New Trainee/Volunteer Process
Included in this module:
General Process & Onboarding
Ready for Work - Gateway
Senior Employment/SCEP - NKCAC
KTAP - NKADD
1. General Process & Onboarding
Kentucky Career Center front desk and resource room would not function without the hard work and dedication from our interns, trainees, and volunteers that make up the front desk team. As the First Impressions & Marketing Specialist, you are also the go-to supervisor for the front desk team. Regardless of the program they are volunteering at KCC through, every volunteer at KCC is a Brighton Center Volunteer.
General New Volunteer/Trainee Process:
Case manager/program monitor reaches out to you
Interview the potential trainee/volunteer, collect information about their availability
Should you choose to move forward with the volunteer, you will need to:
Connect the program monitor with the Volunteer Manager for Brighton Center, Hope Sharpe (hsharpe@brightoncenter.com), so the can set up Brighton Center Volunteer Onboarding
Add them to the roster & schedule them
(log in with nkycareercenter@gmail.com account)Fill out program-specific paperwork, and have the volunteer fill out a Brighton Center Volunteer Application. Send the completed paperwork to the program contact and Hope Sharpe respectively.
Once the volunteer has filled out their paperwork, you can begin onboarding.
General Onboarding:
Training modules for First Impression Assistants (FIAs) can be found here: nkcareercenter.org/fiatraining.
All FIAs MUST record their time for Brighton Center (here) as well as their program-specific timesheet.
First Impressions Assistants should also be given a copy of the First Impressions Assistant Handbook, which can serve as a reference guide and includes a 2-week checklist, an office map, and the basics on the expectations for the role.
FIAs should generally attend KCC Orientation within the first week of beginning, so they can have a basic idea of what KCC is and who some of our partners are.
FIAs should also attend an upcoming KESC session, if they haven’t already done so, to develop and strengthen soft professional skills.
KCC has traditionally gotten volunteers through three programs: Ready to Work, NKCAC, and KTAP. Each program has specific paperwork that will usually be provided to you by a program contact. I’ve included blank pre-filled copies of those in the sections below.
(Note: KCC can accept volunteers from other programs as well.)
2. Ready to Work (Gateway)
Ready to Work (RTW) is a program that is designed to assist low-income parents that are enrolled in Gateway Community & Technical College (or another KY Community & Technical College). Employment through Ready to Work ensures that the worksite will work with the student for scheduling around classes and other education commitments. Placements can be renewed from semester to semester.
Time Sheets
Students typically work 20 hours/week during the semester, and up to 30 hours/week during breaks (summer/winter break/spring break/etc.)
Students will submit their timesheets online for your approval weekly:
Contacts
Each student will have their own coordinator contact. Denise Critchelow is generally in charge of timesheets.
Student Coordinator:
Jessica Elam
jessica.elam@kctcs.edu / 859-815-7688
Director of Ready to Work:
Denise Critchelow
denise.critchelow@kctcs.edu / 859-442-4164
Student Coordinator:
Christina Powers
christina.powers@kctcs.edu
More program information: Ready to Work | KCTCS
3. Senior Employment/SCSEP (NKCAC)
The Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission (NKCAC or CAC) offers a Senior Employment Program (sometimes referred to as SCSEP, which is Senior Citizen Service Employment Program), which is designed to be a stepping-stone for seniors looking to get back into the workforce. Requirements include: must be 55 and older, want to find permanent work, currently unemployed, live in the program-covered counties, meet federal low-income guidelines.
Each trainee has a different monitor, who will email you to assess the trainee’s performance every 6 months or so. These monitors should also serve as the primary contact for any issues that come up.
Time Sheets
The hours that NKCAC FIAs are allowed to work per week are determined by the NKCAC and change frequently depending on funding.
As of 2/12/2025, NKCAC FIAs are allowed to work 30 hours/week.
SCSEP FIAs are responsible for recording their time through a paper timesheet provided by their monitor (blank timesheet included below). These timesheets must be signed by you, scanned, and emailed to dbush@nkcac.org every other week before Wednesday at 12PM.
Here is the NKCAC payroll schedule for 2025.
They can also include a job search form with their time sheets to receive extra earned hours.
SCSEP Trainees will occasionally have mandatory meetings, as well as optional Job Clubs/Trainings they can attend. These take place at 717 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY unless otherwise noted.
Upcoming mandatory meetings: February 19th, 2025 (1PM-2PM)
Upcoming Provided Trainings: March 19th (1PM-3PM), May 21st (1PM-3PM)
Contacts
Program Monitors
Sandy Elsbernd
selsbernd@nkcac.org / 859-655-2986
Valerie Trumbo
vtrumbo@nkcac.org / 859-781-1282
Reeneace Clemons
rclemons@nkcac.org / 859-788-3821
Gladys Hutchins
ghutchins@nkcac.org / 859-443-4467
SCSEP Director:
Stephanie Stark
sstark@nkcac.org / 859-655-2942
More program information: Senior Employment Program | Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission
4. KTAP (NKADD)
People who are receiving certain public benefits (SNAP, KTAP, etc.) may be required to complete weekly community service hours.
The Department of Community Based Services (DCBS sometimes called “the Cabinet”) will refer them to the Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD) where they will be assigned a job coach through Employment Connections (EC).
NKADD volunteers typically have agreements lasting 6 months. The case manager will send you a WEP to fill out (blank/pre-filled one included below).
Time Sheets
KTAP FIAs are responsible for keeping track of their time on physical time sheets, as well as making a copy of any doctor/other excused absence notes and providing them to both you and their case manager.
Hours can differ depending on the age of children in the home and can range from 20-30 hours per week.
Contacts
Job Coaches
Nicole Ignacio Madrigal
nicole.ignaciomadrigal@nkadd.org / 859-283-8184
Monica Smith
monica.smith@nkadd.org /
Jennifer Botz
jennifer.botz@nkadd.org / 859-980-1965
Susan Kidwell
susan.kidwell@nkadd.org / 859-980-1962