Getting Started

Welcome to APTA Community, the vibrant and engaging community where you can connect, learn, and grow with like-minded individuals who share your passion. With so much to explore and discover, we encourage you to dive right in and engage in the ways that best suit your needs.

To get started, we suggest checking out these four activities that can jump-start your journey:

  1. Update your profile with your photo and demographics.
  2. Join a community that aligns with your interests and expertise.
  3. Ask or answer a question in a community discussion forum to get valuable insights from your peers.
  4. Connect with others via the Member Directory to expand your network and forge new relationships.

By completing these activities, you'll earn engagement points that can help you unlock digital community swag, badges and ribbons, and even get you on the Most Active Members leaderboard. So what are you waiting for? Let's get started and build your APTA Community experience today! View your achievements along the way to celebrate your progress.

 

Update Your Profile

 

Updating your profile is important in connecting with like-minded peers based on shared expertise and experiences. To add a photo and other demographics to your profile, simply go to Profile > My Profile from the main navigation bar, and use the Actions drop-down under the photo or avatar to select Change Picture. While updating your profile, take a moment to review your Privacy Settings (under the My Account tab on your profile) to ensure your profile visibility is set to your liking. By taking these simple steps, you'll be able to make meaningful connections with your peers and maximize the value of your APTA membership.

Take control of your community experience by customizing your notification preferences. From your profile page, navigate to My Account > Community Notifications to choose how you receive updates (real-time, daily digest, or consolidated digests), then visit Email Preferences to decide which categories of emails you'd like to receive via email. While you're there, review your Privacy Settings to manage what other members can see about you. These simple adjustments let you control your community communications, ensuring you stay connected without overwhelming your inbox.

 

Update Your Preferences

Join a Discussion

 

Explore the different groups available on the community and ask your peers a question related to your work or a high-level strategic topic.

Simply select Participate > Post a Message from the main navigation bar, choose the appropriate community, enter a descriptive subject line, type your question, and press Post. You can also browse existing discussions and share your thoughts by pressing the blue Reply button. Remember, your contributions can make a huge impact on the professional lives of your peers, so don't hesitate to join the conversation!

Member Directory

APTA Community helps you build a professional network with professionals working on similar projects, strategies, and challenges. Access the Directory from the main navigation to find and connect with individuals in your industry or location. You can also join Networks based on your profile information to connect with like-minded individuals.

Visit My Connections > Networks from My Profile to see the available Networks and connect with others in your Network.

Find Volunteer Opportunities

Opportunities vary by duration, level of commitment, location, and area of interest. Sign in before beginning so you can view complete opportunity details and apply.

1.      Click Volunteer  > All Volunteer Opportunities.

2.      Select an opportunity title to review its purpose, responsibilities, dates, eligibility requirements, and estimated time commitment.

3.      Select Apply when the role is a good fit.

4.      Complete any required questions and submit your application.

After You Apply: Some opportunities confirm volunteers immediately, while others require review by APTA staff or volunteer leaders. Watch for an acknowledgment, acceptance, or follow-up message before beginning the work.

Complete Your Volunteer Profile

Your Volunteer Profile helps APTA understand the opportunities that interest you and the experience you bring. A complete, current profile makes matched recommendations more relevant.

1.      Go to My Profile > My Volunteer Profile.

2.      Review your volunteer interests and qualifications.

3.      Confirm your experience level and willingness to travel.

4.      Add or update your Volunteer Bio.

5.      Include relevant volunteer service outside APTA when that option is available.

6.      Select the pencil or Edit link for each section, make your changes, and save.

Coming From Another Platform? Review every section even when information is already displayed. Some profile fields or past service records may appear differently in APTA Engage.

Opt In to Get Notifications

Join the APTA Volunteer Pool to receive email invitations when an opportunity appears to match your qualifications and interests.

1.      Open My Profile > My Volunteer Profile.

2.      Find Invite me to volunteer when opportunities match my expertise?

3.      Set the toggle to Yes.

4.      Keep your Volunteer Profile current so future invitations reflect your interests and experience.

5.      Return to the same setting and change it to No whenever you want to stop receiving future matched invitations.

Good to Know: These emails are based on matching. They are not necessarily a notification for every new opportunity, so continue checking the complete Volunteer Opportunities list.