Volunteer Positions
(Click here to fill out the application)
Project Leader
NARSOL's Project leaders are responsible for helping to keep everyone on task in order to meet the deadlines in our many projects. They keep track of progress and hours each volunteer of their team has devoted to the project and then report that information to the volunteer coordinator every month.
Approved applicants for the project leader positions will have skills or experience in leading a group of people. They will be willing to learn and understand the importance of the project being developed and then communicate that importance to the rest of their team. They are not expected to know how to do everything the project involves but should be able to communicate our needs to the volunteers who are skilled in those areas. They should also have good organizational and communication skills and attend conference call meetings each month.
Research Assistants
NARSOL's research assistants are tasked with the important job of ensuring that our Wiki and resource pages are up to date with the most current and accurate information on state and federal laws, case law, local ordinances and policies, and other information related to registry issues, so that those who need that information have a reliable resource they can use. Research assistants know where to look on state and federal government sites to find the right information, and then they submit it via a form. They also comb through the current entries of the Wiki pages and resource pages to weed out anything that is outdated and then make additions or updates.
Approved applicants for the research assistant positions will receive training and resources. They will periodically report their progress to their project leaders.
NARSOL's Truth Brigade
When news articles about those charged with sexual offenses or regarding the registry are posted, NARSOL's Truth Brigade springs into action.
The Truth Brigade is a team of level-headed rational thinkers who comb the internet for fresh articles, where they can leave thought provoking, fact based comments for the public to read. They are well versed in the facts and statistics regarding recidivism rates and the harmful effects of the registry laws, as well as basic citizen rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. They know not to react to hateful trolls but will still engage in calm discussions and answer questions from rational participants of whatever forum the article is on or link them to NARSOL's many resources.
The importance of the Truth Brigade's mission cannot be overstated, as they help to steer public opinion away from fear and myths to an opinion more grounded in common sense and facts. Approved applicants of the Truth Brigade will receive resources and training on how to leave comments and how to respond to other commentators and assistance in setting up any accounts. They should not be restricted from social media, as many comment opportunities require such an account. Approved applicants are also expected to keep track of how many articles they have commented on and report those numbers to their project leader each month.
Journalist
As a journalist for NARSOL, you will be working closely with our communications director as you submit original news reports, research, and opinion pieces that are supported by documented facts. if applicable, for publishing on our website and/or our printed bi-monthly newsletter. You will have a very important job in helping keep the public informed and educated on the truth about registry laws and any other matters pertaining to our cause.
All articles that are published by NARSOL journalists will be posted under the author's real name or pseudonym, and, if the author chooses, a short biography with a photograph will be included so that he or she receive the deserved recognition. Also, if the author has a blog, a link to it can be added.
This is an excellent opportunity for aspiring or experienced writers that can be used to bolster a resume or to add a personal reference for your skills and abilities. Applicants will be asked to submit samples of their writing for review if they do not have credentials, official training, or previous job experience in the journalism field.
Correspondent
NARSOL receives dozens of written letters in the mail each week. It is important to us that we respond to these letters in a professional and timely manner. Our correspondents download and read scanned copies of the letters then upload their responses to a Dropbox folder. Their responses will then be printed and mailed from our offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico. NARSOL will provide all the necessary training and resources to approved applicants for the correspondent positions.
Membership Assistants
NARSOL's membership assistants are that important first human contact to new members of our organization. When a new member has signed up on our website, the membership assistants receive an email alert and then proceed to send that person a prepared form letter in email or make a personal phone call to welcome him or her to NARSOL and to highlight the benefits of the new membership. Membership assistants also carefully review information from new members and donors to ensure that there are not any typing mistakes or other errors and correct any they see.
Approved applications for the membership assistant positions will receive training and resources. They will be expected keep track of which members and donors they have contacted and make notes of any errors they corrected.
Website Developer
NARSOL maintains several websites on different platforms and servers, and we have plans to add even more for our various projects and state affiliates. A team of skilled and experienced IT and web development professionals work together to ensure that our websites are up to date and running smoothly. Applicants who want to join our tech team as web developers will be expected to show certification or demonstrate their skills and knowledge. If approved, they will be involved in our monthly tech meetings and brainstorming sessions as we collaborate to find new and better ways to present our content on our websites.
SEO Specialist
If you understand the importance of SEO and know how to build relevant keyword based articles and backlinks that will improve NARSOL's page ranking, we would be happy to have you with us. This is a position that is high in demand in just about every industry that uses a website. Volunteering your time and skills in SEO would give you official experience or another credible reference to add to your resume. Applicants for an SEO specialist position will be asked to submit a summary describing what SEO is and how you will use it to improve rankings on NARSOL's several websites, and what steps you will take to achieve these goals.
Social Media Specialist
NARSOL maintains several social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, YouTube, Google Plus, etc.) In this day and age, it is important to keep these profiles populated with relevant content that will reach the masses. We are always on the lookout for good people who are familiar with the operations of social media and can help us expand our reach by building a strong following on several platforms. This is important for uniting registrants and their family members everywhere and also for educating the public, who otherwise may not know about the harmful effects of the registry laws.
Applicants for the social media specialist position will be asked to submit a summary describing why it is important to promote the organization on social media and how they would approach this task. If you are a registrant, please ensure that you have a full understanding on what the law is in your state when it comes to social media accounts before applying for this position. You may be expected to report the account to law enforcement within a number of days.
Comment Moderator(currently filled)
NARSOL has several websites where the public is invited to comment on published articles. Each of these websites has a different set of guidelines on what is considered an appropriate comment. Approved applicants for comment moderator positions will be given limited access to the administrator panels of our different websites and will be trained to recognize which comments can be approved and which should be deleted. Approved applicants are expected to exercise a level of restraint when engaging with other commenters using their moderator profile and must agree to never comment in a way that could be misconstrued as legal advice.
A NARSOL comment moderator is an important job that helps encourage our readers to find their rational voices in speaking out against the brutal registry laws. Approved volunteers for this position will be able use this as a reference that will vouch for their trustworthiness and professionalism.
State-Level Volunteer
State level volunteers are people who feel that they can do the most good for our cause by participating at the state level instead of the national level. Applicants who are interested in state level volunteering will be connected with the contact, advocate, or affiliate liaison within their states, if there is one. The state group or contact persons will then be responsible for helping them get started as a volunteer.
Coordinators
NARSOL coordinators are leaders who possess good people skills and management experience. They recognize the importance of finding and recruiting good people to fill volunteer roles at the state and national levels. They are dedicated individuals who put in the necessary time-intensive effort to properly train volunteers within our organization and then help them stay engaged and motivated. NARSOL coordinators keep track of the progress of any state or national level volunteers they recruit and report back to the board or executive director. Coordinator positions are generally filled by persons with some past volunteer experience in NARSOL.
State Contact
Every day, NARSOL receives several questions or requests for support that are state specific. It is important to us that we get the most accurate and up-to-date information to that person. The best way to accomplish this is to have the state contact for that person's state respond to them. NARSOL state contacts are familiar with the registry laws and activities regarding registrants in their states and are able to communicate with the people who are seeking that information through email or over the phone.
Approved applicants for the state contact positions must sign an MOU after completing an interview with the regional coordinator for their area. They will then receive the necessary training and resources. State contacts are expected to keep NARSOL's gatekeepers and regional coordinator informed when they respond to a person so the interaction can be documented in our records.
State Advocate
State advocates are devoted and driven individuals who are determined to bring the issues of the sex offender registry in their states to light and address them. They do not shy away from discussing uncomfortable topics with the public and our lawmakers in their mission to bring change to these oppressive laws.
Those interested in being a NARSOL state advocate will work closely with their regional coordinators. They will receive training and resources on how to analyze bills, meet with their state legislators, and lobby for or against a law. If they so desire, they can also learn how to connect with others and form an active affiliated state group. State advocates are expected to report activities and progress to their regional coordinators each month.
NARSOL Gatekeeper (currently filled)
NARSOL receives many emails and voice messages every day, and it is important that we respond to these contacts in a timely fashion in the most appropriate and informative way possible. NARSOL's gatekeepers are the first point of contact for these incoming voice messages and emails. They will often forward the contact to a state contact person or a regional coordinator more familiar with the topic the person is asking about. However, there are many cases when it is more appropriate for the gatekeepers to respond themselves.
Gatekeepers are compassionate and empathize with others. They understand that people reaching out to our organization are often living in very difficult circumstances and are in need of help. Approved applicants for the gatekeeper position will receive training and access to the gatekeeper's email account. They will also be expected to keep track of all the correspondence they handled by entering the data into a form. Finally, gatekeepers are invited to our monthly regional coordinator meetings; as being the first point of contact, they often have useful insight to share.