Ready to help support student-directed problem solving at its best? We would love to have you!
Working with Teams
Three of our most vital volunteer roles are Program Coordinators, Team Managers, and Appraisers.
- Team Managers guide a team of students through the process of solving a Destination Imagination challenge.
Once their team selects their Team Challenge, the Team Manager helps them understand the Challenge requirements, monitors group dynamics and safety, and helps the team develop skills and find the resources needed to create their solution.NH-DI offers training workshops and supportive volunteers to assist Team Managers as they navigate the Destination Imagination journey with their team. Team Managers are NH-DI’s most valued volunteers; without them, student participation would not be possible.
If you are thinking of managing a Destination Imagination team, please visit the Team Manager Corner section of our website, where you will find much more information about managing a team.
- Program Coordinators are essential for schools and organizations with more than one team. Coordinators support teams by recruiting students, parents, and potential Team Managers, and assisting with local administrative requirements.
Coordinators often organize information nights for interested students and parents, match students of similar ages and interests to form teams, and assist Team Managers with registration and training. This allows the Team Managers more time to focus on team development activities.To learn more, visit the Coordinator Corner section of our website, where you will find additional information for our local DI coordinators.
- Appraisers are the volunteers who evaluate each team’s Challenge solution at our tournaments. After teams, Appraisers are some of the most important participants at any DI tournament.
NH-DI recruits and trains 300+ Appraisers each year. Through workshops, podcasts, and webinars, volunteers are trained in various appraisal roles. Panels of Appraisers watch team solutions, and award points and positive feedback based on how creatively each team has solved their Challenge and demonstrated their teamwork skills. Without Appraisers, teams would not receive valuable feedback on all their hard work.
While Team Managers. Coordinators, and Appraisers serve as some of our most valued front-line volunteers, there are many other opportunities to assist in bringing Destination Imagination to more of New Hampshire’s youth.
Help Us Grow
Growth is essential for the long-term health of any organization. There are two main areas in which you can help with program growth:
- Team Recruitment Volunteers help build the DI program by visiting schools and youth organizations to introduce the concept of Destination Imagination, explain the benefits of participating in DI, and highlight the skills gained by the students.
Team Recruiters meet with administrators and youth program managers to discuss a collaborative relationship and the potential life skills benefits for young participants. By contacting and visiting schools and organizations that do not currently offer a Destination Imagination program, Team Recruiters endeavor to give all of New Hampshire’s students an opportunity to participate in Destination Imagination. - Our Marketing & Social Media Group ensures the NH-DI program, and all its workshops and events, are promoted and captured via news outlets, the web, Instagram, Facebook and other popular social media platforms.
Marketing Volunteers help by promoting Destination Imagination and the value of its life skills; capturing NH’s creative students in action at our various events to prepare media releases; and guiding news personalities through an event and arranging interviews with student participants, Team Managers, parents, and other volunteers.
Help Run Our Tournaments
Annually, NH-DI hosts multiple tournaments at which student participants showcase their Team Challenge solutions.
- Tournament Directors plan, organize and manage a variety of functions for each Regional Tournament. Tournament Directors have a large, multi-faceted responsibility.
- Not ready to take on directing a tournament but still want to help? Event Volunteers are needed to ensure that a multitude of key activities are taken care of throughout the tournament day, such as ensuring meals are available for Appraisers; staffing and conducting planned activities for Tournament participants; and helping with concessions and merchandise sales.
Help Behind the Scenes
There are other volunteer roles that you may seldom hear about, but are essential to making Destination Imagination happen in New Hampshire.
- Information Technology Volunteers ensure that NH-DI collects and manages the necessary information to administer the Destination Imagination Program, and to inform and manage its army of volunteers and participants.
Every organized program requires an infrastructure for collecting, storing and sharing information. IT volunteers maintain and upgrade database and registration systems, manage mail systems, and provide reports and data analyses necessary for planning purposes. IT volunteers also monitor and update the NH-DI website to make sure that it is current, relevant, and easily navigated. - Merchandising Volunteers maintain relationships with designers and vendors to ensure NH-DI logoed apparel and collectible items are available for program participants.
Merchandising volunteers are responsible for stocking, transporting and managing the Tournament Stores at all NH-DI Tournaments; managing the NH-DI web store offerings and order fulfillment; and procuring items for and managing all Tournament raffles as well as the Gnome Zone Shops. Merchandising Volunteers also liaise between vendors and other NH-DI programs to procure volunteer shirts and a variety of award and recognition items. - Team Manager & Coordinator Support Volunteers are veteran Team Managers and Program Coordinators who provide mentoring and support to others working with student teams throughout the program period.
Via workshops, social gatherings, email, social media and, of course, telephone conversations, they are available to offer advice and help with questions about working with the teams and navigating the DI journey.
Alumni Engagement
Destination Imagination alumni are an essential part of the future of our state’s program. One of our most important goals is to engage alumni, and to place them in leadership positions throughout our organization.
It has become a tradition in most DI affiliates for all alumni to wear red ties. When you spot someone wearing a red tie at one of our tournaments or training events, you will know that this is a former team member who has chosen to give back to the program by volunteering.
Our goal is to have alumni serving throughout the program, and there are two areas in which alumni are especially needed:
- Our Alumni Relations Coordinators are tasked with maintaining a mailing list of NH-DI alumni with whom they regularly share DI news and volunteer opportunities. Alumni Relations Coordinators host alumni gatherings throughout the year and work with alumni to help them reconnect with our Destination Imagination Program, and to match alumni with volunteer roles that meet their interests.
- Our alumni have also taken the lead in planning, organizing, and hosting NH-DI’s annual DIve In! event. This is a day of workshops for teams that is held in early January, and boasts more than 400 participants each year.
How to Volunteer
There are a variety of ways to get involved in NH Destination Imagination. If you have a few hours or a day or a few weeks, we would love to add you to our volunteer roster. To volunteer or for more information, email getinvolved@nh-di.org.