One of the highlights this year’s spring break period was the implementation of a Goodwill Ambassador program solely supported by City staff. During March 2024, the City was without Goodwill Ambassadors from Miami-Dade County and relied on City employees for staffing. Despite a smaller volunteer turnout of around 70 individuals, we achieved the highest attendance rates ever of City employees. Unlike previous years where volunteers often signed up but didn't report for duty, this time our City employees were consistently present and actively involved throughout the entire period.

We received commendations for their excellent knowledge of City policies and their valuable assistance in ensuring public safety, highlighting the importance of their geographic familiarity. As we look ahead, this successful experience underscores the potential for continued reliance on our dedicated city staff for future events. However, we may need to revisit participation eligibility and potentially limit the number of our essential employees who can be assigned as Goodwill Ambassadors during future spring break periods. We experienced staffing shortages at times in March due to employee fatigue from working overtime and as Goodwill Ambassadors. We hope to align our efforts with Miami-Dade County in respect to the Goodwill Ambassador program as this is essential for high-impact weekends.

As suggested by the sponsor in the referral, the City could explore the feasibility of recruiting college students to participate in the Goodwill Ambassador program. In addition to ensure the appropriate level of training, a primary consideration would involve mitigating any potential risk/liability.

Looking ahead to 2025, we plan to enhance the program further by increasing CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) certification to ensure that every City employee who wishes to participate is CERT-certified. This will equip our Goodwill Ambassadors with the skills and knowledge needed to handle various situations effectively and provide even better support to our visitors.