Requirements

This thread is to discuss and ask advice on your journey towards the Association Volunteer certificate. If you have any questions for the AP Chairman, please contact him direct on: achievechair@nmra.org.uk .
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torikoos
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Requirements

Post by torikoos »

To qualify for the Association Volunteer certificate, you must:
Have served actively on one or more NMRA committees (National, Regional, or Division) long enough to accumulate sixty (60) certified time units (TUs). The TUs you receive for various types of service are listed below:
Active satisfactory service as a General Manager of a National committee: 4 TUs per month.
Active satisfactory service as a National committee Manager: 3 TUs per month.
Active satisfactory service as a Region committee Manager, or on a National committee: 2 TUs per month.
Active satisfactory service as a Region committee member, a Division Officer or committee Manager: 1 TU per month.
Active satisfactory service as a Division committee or board member: 1/2 TU per month.
Editors of an NMRA publication shall receive credit at the rate appropriate for committee Chairmen at the same level.
So what exactly constitutes a "committee"?
Basically, just about any office or function that isn't covered under Association Official. Most other officers in a Division (or Region) are considered Committee Chairmen. For example, if your Division has a person who runs the contest at the monthly meeting, they can be considered the "Contest Committee Manager", your local AP representative is a member of the "Region AP Committee", and so on. Conventions (at all levels) are chock full of committees (Only the convention General Manager receives "Committee Manager" points - all others receive "Committee Member" points, even if their title includes the word "Manager"). Individuals who work just the day of the event (for example at the convention registration desk) receive credit for one month's work as committee members.

Service as a Division officer or director (other than at the Regional level): 1 TU per month.
Newsletter Editors of 100% NMRA clubs having 10 or more members, may earn one time unit per issue of the club newsletter, providing it is four pages or more. All newsletters must have four issues on file in the NMRA's Kalmbach Memorial Library, edited by the person applying, before the time units will be considered for credit.
Other club officers, even of 100% NMRA clubs, DO NOT earn Volunteer credits.

Official judges at NMRA sponsored model contests (including non-rail) shall be given time units for such service at the contest only (not monthly), as a one-time service credit per contest as follows:
National Contest Judge 3 Time Units
Regional Contest Judge 2 Time Units
Division Contest Judge 1 Time Unit
This credit is in addition to any credit that you may receive for being on the comittee that works to set up the contest event.

Individuals (and their crews) who open their home or club layout for layout tours in conjunction with NMRA conventions or other NMRA sponsored events earn credit as follows for each day that the layout is open for viewing.
National Event 3 Time Units / day (12 TUs maximum per event)
Regional Event 3 Time Units / day (6 TUs maximum per event)
Divisional Event 3 Time Units / day (3 TUs maximum per event)
This credit is in addition to any credit that they may receive for being on the committe that works to set up the event.

Individuals who participate in modular layouts in conjunction with NMRA Divisions, or at NMRA sponsored events, earn credit as follows for each day the layout is open for viewing at the event.
National Event 3 Time Units / day (12 TUs maximum per event)
Regional Event 3 Time Units / day (6 TUs maximum per event)
Divisional Event 3 Time Units / day (3 TUs maximum per event)
This credit is in addition to any credit that they may receive for being on the committe that works to set up the event.

NOTE: There is generally a maximum of 48 time units credited for any one National convention, 24 time units credited for any one Regional convention, and 6 time units credited for any one Division event.

Boy Scout Railroading Merit Badge Counselors who are NMRA members can earn: 1 TU (time unit) per month and 1 TU per Scout that qualifies. This credit is retroactive with no time limit for those who have served as counselors in the past provided that they were also NMRA members during the time of service.

A live clinic that is presented more than once earns Association Volunteer credits for each additional (the first presentation is credited toward Author) presentation at the following schedule:
National Clinic - 3 Time Units
Regional Clinic - 2 Time Units
Divisional Clinic - 1 Time Unit

Certification of accomplishment shall be by the Committee Manager (in the case of committee members), or by the appointing officer (in the case of Committee Chairmen). The Region (or National) President or Secretary may certify when the appointing officer is not available or when many positions will require several signatures.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SERVICE AS YOU DO IT: Obtain the record form from your local, or Regional, AP Manager, then fill it out and have it signed at the time. This is much easier than going back and collecting signatures later when you're ready to apply for your certificate.

Must submit a completed Statement of Qualification (SOQ, see below) itemizing evidence of completion of the above requirements, along with the signed record of service.
Note: The Association Volunteer SOQ may be initiated by others.

Further Information
For further information contact National Achievement Program General Manager, Paul Richardson, MMR, achiev@nmra.org , or your Region or Division Achievement Program Manager.

Also refer to the article "Achievement Program Skills and Service Awards", NMRA Bulletin, September, 1992.

Forms available for this category:

SOQ Form: http://nmra.org/sites/default/files/200 ... unteer.pdf
Record and Validation form: http://nmra.org/sites/default/files/2006-rv-av.pdf
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
PeterLJ
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Re: Requirements

Post by PeterLJ »

Hi Koos

It appears that a lot of us could qualify, if only if we bothered. So a member of the BoD is a Region Committee Member but what of the other officers (such as yourself?)

I also take it that a lot of the HO Modular Meets do not count, but the Region Ones do?

Thanks

Peter
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torikoos
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Location: Newton Abbot, Devon, UK .
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Re: Requirements

Post by torikoos »

Hi Peter,

good points and questions that the AP chair can raise with national. The rules were partly written in a pre-internet time. A lot of work is now done based on forums/ websites and other 'electronic' media in support of the NMRA and the hobby in general.

Keith Web is your man.

Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
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great_northern29
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Re: Requirements Association Volunteer

Post by great_northern29 »

Koos
over the last two years I have helped man the British Region stand at Warley totaling 3 days I had read the form for Association Volunteer before but it did not appear clear that this was covered there are a number of the members of the A5s (Northampton) that manned the stand with me as well. I have recently been told that our work could be covered by this AP award. My questions are is this correct ,what box or boxes need ticking on the form and what goes where on the form.
Regards Neil Rogers
Cascadian
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Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:05 pm

Re: Requirements

Post by Cascadian »

Hi Neil

If you get in touch we could talk through the form if you like.

jonathan.small57@gmail.com

Happy to help.
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