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Simple Acts Make a World of Difference

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

April is a day to get involved in raising awareness. Why? Today is TOMS Shoes’ One Day Without Shoes. One Day Without Shoes is a time dedicated to raising awareness about world health issues that arise when one does not have access to a pair of shoes. Many children around the world go without due to economic factors. Children who do not have shoes to wear daily are more prone to diseases such as Hookworm and they are more prone to infection form injuries.

One Day Without Shoes is a great example of “slacktivism.” What is “slacktivisim?” Slacktivism is a way to give back to the community without directly doing acts of service. It is a way to not only make a difference for a beloved cause, but it is also a way to make someone feel good about him or herself due to a simple act of good.

Interested? Below is a list of other forms of slacktivism that you can participate in year round!

  • Use your money for good: Choose brands that support causes or sustainable practices. TOMS is a great example, whether you are buying their shoes or eyewear your purchase will go to a good cause. Other examples of brands that are making a difference are Warby Parker and Patagonia.
  • Tweet, tweet: Use Hashtags to support your favorite causes. Many organizations and brands will designate certain hashtags to be used for their campaigns. You can not only show your support, but also network with people who share your passion.
  • Clicking for good: Show your support by liking your favorite brands and organizations on Facebook or other social media channels. It will help you stay up to date on the latest news and happenings occurring at the organization.
  • Donations: Many organizations or brands will donate proceeds to a cause through clicks. If your organization is doing this make sure you click to help out!
  • Donate your status: Donate your Facebook status or profile picture to a cause. It will help your friends and followers understand your passions and will help get the organization’s mission and message out!
  • Wear a ribbon: Do you support a cause that is represented by a certain color? Wear a ribbon showing your support. When others ask you about it you can tell them to help show support for the cause.
  • Watch a documentary: Interested in a cause, but you do not know much about it? Check out a documentary that informs. Invite your friends or family to watch it with you to get the discussion going!

We hope these ideas get you out there to show your support for your favorite causes and organizations! Whatever you are interested in, find a way to get the word out around your community.

How are you showing support for your favorite cause? Share with us in the comment section below, we would love to hear about it!

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Why “Slacktivists” Are More Active Than You Think [Infographic]

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

This awesome infographic originally appeared on Mashable.

What do you think about slacktivism, is it an effective tool or not?

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Clean Up on the Community Aisle

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

In case you have just awoken from winter hibernation, spring has finally arrived! From the high levels of pollen to the newborn animals running around spring is in full swing and will not be ignored. Since we cannot hide from it, it is time to celebrate the new spring season with volunteer work (we would not be HandsOn Network if we said otherwise)!

While April is a time for blossoming spring weather, it is also Keep America Beautiful Month! Keep America Beautiful is a time to focus on preserving our environment through recycling, reducing waste, and beautifying communities.

April is a great time to celebrate these values by starting your own volunteer project such as a community cleanup! Follow our steps below to get your project off the ground and help keep America beautiful!

Develop a plan:

  • Form a planning committee to organize the project and develop a strategy.
  • State the purpose of your project.
  • Assign specific role to participants
  • Create motivating letters to get the word out to the community about your project.
  • Contact your local media to recruit their participation.
  • Plan how you will recognize your volunteers and funders.

Build your teams:

  • Recruit a volunteer team of all ages from businesses to kids. All ages can participate in this project! The more people that you are able to recruit the more you can accomplish and clean up.

Set a location:

  • Identify an area in your neighborhood that needs to be cleaned up. Your location can be any area in your community, as long as you get permission to use it for your project. If you are using kids, make sure that your area has a place that will be safe for them.

Secure resources:

  • You will need different colored trash bags (recycling and trash), gloves, hand sanitizer, water bottles, etc.
  • Coordinate with your local recycling and trash units to make sure everything is cleaned up after the project is over.

Keep your fundraising goal in mind:

  • Develop a story about the purpose and history of your project, so that funders understand the philanthropy aspect.
  • Empower and equip your team members to fundraise and interact with funders to ensure a successful event.
  • Use online fundraising
  • Pass around donation jars at local events such as youth groups, school, the workplace, or town hall meetings.

Review last minute details and communicate with volunteers:

  • Make sure that everyone on your project team knows where the event is, the time it is happening, and is aware of the necessary supplies and work attire.

Recognize your volunteers:

  • Show your volunteers how much you appreciate their time verbally.
  • Take pictures of the event and post them on social media channels.
  • Post a sign recognizing your funders.
  • Outreach for media help with volunteer recognition.

Reflect and Learn:

  • After the project is done, ask someone to lead a reflection of the day for the group. It is important that everyone understand the effort they put in to complete the project and how their efforts will better the community.

Park cleanupKeeping your community beautiful is a great way to better your economy, environment and well-being. This month get out and take pride in your community’s appearance. Let’s clean up our neighborhoods and make every month Keep America Beautiful Month!

For more information on planning a neighborhood cleanup project, check out HandsOn University’s toolkit resource to get started today!

Have you planned a neighborhood cleanup in your community, have any suggestions? We would love for you to share in the comment section below!

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Benefits of the Service Leader Certificate Program

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Today’s post comes from Stephanie Manciagli, an AmeriCorps member of the HandsOn University team. Stephanie is the Resource Development Specialist for HandsOn University.

In Stephanie’s post, she reflects upon the positive experience she had with the HandsOn Service Leader Certificate Program.

I recently took the Service Leader Certificate Course online through HandsOn Network and had the most amazing experience!  The course was exactly what I had hoped for: a great instruction for planning service projects and leading teams.  I am usually not very tech-savvy so I was very pleased with the course’s easy-to-use format.

Upon registering through the Hands On website, I received a confirmation email within seconds that directed me to the course home page.  The home page has links to each course and its accompanying assessment. To start, all you have to do is click the “Course 101” tab, and it will open up a new page to start the course. When you are done with each course, I liked that I could exit out of the course and the original course home page was still up.

The courses are set up like a slide show.   On certain pages there is text to read, and in others there is a speaker elaborating on bullet point text. The format allows you to pace yourself through the course, by pausing after each slide. Tabs on the left of the screen allow you to pause, rewind, and fast forward at your will, which is great for taking notes or taking a break.  I also liked that the course tracks and saves your progress as you go, so if you [accidently] exit out of the course, you can resume where you left off when you open the course again. Another thing I liked was the assessment questions that followed each course.  Realizing that I had retained the information that I had just learned reinforced my excitement for learning the material and challenged me to do better in each course…………………..

Courses 101-103 taught me the skills I need to know to be a Service Leader.  I have volunteered in the past, and have been interested in taking on leadership positions, but always felt that I lacked the proper skills to excel in such a position.  This course taught me what I need to know, such as, how to inspire action, mobilize others to effect change, and manage a team.  The text gives both broad outlines and specific examples of how to plan a project from beginning to end, which is extremely helpful for someone like me, who has only served as a volunteer at service events, and never planned an event.  Even more than teaching me the skills I need to know, I found these courses inspiring.  Every month I write in my planner, “Volunteer somewhere!,” or “Plan a Service Project,” but never actually do it, due to one thing or another.  After taking this course, I feel motivated and prepared to make a difference, and know I will feel proud as I reintegrate service into my life.

The Service Leader Certificate Program is an excellent way to advance your volunteer skills. National Volunteer Week is coming up (April 15 through April 21)  this is the perfect time to advance your service knowledge and become a certified service leader!

Have you taken this course? How did you benefit?

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Make it Work! Skills Based Volunteer Management Strategies

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

With the jobless rate still hovering around 9 percent, larger numbers of laid-off business executives are turning to volunteering as a way to make a difference to society­—and to retool their skills and perhaps change career paths. This is a godsend for the overburdened charities that need this help now more than ever. Nonprofit managers need to take full advantage of this opportunity, making the most of the legions of skilled volunteers to help strengthen the capacity and financial health of their organizations.

A Billion + Change speakerFortunately, there is now a big push to help communities across the country tap the incredible skills so many volunteers have to offer. In 2008 the Corporation for National Service kicked off “A Billion + Change” a national campaign to generate $2-billion worth of skilled expertise to help nonprofit groups meet community needs by 2013.

You might imagine that many professionals are not able to volunteer because they have full-time jobs. As long as an organization uses its creativity and resources to recruit and manage volunteers well, it is not a major barrier.

Not all charities use skilled volunteers well. A 2006 study conducted by Deloitte LLP and the Points of Light Foundation reports that neither businesses nor nonprofit groups have been able to create effective programs to recruit and manage skilled volunteers.

The benefits of making the most of skilled volunteers are clearly profound, but recruiting, retaining, and managing all of them can still be a headache. So how can a charity be sure it is getting the most out of the amazing resources and opportunities available today without going crazy or offending the volunteers or the employees?

Define each individual role that needs filling. Don’t just aimlessly recruit as many people as possible. What skills are the organization’s staff members lacking? Which projects are not started because the organization doesn’t have the employees to do them? Advertise specialized opportunities on Web sites that list nonprofit jobs and volunteer needs, listing each position’s responsibilities and requirements.

Don’t waste time on potential volunteers who don’t seem like a good fit. Be upfront about what the organization wants the volunteer to do. Ask what the volunteer is looking for. If, for example, the charity’s needs call for an independent worker who can sit at the computer and send out e-mail blasts all day, don’t offer the work to someone who is looking to volunteer as a way to be active and socialize.

Keep volunteers motivated. Since money is obviously not the incentive here, volunteers will do their best work when they feel inspired by the end result. Before they even get started, show them firsthand what the organization can accomplish. Incentives are also important. Can you offer experience, recommendations, professional contacts, and a fun time?

skilled volunteersBe flexible and show respect. It would be great if people with needed skills were willing to devote themselves to one charity, or solely to volunteerism, but they probably need to spend the majority of their time working on paid projects or looking for work. Give the volunteers specific tasks and short-term projects that require only a few hours per day or a few months of their time and make sure their important contribution is recognized. The obvious way to do this would be individual praise, but write-ups on the charity’s Web site or Facebook page or in an electronic newsletter to supporters can show appreciation. Let volunteers see how their work helps move the organization forward. Those “rewards” aid in continued motivation and retention.

Above all, don’t undermine the morale of staff members and consultants. Make sure you use volunteers in a way that complements the work of the people who are paid to keep the charity running. Make it clear that volunteering is support for the essential work of your organization. Your sponsors want to know that their donations are being put to good use, after all.

Do you manage skilled volunteers? What are some effective tactics you’ve put to use? Let us know in the comments below!

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How Service Can Be Added to Your Classroom Lesson Plan

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Service learning projects are an important addition to the enrichment of education. Service projects are important not only because they can be incorporated into the learning environment of the classroom, but also they can teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities. The most important thing that service learning can add to an educational atmosphere is an answer to the question “Why do I need to learn this” because it adds a real life application to daily lessons.

It is important that service to the community is taught at an early age, to ensure a lifetime of service and giving to others. Children who serve together tend to have higher levels of self-respect, character development, and academic achievement. Projects can be big or small depending on your classroom schedule and time availability. Projects should also be developed based upon your class’s age level.

So you want to start a classroom volunteer project? How on Earth do you begin a service project especially with young kids and very little time to stray away from lesson plans? Here are some project ideas for all types of ages and schedules:

  • Preschool age: Teach your class about sharing through a cheer cards service project. Provide construction paper, crayons, pictures, etc. to your class. Ask students to think of an individual who has made them happy in the past year. The students will make a card for that person with a “cheery” message attached to spread happiness with loved ones.
  • Kindergarten age: Spread the message of kindness and friendship with your class by making pet collars for shelter animals. These collars can be made out of felt or cotton and decorated by your students. Once the collars are finished they can be donated to a local animal shelter. Teach children about animals while doing this project.
  • Elementary school age: teach respect to your classroom by making friendship quilts. Have students decorate a cloth square with messages or pictures of peace and friendship. Put all of the squares together as a quilt or string of messages. If your class has extra time, students may also make peace cards to accompany the quilt. Once the quilt is completed, it can be donated to your local shelter.
  • Middle school age: teach your class the power of giving by holding a class or school-wide food drive, canned goods drive, clothing drive, or coat drive. Have each classroom make a box to collect donations in. This box should be visible in the classroom so that others know about the drive. Let others know about your donation drive by having a write up in your school newsletters, a note to parents, or local organization announcement.

With the right amount of planning and development your class really can give back to the community at any age. Whether your project is big or small children really do learn the power of giving back by participating in service projects.

The holidays are the easiest time to give back this year, with a wide variety of projects to choose from. You classroom can join GenerationOn this year from November 29 to December 13 for their Holiday Gift Campaign. Get your classroom service project started by having your students pledge service to GenerationOn, every pledge of service will be honored by Hasbro who will donate a toy to a child in need.

Do you have more ideas to get a classroom involved in service? We would love for you to share with us!

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How Holiday Volunteering Can Be Like Black Friday Shopping

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Reading this title you may ask yourself “Why would I ever want to volunteer over the holidays if it will be like Black Friday shopping?”

We know Black Friday shopping can be extremely chaotic stressful for most people with the large crowds, circus of holiday decoration, and battles over the year’s most prized toys.

How does this have anything to do with volunteering?

Holiday volunteering can be just as stressful and overwhelming with the hundreds of volunteer opportunities, overcrowding of people wanting to fulfill the New Years resolution, and trying to fit it in to your already hectic holiday schedule.

How will you ever be able to give back to the community if your volunteering experience becomes as crazy as planning for Black Friday shopping? By following your general protocol for holiday shopping plans, your volunteer experience can go smoothly and actually be enjoyable.

You may even want to make it an actual habit unlike the one time a year holiday shopping event. Follow these tips to make volunteering an option this holiday season.

  • Define your goals. Like holiday shopping planning where you must figure out what you need to buy and who to buy for, holiday volunteering requires you to ask yourself these same questions like who do you want to serve and what do you want to do? You should consider what the scope of your project is, what you want to see happen in your community as a result of your project, how your goal choice will affect how you select and plan the project based on all your resources.
  • Creating a group project team. Holiday shopping requires a team of other people who can help with gift ideas and sometimes shopping with others can make it seem less overwhelming. Holiday volunteering also can be more enjoyable with a team of volunteers that donate various skills and ideas to the project. When planning a volunteering project consider who has participated in past volunteering experiences, who has expressed an interest, and who has demonstrated good leadership.
  • Selecting a project. Holiday shopping has a very important goal selecting the perfect gift that will bring cheer in the hearts of your loved ones. Holiday volunteering is exactly that selecting a project that will best help the issues that affect your community. You consider what issues concern community members, what charities are supported, what skills can be of benefit, understand  your project, and what types of activities would be most successful.
  • Planning the project. Black Friday shopping will be most effective with careful planning. Holiday volunteering also requires lots of planning before putting it into effect. Before starting your project organize the work, define your timeline, and share your success!
  • Recruiting volunteers. The most important task in planning holiday volunteering projects is recruiting other volunteers to participate. Consider whether you will recruit members from an organization or your friends and family, what age group you wish to engage, how will you reach volunteers, and whether or not you will recruit outside your community.
  • Budget and resource development. A well-organized budget is critical to a successful shopping trip, as well as a successful service project. You should consider what tasks need to be completed and financial resources you need.
  • Implementing the big day. After all this planning no matter if you’re shopping or volunteering, you want the day to run smoothly and according to plan. Some things that you should consider to guarantee this will happen include designating decision makers and team leaders, providing training and orientation, taking time for reflection, and celebrating your success.

While the holidays can be the most overwhelming and stressful time of the year, they can also be quite rewarding and fun at the same time. Volunteering your time and skills during the holidays will allow you time to reflect about how truly rewarding helping others in the community can be.

Hope these tips help and good luck with your holiday shopping!

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5 Tips for Communicating Your Mission

Friday, October 28th, 2011

nonprofit communicationsYou know that publicity is important for spreading your organizations message to the world, but how exactly do you do it? The most important step in your communication plan should be start early, before the demands from your organization start pulling you in too many different directions. Here is a to-do-list that can make contacting the media about your projects less daunting:

Review your program and its goals. Go over your program’s focus points and problem areas to ensure that everyone is clear about the central mission of the organization. Be proactive and answer any questions that may not have been answered already.

nonprofit audienceIdentify your audience and set your organization’s priorities. Brainstorm a list of people that can help you accomplish your organization’s goals. Spend most of your time with the people who can help spread your organization’s message and diversify your audience more.

Develop what you want to say. This step is very important because this is how you will get people to actually participate. These points should be developed for the audience you intend to reach. Your points can be adapted into different formats including fliers, brochures, press releases, and speeches. These points should be simple and logical, answering the following four questions:

  • What issue is your community is facing?
  • What needs to happen for change?
  • Why does your organization work for this issue?
  • What can your organization accomplish through its unique mission?

Plan and develop communication tools. Develop a few basic tools to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed. Focus your efforts on a few simple tasks at a time such as designing a brochure that can be used in more than one way. Understand your communication template to effectively use it and tailor it to the intended audience.

Work with the mass media. Take a breath… you do not need to be an expert to complete your final step. Begin your work by writing a plan about your course of action. This plan should include strategies for getting media attention, a to-do list, and deadlines. This plan will keep your project focused on the intended mission. This plan can be used as a reference to help your team stay on task.

Although getting media attention can be a daunting task, by staying organized the job can seem more manageable. The most important thing to remember is that your organization has an important mission to fulfill and with the help of media outlets that mission can be accomplished more quickly and efficiently.

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Seven Useful New Social Media Tools

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Did you blink and suddenly realize everything around you is digital? The technology train is taking off! Here’s your ticket to staying afloat and reach broader audiences with some useful social media tools!

AppMakr.com is a browser-based platform designed to make creating your own iPhone app quick and easy. Its free drag and drop tool enables anyone to build rich content based apps using a point and click solution.

AppMakr connects to existing RSS and social networking feeds for easier app integration. You can monitor downloads, create image galleries, and post alerts to keep all of your users updated and allows you to share app to get feedback before it is actually published.

Panabee.com is Brainstorm engine for finding cool names and checking domain availability. The domain name generator sifts through popular spelling or word pairings. Although many domain registrars have domain name spinners to suggest new domain names in case of the one you want is taken, Panabee shows you interesting options.

  • Suggestions and phonetic variations of the domain name/phrase you’re interested in, Panabee queries Facebook, Twitter, and the web to find similar terms that people are using.

Quixey.com is a functional search engine for applications. It doesn’t require users to know the name or exact description of app, users simply search “what they want to do,” and Quixey does all the looking. Quixey produces the most relevant search results by searching blogs, forums, social media and other sources to learn about each app.

Vanity URLS are domain names created to point to something to which it is related and indicated in the name of the URL. In many cases this is done by a company to point to a specific product or advertising campaign microsite. Link shortening programs like bit.ly sometimes offer customizable shortened urls for a fee.

  • Vanity URLs are creatively linked to something making them easier to remember than a more random link.

Bufferapp.com is a smarter way to schedule tweets. First, simply work out all your tweets at one point in time during the day. Then, fill up your Buffer with your tweets and Buffer schedules them for you. Simply keep that Buffer topped up and you will then be tweeting consistently all day round, all week long.

 

PeerIndex.net is an algorithmic mapping out of the influence on the social web. Similar to Klout, but PeerIndex.net gives users influence rankings in predetermined categories. It’s an interesting way to see how people interact with you on Twitter.

 

Rowfeeder is the latest tool for social media monitoring and analysis.

  • Input date and track Keywords, Hashtags, or Usernames from Twitter and Facebook.
  • Get reported updates in excel.

 

 

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