NEWS/EVENTS

We offer training, at no cost, to volunteers who might want to serve in a Next Step Program (NSP) in their community.  A NSP can operate either (a) in one of the three Next Step Program Affiliates (see below) or (b) in any other nonprofit organization that would like NSP as one of its in-house programs. 

 

Through NSP, you can help the people you serve move towards financial stability. You can guide them in setting life-improving goals and then help them achieve each goal, one step at a time. Goal categories include basic needs, basic skills, increase income, gain and sustain assets, and health. You can assure them that you care about them; and that you will be there for them, every step along the way.  

 

Nonprofit organizations can have their own NSP. They can do this by arranging for some of  their own volunteers to receive training (see below) to operate a NSP as a service offered by their organization. Those volunteers can then help the people they serve become NSP Participants. NSP uses two databases provided by Trident United Way (TUW):

  • Charity Tracker Plus Database and
  • 2-1-1 Hotline Database

Your NSP can consist of three teams of your volunteers working together under your supervision, including:

  • Samaritan Mentors who listen to the hopes and fears of NSP Participants, help them translate their hopes into life-changing goals, and encourage them to achieve each goal—one step at a time.
  • Lazarus Mentors who use the 2-1-1 Hotline Database to locate the employment and social services that NSP Participants need to take steps toward achieving each goal.
  • Database Managers who input data and generate reports, using the Charity Tracker Plus Database, to help the mentors monitor Participants’ progress in achieving each next step toward each goal.

At no cost, Ed Dyckman of Next Steps of South Carolina (NSSC) can train your volunteers to serve as your NSP mentors and database managers. Either before or after the NSP training, your volunteers will need to attend TUW Charity Tracker Plus training to receive a password. Ed Dyckman is available at dyckman.edward@gmail.com and 843-367-5647 if you have any questions.

 

 Here is a brief synopsis of our three NSP Affiliates:

 

  • Next Steps of Johns Island (NSJI) Affiliate operates out of (a) St. John’s Church on Maybank Highway on Mondays from 9 AM to 1 PM and (b) LRP Ministries on Main Road, on Wednesdays from 5-7 PM.  Each week NSJI helps Participants from Johns and Wadmalaw Islands and the Red Top Area make positive changes in their lives.  Please view this NSJI video to witness the NSJI Volunteers’ enthusiasm.

 

  • Next Steps of Charleston (NSCH) Affiliate operates in the Community Center of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church on King Street (opposite Marion Square) on Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM.  Each week NSCH helps Participants from the Charleston Peninsula, mainly homeless, make positive changes in their lives.  

 

  • Next Steps of East Cooper (NSEC) Affiliate, until late 2018 operated out of East Cooper Baptist Church (ECBC) at 361 Egypt Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 on Mondays from 5 PM to 8 PM in conjunction with the Families Count Ministry (FCM). Each week NSEC helped Participants from North Charleston make positive changes in their lives.  FMC subsequently moved to three churches in North Charleston and they did not include NSEC in the move.  NSEC is currently in hibernation.

 

NSP Training We offer NSP training at your location..