We are having difficulties getting volunteers to serve as docents.  We have a group of retired volunteers who are aging to the point that they are no longer physically capable,  and we have a group of younger (college age) volunteers who only want to do special events every once in a while.  We are about 10 miles away from the local colleges and universities, so the college students don't really seem to want to drive down here very often. I can understand with gas prices hovering around $3.80 in our area. 

The present economy in our area (Mobile, AL) seems to have made the problem worse.  Now, there are fewer retirees who are available.  Some of our volunteers have gone back to work at least part-time and are unavailable when I need them.  We serve mostly school groups in the 9 am - 1 pm time slot. 

We are a museum in a medium to large sized building with a small sized museum staff.  It is just me and my part-time volunteer/tour coordinator in Education.  We don't have funds for anyone else. 

We had a successful program through which college students were paid to intern at the museum.  They served as specially trained docents and worked in other museum depts. when we didn't have tours.  This program was funded locally through a grant, but the funding is no longer available.  I have thought about other grants and even the Americorps program, but am not sure if we are able to do something on the scale that they seem to look for.  

My questions to the community are, 

Are your museums having trouble finding docents?
How and where are you finding new volunteers to replace the retiree volunteers who are no longer able to volunteer?

Any advice or knowledge of grant opportunities would be appreciated.  Thanks!

Sincerely, 
Jennifer Fondren
Museum of Mobile

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