Archive for September, 2011

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The Key to Unlocking the Benefits of Corporate Volunteering, part 2

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Today’s post comes from Chris Jarvis, Co-Founder and Senior Consultant for RealizedWorth and appeared on Realizing Your Worth on September 6. This is the second of two parts, don’t forget to read The Key To Unlocking the Benefits of Corporate Volunteering, part 1.
Corporate Volunteering is a Both/And Approach

Companies looking to generate high levels of impact as a result of their corporate volunteering programs need to pay attention to three realities and requirements:

REALITY ONE: Most employees don’t volunteer and are not interested in significant commitments.

On average only one out of three employees volunteer on a regular basis (UK, USA, and Canada). Yet companies have the amazing opportunity to promote volunteerism through corporate volunteering programs. According to the University of Toronto, in 2009, 42% of surveyed employees in Canada volunteered for the first time (in their lives) through the corporate volunteering program.

Business has the opportunity to significantly increase the civic engagement in the communities and nations in which they operate.

REQUIREMENT ONE: Provide employees quality experiences which allow them to explore the idea of volunteering and how it connects to them personally.

Companies need to design employee volunteering programs that allow their employees to fall in love with volunteering. This may involve skill-based activities, but at this stage it’s not about impact – it’s about conversion. It’s about creating a business culture where civic engagement is the norm.

Here’s how to do it:

Understanding The Journey of a Volunteer – Part 1

Understanding The Journey of a Volunteer – Part 2

The Key To An Engaging Volunteer Program

REALITY TWO: One out of three employees does volunteer on a regular basis, but probably not as part of the corporate volunteer program.

Many people view volunteering as a personal activity. Corporate volunteering programs are a nice option for those employees who volunteer regularly, but they’ve already made a connection with a cause or community that fits their interests. A significant number of these employees are volunteering their skills and they are highly committed.

REQUIREMENT TWO: Find and collaborate with these seasoned volunteers.

If you want your program to get off the ground, you need to find the employees who are already volunteering. They are influential because they possess the experience, knowledge and compelling stories to convince their colleagues (who have never volunteered) to try it out.

Here’s how to do it:

REALITY THREE: If the company’s assets are not essential to the employee volunteering program, it’s not having the impact it could.

There are major pharmaceutical companies that plant trees as the main employee volunteering activity. That’s good because it may turn a number of employees on to volunteering – but it’s not good enough.

Why?

Because anyone can plant trees. The pharmaceutical company is not adding anything to the equation.

Even if the pharmaceutical company was encouraging pro bono work among it’s accounts as part of the project, it’s still not good enough. Accountants don’t need their employer to volunteer in that scenario.

Remember the litmus test: If you were to remove your company from the equation, would it matter? That litmus test applies to both skilled and non-skilled volunteering.

REQUIREMENT THREE: Design corporate volunteering programs that depend on the business’ unique tangible or intangible assets ()

Here’s a great example of how to do it:

The Future of Employee Volunteering

Employee volunteering programs need to offer opportunities to experience volunteering and fall in love with it. This takes time. It also requires enjoyable experiences that ask for low commitment.

Companies also need to enable/allow employees to invest their skills and abilities in ways that increase the impact of the nonprofit or community they serve. (Through Taproot, for example! They are brilliant at this.) If your employees connect with a cause or community, they’ll most likely be looking for this kind of opportunity.

In both cases, companies need to design these volunteering experiences in light of their brand and unique resources. This is the key to unlocking the profound benefits of corporate volunteering.

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The Key to Unlocking the Benefits of Corporate Volunteering, part 1

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Today’s post comes from Chris Jarvis, Co-Founder and Senior Consultant forRealizedWorth and appeared on Realizing Your Worth on September 6. This is the first of two parts.

Skills-based volunteering vs. general volunteering: When it comes to long-term impacts, skills-based will win every time. So why am I still an advocate for general volunteering? Read on and join the conversation. You can comment at the bottom of the page or contact me at .
I want to be very clear – I am a fan of Taproot and, the President and Founder of the Foundation. Realized Worth lists Taproot as a highly competent option for companies seeking out help with their skill-based or pro-bono volunteering efforts (read more about our thoughts on ).

If you’re unfamiliar with Taproot, I recommend you learn about them. “Taproot is a nonprofit organization that makes business talent available to organizations working to improve society.”

Recently, Aaron and I exchanged a couple tweets about the value (or lack thereof) of non-skilled volunteering. Aaron strongly believes that skilled volunteering is the way to go for companies looking for genuine impact through their employee volunteering programs. This past June, he wrote an article for the Huffington Post entitled “The Fortune 500 Need to Take Their Own Advice.”

“The vast majority of companies still support employee volunteering programs that consist primarily of painting fences and cleaning parks, despite the fact that data clearly shows it has less community impact and provides less employee satisfaction, skills development and networking value compared to pro bono service.

On behalf of the nonprofit sector, I would like to ask companies to act more like businesses. If you truly care about making a sustainable difference in the community, do less hands-on volunteering and focus on where you can make your talent matter.”

Not only am I a fan of Aaron’s, but I think he’s right. When it comes to high impact employee volunteering, pro-bono or skill-based volunteering is the way to go.

But there’s a bit more to consider….

This is Not an Either/Or Conversation

Typically, when people refer to employee volunteering they tend to categorize the activity into one of two types:

  • General Volunteering (also known as non-skilled or hands-on volunteering). This type of volunteering involves activities that usually require little to no skill or long term commitment.
  • Skill-Based Volunteering (also known as pro-bono volunteering). This type of volunteering utilizes a specific skill set possessed by the volunteer. Often the engagements involve a longer commitment but that’s not always the case.
Given these two options, skill-based volunteering will always yield a greater return. For example, let’s say you are an accountant and you have the option to either: a) paint a fence, or; b) help a nonprofit with their financials. Which would provide the greater benefit for the nonprofit?

Admittedly, these two categories offer an easy way to discuss volunteering. However, when it comes to corporate volunteering this simple duality creates some confusion.

The litmus test for effective corporate volunteering is not skilled vs. non-skilled.

This is the litmus test: If you remove your company from the equation, does it matter? If your employees are able to volunteer in the same way, achieving the same outcomes on their own time using their own resources (and that of the nonprofit), then your company may be offering nothing more than a day out of the office. This kind of volunteering is still good, it’s just not good enough ().

The company’s resources are the key ingredient for creating high-impact volunteering – whether it is skilled or non-skilled volunteering.

 

What has your experience with employee volunteer programs been? Let us know in the comments!

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Are YOU a “Battery Charger of the Human Spirit”?

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Today’s guest post comes from Shawn Anderson, best-selling author, corporate trainer and national speaker on the topics of “possibility thinking and creating opportunity.”

Uncertain?

 

Bat·ter·y Charg·er of the Hu·man Spir·it (Noun)

(www.ShawnAndersonDictionary.com)

1. A person who encourages others to excel and maximize their full potential.  

2. A person who charges the confidence battery of someone who is down, reinforces the confidence level of someone who is uncertain, or applauds the success of someone who is doing well.

Still uncertain?

Here’s a test to see if you fit the “Battery Charger” bill:

1. Do you recognize people’s talents and then empower them to “go for it!”?

2. Are you known as a person who helps others win in life?

Encouraging, motivating, empowering…whatever you want to call it…can make a HUGE difference in the lives of others. In fact, OFTEN…it’s our enthusiasm, interest, and positive affirmations that can 100% make the difference in the thoughts and actions of someone else.

I love the story of how Walt Whitman, long before he became one of America’s most famous writers, was down on his own abilities…and even thought of quitting. Over and over, WW’s writing was met with intense rejection and scrutiny. Even when he tried to publish what eventually became his most famous book, Leaves of Grass, the critics clobbered him with their words. One detractor called his work “nonsense.” Another critic said: “We can conceive of no better reward than the lash.” Walt really began to wonder, “Am I good enough?”

 

And then in a crowd of negativity, there appeared a true hero. A Battery Charger of the Human Spirit, Ralph Waldo Emerson, arrived on the scene. Sent on a seemingly insignificant piece of paper was his simple forty-three word note:

Dear Sir:

I am not blind to the worth of the wonderful gift, Leaves of Grass. I find it the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that an American has yet contributed. I greet you at the beginning of a great career. 

Mr. Emerson, a fellow writer, extended to Walt the most precious of all gifts…encouragement. Known at that time as one of literature’s superstars, RWE had the sensitivity and foresight to send a positive message. With one encouraging note, Whitman was again empowered with the courage to persevere. And in doing so… his destiny was forever changed.

And all because a Battery Charger of the Human Spirit chose to step forward.

Like a dead car battery that needs to be re-connected to another car battery in order to get the “juice” running again, people can be the same. We all know life can be draining, and it’s easy to get down on ourselves, lose our power and think we don’t matter when we experience one rejection after another. But that’s where Battery Chargers of the Human Spirit come in. They pick people up; they re-energize them; they get them running again.

The word “encouragement” literally means “to put courage into someone”. Malcolm Forbes once said, “Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their job.” So why not make it our mission to encourage every one of those potential “people diamonds” around us so that their ultimate potential to shine is given a chance?

So let me ask you again…if you haven’t already…will you think about adding another job title to your calling? Are you ready to be a Battery Charger of the Human Spirit?

How do you charge your spirit? Let us know in the comments!

Shawn Anderson is the the Founder of the Extra Mile America Foundation, a non-profit organization empowering people to “go the extra mile” in life.  In 2011, the Foundation will lead the charge in motivating 200 mayors in all 50 states to declare November 1 as “Extra Mile Day”…a day to recognize those in the local community going the extra mile.

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How To: Add Your Volunteer Experience to LinkedIn

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

 

Today’s post comes from Michael Nealis, Interactive Strategy Coordinator for Points of Light Institute.

Last week,  added the ability to include your volunteer experience to your resume.

This is a great addition to LinkedIn! Millions of professionals volunteer in their communities, and it’s a real benefit to include volunteer experience on a resume whether you’re just out of school and looking for your first job or if you’ve been in the work force for a while and are looking for a new job.

Your volunteer experience on your resume gives potential employers more information about who you are and could get you recognized in the sea of candidates for a position.

Being able to include your volunteer experience lets you show what you’re passionate about, and gives you an opportunity to showcase your talents. If you’re actively searching for a job, volunteering can help show your talents to a peer group that could connect you with people that are looking for employees. You never know who you might meet when you’re volunteering.

Adding your volunteer experience to your resume and your LinkedIn profile can help you get noticed. The most successful people in the world dedicate their efforts to a cause that extends beyond themselves and employers are well aware of this. Volunteering not only provides you the opportunity to showcase your talents and experiences, but it also allows you to demonstrate compassion and commitment.

It’s easy enough to add your volunteer experience to your LinkedIn profile. First, log in to your LinkedIn account, and click on ‘Profile’:

 

Scroll down to the end of your Experience section to the Volunteer Experience & Causes section. To add your volunteer experience, click on ‘+Add a volunteer position’:

You’ll be taken to a screen that lets you add your volunteer experience, one cause or organization at a time, to your LinkedIn profile.

When you’ve finished adding your volunteer experience to your LinkedIn profile, you’ll have a better description of who you are and what you can do! this can make your profile and resume stand out above other candidates’ resumes!

Has listing your volunteer experience on your resume helped you to find a job? Let us know about it in the comments!

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Supporting National Service Is As Easy as Picking Up the Phone

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Over the next 18 months, Congress will make critical, budgetary decisions that will fundamentally shape the future of the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs.  AmeriCorps, the Volunteer Generation Fund, AmeriCorps VISTA, Senior Corps programs such as RSVP, and the myriad of initiatives associated with the Corporation could be in jeopardy.

Since February, AmeriCorps Alums, our HandsOn affiliates and all of you have mobilized in support of the campaigns to Save Service.  With so many difficult decisions to be made as Congress returns to Washington, we must continue to keep the pressure on by calling your Senators and Representatives on Thursday, September 15.

Today, make a pledge to call your Senators and Representatives on Thursday, September 15. When you make the pledge you can find talking points and a sample script for your phone call. These help to make calling your Senators and Representatives easier.

If you have the time on your call, tell your personal story with national service programs. Did you serve through an AmeriCorps program? Did you benefit from services that were supported by an RSVP volunteer? Did you volunteer through a program that was supported by the Volunteer Generation Fund? Do you volunteer and make a difference in your community?

For day-to-day updates on the Save Service campaign, you can visit and Like the .

We hope that you’ll tell your friends about the importance of national service programs. Take the pledge and join us on September 15

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A Reflection on the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance

Monday, September 12th, 2011

This afternoon’s post comes from Amy Smith, President of HandsOn Network.

As I turn back to the craziness of everyday life – off to the next project at work (the kick off of our conference host committee in Chicago) and back to the projects at home (right now, it’s trying to keep dirt and crayons out of an 18-month-old’s mouth). I have to wonder, were our 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance efforts this weekend enough?

Did the hundreds of hours invested in planning and executing service projects across the country make a difference?

Would those lost be proud? Did we “do right” by the families and loved one left behind?

I don’t think we will ever know the answers to these questions. What I do know is that more than one million people pledged to and did serve in honor of those lost.

What I do know is that across the country learned about organizations that need our help.

What I do know is that our affiliates did an amazing job executing best-in-class projects. The stories of inspiration where profound. The commitment to 9/11 being a day of service and remembrance was solidified on this 10th anniversary.

So I’m going to keep moving forward with the special memories created this weekend as my inspiration to take on the next project.


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Honoring the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance

Monday, September 12th, 2011

This past weekend, all across the country community members came together in service to honor and remember the friends and family that we lost ten years ago. We shared stories of where we were when we heard the news that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center.

But 9/11 Day is about more than just one day; it is a call to action that truly taps into the American ideal of giving back. We want this day to not only help mend the wounds of 9/11, but also build a stronger future for our nation.

Yesterday, and on every anniversary of this tragic day, we will remember. But, we will do more than that – at our best, our nation addresses challenges and tragedy not with a negative response, but with compassion, generosity and action.

We wanted to share some of the great events that happened around the country. Service projects that showed that we would take a moment to remember the people we lost, and take the time to help those among us that need our help the most.

A veteran helps gather letters to put into 500 bags to be delivered to war veterans around the San Francisco Bay Area.

In Chicago, volunteers work together to make McLellan Elementary School a safer and more inviting place to learn.

In Washington, DC, volunteers packed winter kits for homeless veterans Saturday at the West Education Center.

A volunteer in Boston waves an American flag as volunteers plant 3,000 American flags in honor of the 3,000 lives lost on 9/11.

Volunteers at PS 188 in New York City made over 1,000 cards that will be delivered to military family members by Blue Star Families.

Volunteers work together to plant a peace garden at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary in Ft. Lauderdale.

 There are many more pictures of service events around the country on our .

Did you serve during the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance? Tell us about your service in the comments!

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Highlighting Ways to Get involved in the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance

Friday, September 9th, 2011

The goal of the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance is to create a permanent and positive legacy rekindling the spirit of unity that existed immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and honoring the 9/11 victims, heroes and all those who rose in service in response to the terrorist attacks that changed our nation.

To accomplish this, local affiliates of HandsOn Network, the volunteer arm of Points of Light Institute and the official activation arm of 9/11 Day, is providing expertise in volunteer mobilization, equipping partners with tools and funding to create service projects to address challenges in their communities and training volunteer leaders to lead others in service.  Four leadership cities are expected to engage nearly 20,000 volunteers in various projects including:

  • Boston: Boston Cares will lead volunteers in the preparation of care packages for active duty service members and their families, blood drives to engage new donors and the assembly of cots and other supplies for use at emergency evacuation shelters
  • New York City: New York Cares will focus its efforts on the Lower East Side, including the revitalization of P.S. 140, preparation of emergency preparedness kits for neighborhood residents, planting a neighborhood garden and providing services to local seniors and immigrants.
  • San Francisco: HandsOn Bay Area is partnering with the local American Legion of San Francisco and the office of the mayor to engage volunteers in citywide projects such as urban farming, disaster preparedness training and renovations of homeless shelters
  • Washington, D.C.: HandsOn Greater DC Cares will host a citywide volunteer recruitment and service event in Freedom Park that will allow volunteers to engage in “mobile service projects” and sign up for long-term commitments to local nonprofits’ efforts

HandsOn Network affiliates will lead service projects in 18 signature sites, each expected to engage 1,000 or more volunteers. Projects include:

  • Chicago Cares: Refurbishing schools in low-income areas in partnership with the Chicago White Sox
  • Greater Philadelphia Cares: Fireman’s Tribute Walk will honor first responders
  • HandsOn Birmingham: Rebuilding homes, reading to children and hosting a family festival for veterans
  • HandsOn Central Ohio (Columbus): Organizing “Cops and Kids Day” to provide children of all ages and their families with an opportunity to interact with law enforcement officers
  • HandsOn Charlotte: Building a park in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood
  • HandsOn Northeast Ohio (Cleveland): Honoring veterans and military and their families by serving meals, organizing blood drives and offering support
  • HandsOn Greater Phoenix: Building a community playground
  • HandsOn Richmond: Refurbishing five city fire stations and partnering with the Red Cross to provide first aid training
  • HandsOn River Region (Montgomery, Ala.): Disaster training and community education
  • HandsOn South Alabama (Mobile): Three days of service focused on local first responders and military personnel
  • HandsOn Twin Cities: Beautifying memorials to fallen soldiers, creating memorial gardens and supporting those affected by recent natural disasters
  • Jersey Cares: Improving and beautifying the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home
  • LA Works: Transforming an airplane hangar into a welcome center for Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum
  • OneOC (Orange County, Calif.): Renovating veterans’ homes
  • United Way of Greater St. Louis: Beautifying and improving East St. Louis High School and the surrounding community
  • Volunteer Broward (Florida): Hosting events to clean up neighborhoods, collect food and engage children in service learning
  • Volunteer Center of Greensboro: Hosting family-friendly service activities
  • Volunteer Macon (Georgia): Designing and  planting a community garden and erecting a flagpole in honor of those lost in the Sept. 11 attacks and first responders
If you’re still looking for somewhere to volunteer this weekend, you can find an opportunity near you with the application or on the 911.org.
Are you volunteering this weekend? Let us know what you’ll be doing in the comments!

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6 Ways To Get Involved on the September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

The 9/11 nonprofit MyGoodDeed andHandsOn Network, the volunteer activation division of Points of Light Institute, have joined together to encourage all Americans to commemorate the anniversary of Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, leading the efforts to inspire one million acts of charitable service in tribute to the victims, survivors and those who rose to service in response to the attacks 10 years ago.

911day.org has a variety of ways for you to get involved as part of the 9/11 tribute movement by volunteering, making tributes, or taking part in remembrance ceremonies.

Are you wondering how you can get involved with service and remembrance on September 11th? Here are some ways:

  • Post a Tribute: The Tribute App lets you make a commitment to take action. You can add the Tribute App to your organization’s Facebook page  or go to http://911day.org/post-tribute to post a tribute. Tributes appear immediately on the 9/11day.org site
  • Search for a Project: People interested in volunteering can search the project database of more than 100,000 opportunities between 8/30 – 9/25 at http://911day.org/volunteer or find a volunteer opportunity with the . One of the great features of the I WILL VOLUNTEER app is that it lets you know if your friends are signed up to volunteer at a project, and you can volunteer together.
  • Register Your Service Projects:  Share what you or  your organizations are doing at http://www.911day.org/npovolunteer/hoc and register your events to be included in the database of projects.
  • Visit HandsOn Network Affiliate websites: For service opportunities near you on and after the 10th anniversary of September 11th, visit your local HandsOn Network affiliate’s website to find volunteer opportunities. You can find your local affiliate here.
  • Support the social media campaigns. When you’re talking about what you are doing for the day of service and remembrance, use the #IWill hashtag on Twitter, and tag  (Don’t forget to Like the page so you can tag it!)
  •  Watch the I Will PSAs. MyGoodDeed has created public service announcements asking people what they will do on September 11th with stars like Lady Gaga, Samuel L. Jackson, Fran Drescher, Nas, and every-day people who were affected by the attacks. You can watch these powerful messages at 
Our goal is to help create a permanent and positive legacy that rekindles the spirit of unity that existed immediately after the September 11th attacks, and honors the victims, heroes and all of those who rose in service in response to the terrorist attacks that changed our nation.
Are you planning to serve on September 11th? Tell us about your project in the comments!

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Tips for Including Volunteering on Your Resume

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

When you’re looking for a job, your resume is going to be how an employer first gets to know you. Of course you want to include the work experience and education that makes you qualified for a job, but should you include your experience volunteering?

Yes.

Listing volunteer work on your resume also can add a lot of valuable information to your job history, especially for new job seekers or recent graduates with short resumes. Volunteer positions can fill gaps in employment – so for students whose employment history is short, volunteer work can be an especially important addition to your resume.

How do you include information about volunteering on your resume?

There is no ‘right’ way to write a resume, so there is no right way to include information about volunteering on a resume.

Where do I include volunteer experience?

If you’re just out of school and you don’t have a lot of work experience, it’s okay to include volunteering along with paid work. Be prepared to answer questions about your volunteer work and how it helped to make you qualified for the job. It’s important to describe the volunteer experience in a way that shows how what you’ve learned while volunteering applies to the job you’re applying for.

If you have a longer work history, you can have a different section for your volunteer experience. Be sure to include information about the volunteer position that is relevant to the paid position that you’re applying for.

What if the volunteer position title was just “volunteer?”

Including “volunteer” on your resume may be accurate, but it might leave questions from your potential employer. Think about the work that you did while volunteering and talk to your volunteer supervisor to see if there’s a more appropriate title for the work that you did.

How should I describe the volunteer work that I did?

Describe the volunteer work in terms of what you achieved. Highlight the skills that you learned while volunteering.

Did you raise a lot of money? Did you manage a budget or accomplish goals on schedule? Did you supervise a staff of people? Even if they were volunteers too, your success required the ability to be a motivating leader.

 

If you are a student seeking your first job after school, being able to show volunteer work on a resume demonstrates that you had interests beyond the classroom. If you are returning to the paid work force after some time away, your volunteer activities can show that you kept yourself sharp and involved. If you want to change career fields, it may be your volunteer work in the new field that tells a prospective employer you’re worth the risk, even if all your paid employment history is in some other field.

Have you included your volunteer work on your resume? Did it help you to get a job? Tell us about it in the comments!

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