01:00 AM EST on Sunday, December 5, 2004

Friends Way, in East Greenwich, needs volunteers to help facilitate support groups for grieving children or adults for four hours every other week. Volunteers work with groups of children, teens or adults by helping them safely and openly express grief through age-appropriate activities. Volunteers are needed from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on alternating weeks, and substitutes are requested on an as-needed basis. Facilitators are also needed to help with a preschool group during daytime hours. A one-year commitment is required. The next training session begins Feb. 9 and runs through April 4. Contact Laurie Fitzgerald at (401) 884-0200, or e-mail lauratfriendsway [at] aol.com.

Executive Service Corps of New England, a regional nonprofit consulting firm that provides affordable consulting services to nonprofits in New England, is looking for volunteer consultants for Rhode Island. Corps clients need the help of someone who has experience in strategic planning, board development, financial management, business planning and operations, information technology, human resources, public relations or marketing. Volunteers may select the type and number of assignments. Contact Carl Sivo at (401) 783-3141, or e-mail csivo [at] escne.org.

Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket needs volunteers to greet patients and families entering the emergency department, help them with checking in and act as liaison between patient, staff and family. Volunteers are needed to work a minimum of one four-hour shift a week; morning, afternoon and evening shifts are available. Clerical assistant volunteers are needed in several areas of the hospital to help with filing, copying, putting together packets and assisting with phone coverage. Help is needed both mornings and afternoons in both patient and non-patient areas. Contact Lynn Foster at (401) 729-2325, or e-mail lynn--foster@mhri.org.

The Volunteer Center of Rhode Island holds workshops for nonprofits and others who work with volunteers. "Ensuring the Future of Nonprofits: Working with Youth Volunteers" will focus on the importance of youths volunteering, including why they volunteer and how to encourage them to do so. Also covered will be several types of volunteer opportunities, including government opportunities, community service, service learning, AmeriCorps*Vista and more. The workshop will be held Jan. 11, from 1 to 4 p.m., in Providence, and on March 3, from 1 to 4 p.m., in Newport. Call (401) 421-6547 to register.

These volunteer opportunities are provided by the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island. To place a listing, or to find out more about listings, call (401) 421-6547 or (800) VOLUNTEER; to search volunteer opportunities, go to www.vcri.org.

NTEER; to search volunteer opportunities, go to www.vcri.org.