Photo: A potluck hosted by the Local Support Committee in the Twin Cities last year.
Local enthusiasm for QVS kept the door open for a possible return to the Twin Cities
Last Spring, the QVS Board of Directors made the difficult decision to pause the program in the Twin Cities. This decision was made due to the recruitment challenges experienced by service programs across the country, including QVS. If you would like more context on the recruitment trends we have been seeing since the pandemic, you can read about it on our blog. The fact of the matter is that we did not have enough applicants to implement the program in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Soon after we decided to pause the program, the Local Support Committee in Minneapolis/St. Paul presented a proposal for their continued engagement with QVS. Local enthusiasm for QVS kept the door open for a possible return to the Twin Cities. After reviewing our budget and organizational goals, the Board of Directors felt clear to move forward with the intention to reopen the Minneapolis/St. Paul program 2024.
While reopening the program will greatly depend on the number of Fellows who enroll in the program, we are faithfully moving forward with restoring the program in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
We have hired Melissa McLaughlin (she/her) as the interim Twin Cities Coordinator. She was the Philadelphia Coordinator for two years and is an Alum of the program. Melissa is already working to recruit site placements for the 2024-25 Fellows in Minneapolis/St. Paul. We are currently searching for the next City Coordinator to serve during the 2024-25 QVS Program Year. If you know someone in the Twin Cities who would work well with Fellows, local Friends and site placements, please encourage them to apply!
We are hopeful about our recruitment outcomes based on the engagement we have seen so far this recruitment cycle. While reopening the program will greatly depend on the number of Fellows who enroll in the program, we are faithfully moving forward with restoring the program in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
We have a sense of Way Opening, thanks to the dedication of local Friends, the skill of QVS staff and the support we receive from everyone who sees value in our work and mission.
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