the application (accepted, denied or waitlisted), as soon as possible from when the application is received.
• Meetings are usually on the first Saturday of the month from 1-2:30. Reminders of meetings are sent, and changes to the schedule are noted well ahead of time. For the first three meetings, new members will be on probationary status. Once the minimum of attendance at three meetings has been met, they will officially be members and receive their t-shirts and will retro-actively receive credit and hours for all of the meetings attended. These new membership requirements do count towards the annual requirements but are not the totality of them, so new members should make sure that they are working towards that. When members join late in the year, considerations are made towards minimum requirements, however the effort to fulfill them should still be made.
  • FYI: We use the school year as our model, so the year counts from September-August.
  • Any new member not meeting probationary requirements will not receive credit or membership status.

Annual Requirements to maintain and continue being a TVA member:

• To maintain membership, members must continue to attend at least 5 meetings per year (which averages one meeting every other month).
• Members are required to volunteer at 2 “official” events per year. “Official Events” include book sales, National Night Out, Summer Fun Festival, December Open House and possibly teen led/created events & fund-raisers. TVA members receive a t-shirt as part of their membership. These shirts are our way of announcing who we are at community events. As TVA members, we should be conspicuous at “official” events, so that we can advertise who we are and what we do and that is why this requirement was added.
• Additionally, members are required to attend and participate in a minimum of 8 teen events and/or classes per year. Attending 8 events isn’t as difficult as you may think, it averages out to attending two events every quarter (or every 3 months).
• Please note: Participation in an event is NOT THE SAME as volunteering. As a general rule, if you are receiving volunteer hours for an event, it does not count towards the participation requirement. To ensure you receive credit, be sure and sign in at each event you attend (*teen events only). Virtual events DO count, but are harder to check as we don’t a way to do a sign in sheet for those. Those who attend events often are much more likely to be noticed than those who seldom do….but do what you can with the time you have.
• It is understood that failing to fulfill all requirements will result in loss of membership status or being put on probation. Probation means that members maintain membership but must show significant effort to fix the problems that occurred the previous year. If progress is not made within the first 4 months of the year, probation will be revoked and membership will be withdrawn. Those who lose their membership do not lose their previously earned hours, but they will lose the rights associated with the group. They also would have to cease participation in TVA specific committees if that is applicable.
• Members are expected to contribute towards the group and to assist with any ongoing projects and tasks given during meetings. Non-participation is not acceptable and may be grounds for someone to be asked to leave the meeting or have their membership rescinded.
• There is a limit of 75 members allowed at a time, therefore a waiting list will be maintained and those waiting will be contacted as spots open up.
• Some adjustments to the rules of membership may be made due to extenuating circumstances (i.e. pandemic issues, building closures, illnesses, etc). Saleena will make every effort to help a TVA member maintain their membership if they are determined and communicate their issues. Always feel free email concerns or speak with Saleena in person so as to avoid issues and confusion.