Archive for May, 2012

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Why I Choose to Ride

Friday, May 18th, 2012

Today’s blog post comes from Frank Miller, a civil engineer. In honor of National Ride Your Bike to Work Day, he shares his story. Since choosing to ride his bike 11 years ago, Frank has ridden over 50,000 miles.

National Bike Month and Bike to Work Week give us an opportunity to examine our commuting habits, question the automobile lifestyle and make positive changes to benefit our health and the environment.

Real and permanent change begins at the “grassroots” level.  We should ask ourselves, must I submit to the automobile lifestyle?  Are there alternatives to automobile commuting that are more healthy, enjoyable and sustainable?

Unfortunately, we in the United States have built a society and culture heavily dependent on the automobile.  So pursuing alternatives to the automobile are difficult with the “deck stacked” so much in favor of the automobile lifestyle.  There are a few communities, however, that have made a commitment to cycling, and transit alternatives in general.  These communities are examples that change is possible.

We should take this time to consider the harm that the automobile has done to our health and our environment.  I contend that automobile commuting is as harmful to our bodies as smoking.  Then there is the economic toil on people, the depletion of natural resources, and the pollution of air and water.

Cycling offers an alternative to the automobile lifestyle and the benefits are enormous.  It is good for our bodies.  It is economical and it is sustainable.

I have been an avid bike commuter for the past 11 years, and before that, an avid rider of mass transit.  In the summer of 2001, I was looking for an exercise to replace running.  A coworker (who was an avid cyclist) suggested that I consider cycling to work.  He reasoned I could “kill two birds with one stone” – cycle to work for the exercise and avoid the bus ride too.  I tried it and I have been a bike commuter ever since.

Commuting by bicycle was not easy at first.  It took nearly a month for me to become conditioned to it, even though I was in good running shape.  I stayed at it and worked it into my daily routine.  Now after 11 years, I wouldn’t think of commuting any other way.

There are many people now days opting for an alternative to the automobile and who are choosing cycling for their commuting.  These people and the communities promoting cycling and alternative transit are the examples showing us that it is possible to change our habits; change that is good for ourselves and our planet.

Bike to Work Day is an annual event held across the county to raise awareness to the benefits of clean commuting. To find out how to get started check out the League of American Bicyclists.

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Helping Kids Learn to Read: Easy As A-B-C

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Our friends at HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley shared this great project idea with us, and we wanted to share it with you! It’s a great idea for a rainy-day activity with the family, for adding a small service project to a birthday party, or an office project to do during lunch!

 

Did you know 90% of the brains development happens by the age of five? Alphabet books are a fun way to teach literacy to 3-5 year old children. This project will allow you to make simple alphabet books that will go to local Head Start classrooms to help students learn the alphabet. Head Start is a comprehensive preschool program serving low-income children ages 3-5, and their families. Head Start provides early childhood education, nutrition, health, mental health, disability, and family services. Family involvement is included in all aspects of the program. This Service to Go project can be adapted to any language, numbers, shapes and colors.

For more information about the importance of reading, and other ways to help increase literacy in our community go to the HandsOn partner Reading for All at http://reading4all.com/.

For more information about Head Start, and ways to volunteer with them, you can connect with the Salem-Keizer Head Start or Community Action Agency Head Start on our website at www.HandsOnMWV.org.

Materials:

1. Construction paper 

2. Card stock, pre-made construction paper, and other fun paper 

3. Glue, scissors, tape. 

4. Markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc. 

5. Other fun crafting supplies that you have that will make the pages in your books beautiful! We recommend avoiding glitter as it gets very messy.

Directions:

1. Set up supplies on a table, making sure there is plenty of room for you and any other volunteers to work. You might want to put something underneath your work to protect the surface you are working on, such as butcher paper or newspaper.

2. Assign each participant a letter or group of letters and give them the freedom to decorate it however they choose. Remind volunteers that the word and picture needs to be a good fit for a 3-5 year old child. Also, spelling is important so you may choose to have a dictionary handy.

3. Each letter should be done on a 5×7 piece of sturdy paper and it helps if the letters are generally the same size. Also, all pages need to be created with the 7 inch side vertical, and the 5 inch side horizontal.

4. Once the pages are assembled, fill out the Reflection Sheet (see the next page). This is an important part of the project because it lets us know how it went so we can make changes or keep things just the same! This information will also help us report out on the population that we are serving. Thanks for your help!

5. If you can’t find a local nonprofit to donate your books to, mail them to with this reflection sheet to: HandsOn MWV, Service to Go, 2475 Center St. N.E. Salem, OR 97301.


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10 Things to Consider Before Starting a Volunteer Recognition Program

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

An effective recognition program with the right mix of formal and informal recognition systems and that truly functions as an integral component of a volunteer program can honor and motivate volunteers for their contributions. (Formal volunteer recognition includes certificates, plaques, pins, or dinners to honor volunteer achievement. Informal recognition occurs in the daily interchange between volunteers and the organization when its staff conveys appreciation for the volunteers’ work.)

Volunteer recognition programs also help to:

  • Communicate basic volunteer standards
  • Identify organizational volunteer best practices and trends
  • Create role models and set benchmarks for volunteers
  • Strengthen the bond between volunteers and the organization
  • Create and/or strengthen brand awareness and marketing opportunities

Ask and answer these 10 questions to help your organization develop and implement an effective volunteer recognition program:

1. How much staff time can be devoted to administering the recognition program? Will it be administered from the organization’s headquarters or local offices?
2. Who should be included in the development of the program?
3. How can senior management buy-in be secured for the recognition program?
4. How can the recognition program help to meet the volunteer program objectives and overall organizational needs?
5. What are the best practices of similar organizations’ volunteer recognition programs?
6. Is there an existing recognition program that can be adapted and customized to suit the needs of the organization (e.g., President’s Volunteer Service Award, Daily Points of Light Award)?
7. How do our volunteers want to be recognized for their community service? How can we incorporate recognition mechanisms that work for different types of volunteers (e.g., longterm and short-term volunteers)?
8. What will the award criteria and eligibility rules include? Who will judge the award nominations?
9. How will the volunteer award(s) be announced (e.g., special ceremony)? What communications vehicles currently exist to promote the award internally and externally?
10. Should external counsel and expertise be sought to help develop this volunteer recognition program? Are there core functions of the program that should be outsourced?

Does your organization have a volunteer recognition program? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.

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Posted in Volunteer Recognition, Volunteerism | 3 Comments »

May is Mental Health Month!

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

1 in 4 Americans-nearly 60 million people-live with common and treatable mental health disorders. Check out these 5 easy ways you can volunteer during mental health month.

  1. Help with teen screening. Become a trained community volunteer and administer questionnaires to teens. Teen Screen was developed by researchers and health professionals at and has been used in school districts around the country. Mental health screening can identify teens with mental, emotional or behavioral problems early, before they develop into full-blown disorders. Screening in­creases the likelihood that struggling teens get the help they need and minimizes the impact of mental disorders on teens’ lives.
  2. Support Someone Close to You. If you have a family member or friend who has been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, you are probably wondering what you can do to help.  As in any relationship, emotional and practical support is always needed. Occasionally, family and friends participate in someone’s recovery by offering transportation, financial and housing assistance. Whatever form it takes, your support, compassion and respect matter.
  3. Fight the Stigma: Become A StigmaBuster! The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) StigmaBusters is a network of dedicated advocates across the country and around the world who seek to fight inaccurate and hurtful representations of mental illness. Whether these images are found in TV, film, print, or other media, StigmaBusters speak out and challenge stereotypes. They seek to educate society about the reality of mental illness and the courageous struggles faced by consumers and families every day. StigmaBusters’ goal is to break down the barriers of ignorance, prejudice, or unfair discrimination by promoting education, understanding, and respect.  Numbers do count, so let your voice be heard!
  4.   Share your story. We all know how empowering human connections are to those seeking wellness and recovery. By speaking out about your experiences, you help give a voice to millions of American adults who have a mental health disorder. Your story will help bust the stigma that keeps people from getting care and perpetuates misunderstanding about those affected by mental health disorders.Tell your story and give a real voice to a great cause. Your story can change a life, and even save one.
  5. Research! Although mental illness affects 1 in 4 Americans, mental illness remains a stigmatized issue that many people choose to ignore; however, with research and understanding, we can all remove the stigma and encourage people to seek support and treatment without feeling ashamed. So please take the time out to research mental illness, so that if you notice someone with symptoms of mental illness, you can potentially encourage them to seek help.
How do you plan on honoring Mental Health Month?

 

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Posted in Education, Events, Inspire | 6 Comments »

Time to Get on the Fundraising Train

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

At HandsOn Network, we love to celebrate silly holidays. We are so excited for the May themes including National Bar-B-Que month, Strawberry Month, and Duckling Month! Why are we so excited? These May themes can be used at your next fundraising event, as well.

Fundraising is a great way to build up your nonprofit’s presence in the community. Although fundraising events can be very fun, they can also be a lot of work. The following tips will help you experience more fun than exhaustion when planning your next fundraising event.

1.      Develop your fundraising goals.

You should have well developed goals for your next fundraising event. Establish why you are having the event, where the money should go, and designate supporting roles.

You will most likely have a variety of goals, and therefore will need to develop multiple goals. Get your organization’s board members to help organize the fundraising goals. If possible, get your community’s support of the fundraising goals, as well.

2.      Write down your fundraising plan.

Organize your different fundraising events, to ensure that they will not overlap and happen all at once. Develop a written plan to state how much you need to raise, from where, and how you will do it. The plan can be changed, if need be, it is most important to have a visual idea.

Find the gaps where your organization will benefit the most from donations. Work with your organization’s accounting department when making this preliminary plan.

3.      Estimate how much your fundraising program will cost.

Brainstorm about the various costs that your event will take from staff to advertising. It is important to include these costs in your event budget. Be cost-efficient when making these decisions and cut costs when possible. It is most important to work toward your company’s mission when promoting your event.

4.      Develop a timeline for your fundraising plan.

Mark a blank calendar with certain deadlines for each fundraising event. The calendar will certainly change, but a brief overview of the year will help you feel less stressed about the upcoming events.

5.      Identify funding sources.

Have you considered all fundraising sources? You can tap into resources such as companies in the community, churches, the government, and designated grants. Do you need to tap into new audiences, or do you already have a dedicated following?

6.      Evaluate your fundraising plan throughout the year.

It is important to evaluate your plan frequently to better ensure success. Make a monthly plan for fundraising goals to ensure that your organization sticks to the goals. Assess the pros and cons to see what works and what does not work.

Fundraising is a necessary aspect of nonprofit business. Although it is necessary, save the hassle and make it organized to ensure success. Try one of May’s themes for your next event to make your event even more fun!

How did your organization start its fundraising plan? We would love to hear your suggestions below!

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Posted in Fundraising & Development | No Comments »

Celebrate the Movers and the Shakers

Monday, May 14th, 2012

“Through their guiding wisdom, enduring love of family, and inspiring commitment to country, older Americans continue to steer and enhance our national life.”- President Barack Obama

On May 1, 2012, President Barack Obama declared May: . The president stated that May should be a time for celebrating those who have contributed so much to our nation over their lifetime.

The Corporation for National and Community Service reports that older Americans have contributed 3 billion hours of service from 2008-2010. Although there are service groups that directly engage older Americans such as RSVP, Senior Corps, and AARP, how will your organization better engage this sector?

43% of Americans from age 55-64 engage in volunteering. Check out our tips below to learn how you can boost this statistic and embrace the skills and expertise that older Americans can offer to the service sector.

 

  • Activists: Many baby boomers come from a generation of activism. They desire a way to take a hold of this passion. Volunteer opportunities should be developed with this idea in mind. Whether your program is designed for neighborhood, community, or world activism, it is important to provide them a sense of fulfillment through service. Make sure that your organization’s mission is clear, so that baby boomers know they are volunteering for a specific cause. Allow older volunteers to form relationships through volunteering, it will make them feel more connected to the project.
  • Consumers: Older volunteers are sophisticated consumers who expect variety when making choices. Your organization should try to offer a variety of opportunities that will fulfill different interests and passions, so that older volunteers can find their niche. It is important that your organization offer a variety of short-term opportunities; to introduce beginners to volunteerism. Design projects to target specific groups to yield better results. Projects should also include skills that these specific audiences have developed over the years.
  • Workers: Many baby boomers are overworked in their professional jobs. When older American retire, their biggest complaint tends to be loneliness and lack of relationships that they once had in their jobs. It is important to understand that fact when recruiting older volunteers. Service should be designed to offer meaningful relationships to volunteers, while employing their skills, as well. Projects should allow the baby boomer to feel a new sense of fulfillment that they once felt in their profession. Allow volunteers to play an active role in planning volunteer projects, to rid the stereotype of older volunteers. Offer incentives and chances for advancement to volunteers, as well. 54% of volunteers state that they would offer more time, if they received incentives to work.

It is important to engage this sector of adult volunteers when planning your next service project. Older volunteers have a great deal of information, skills, and commitment that they can give your organization. Celebrate older Americans this month by giving them a new fulfillment through volunteerism!

Does your organization engage older volunteers? We would love to hear your suggestions in the comments section below!

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Posted in Volunteer Management, Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

Managing Volunteers 101

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Without volunteers, most non-profit organizations would cease to exist or suffer a drastic reduction in capacity to serve communities and achieve the organization’s mission. Therefore, a refresher course in basic volunteer management is always in order! The way you plan your service projects will significantly affect the success of your volunteer recruitment. The best way to increase your volunteer base is to retain current volunteers; retention is simply a matter of making volunteers feel good about themselves and their service. Class is now convened! Read on for a few key volunteer management reminders.

Accommodate Volunteers’ Schedules

Just as volunteers come from different backgrounds and community groups, they also have a wide variety of schedules. In order to engage the highest number of volunteers, consider ways to coordinate service events for people with varying schedules, needs, and interests.

  • Include volunteer efforts at different times of day and different days of the week.
  • Have flexible hours or recruit volunteers to serve in shifts instead of an entire day.
  • Plan projects around multiple impact areas or diverse opportunities within a single issue.
  • Offer family-friendly projects in which parents and their children can serve together.
  • Provide opportunities for first-time volunteers and for volunteers with more advanced skills.
  • Plan projects for individuals and for groups.
  • Include indoor and outdoor projects.
  • Offer short-term and long-term projects.

Communication & Motivation

From the very beginning of volunteers’ involvement in your service activities, you should maintain good communication with them. Motivate them to stay interested and involved in your project with a few simple steps:

  • Be prompt in your response to phone calls/e-mails. Return volunteer calls or e-mails within 24 hours.
  • Be thorough in your explanation of the volunteer duties. Volunteers will be more likely to sign up if they know exactly what they will be doing, and they will know what to expect at the project.
  • Use this opportunity to teach potential volunteers about the issue area, the community service organization they will be serving, and the potential impact of the project.
  • Use their names often; this helps develop a personal connection.
  • Keep the commitments you make. People will not support you if you don’t provide information requested, address issues they bring up, and/or miss scheduled appointments.

Cultivate Reflection

Reflection is an important part of offering closure to a project. Reflection allows volunteers to stop for a moment, think about what they’ve accomplished, share their experiences, and offer feedback for future projects or ideas for how they will continue to address the social issue. Reflection is designed to encourage volunteers to examine the project so that they see the impact of their service. Understanding how their service impacts the community will encourage volunteers to be involved in future projects.

Sample questions for reflection discussion:

  • What did you learn today—about the agency, your fellow volunteers, the service recipients, or yourself?
  • How do you feel about the project? Was it worthwhile? Was it time well spent?
  • What would you change about this project?
  • Do you plan to take future action related to this issue?
  • What other ideas or opinions can you offer this program or project?

Do you manage volunteers? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!

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5 Ways to Make the Most out of Youth Volunteerism this Summer

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Summer is just around the corner and students are ready to escape from the tedium of school. Summer vacation is a great time for kids to take a break from homework and grades, but it’s an even better time to engage in a different kind of learning – service learning! Volunteering has countless benefits for kids and teens. It helps develop important skills, including critical thinking, organizing, and collaboration and increases self-confidence. Teens learn to critically think about the world around them through hands-on work that benefits others. Volunteer jobs can even lead to future careers!

However not all volunteer jobs are created equal and finding the best summer experiences for teens can be challenging. Now is the time to start discussing how your teen will spend a part of his or her summer! Read more for six tips on how to help your child or teen get the most from their summer volunteer experiences.

  1. What do service & learning mean? Sure, volunteering looks good on a college application, but it is not just about the ability to put another experience on a college resume. Help build character strengths in your children by discussing service as something that bring deeper meaning to your lives. When kids do community service only as a route to college admission, they miss out on the deeper meaning of service.
  2. Explore your teen’s interests. It is important for children to choose their own activities, based on their own interests. Let go of what you think your child should do and help facilitate a conversation that links your child’s interests to possible jobs in your community. Kids have a much greater capacity to develop purpose and initiative when they choose for themselves.
  3. Research jobs. Once you’ve determined your son or daughter’s interests, help them begin to research opportunities; older children and teens can do this for themselves. Use the internet and personal networking to find organizations in your community. Check out the websites GenerationOn,  All For Good, VolunteerSpot, and HandsOn Network. Learn about what’s possible and what generates excitement for your child.
  4. Don’t forget to commit. It is important for your teenager to learn that all jobs come with commitments, including volunteer positions. Talk about how much time they will spend and in what ways they will discuss and reflect on their experiences with parents or other adults. Encourage teens to solicit feedback conversations with employers. Oftentimes supervisors are more than happy to take time to review a student’s performance and help them learn new skills.
  5. Be interested. As your child volunteers, they are growing and learning in many ways. Find out how by asking open-ended questions about their day. Asking questions like, “Tell me about…,” “How did that impact you?” or “How did you handle that situation?” will help you engage in meaningful conversation.

Service can encompass a variety of volunteer jobs, including visiting elderly people, tutoring children, raising money for nonprofit organizations, working in community gardens, cleaning up public spaces, monitoring environmental sites, creating websites, and working in food banks. So get involved and volunteer over summer vacation!

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Posted in Kids, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

Celebrate Mother’s Day by Doing Good!

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

This Sunday, May 13th is Mother’s Day- a time to celebrate the woman who birthed, raised you, and provided all of the wisdom that has gotten you this far. On this special holiday, we invite you to honor the women and mothers in your lives by doing good.

  1. Honor a mother or woman making an exceptional difference in her community by nominating her for L’Oreal Paris USA’s Woman of Worth. Women are making a big impact in our communities every day. If you know a woman that’s working to make your community better nominate her for L’Oreal Paris’ Women of Worth, which recognizes, celebrates and supports the women making big differences in our communities.
  2. Give your mom gifts that give back! Whether it’s a necklace, bracelet, or pretty pair of earrings, 20 percent of the proceeds from Jewelry for a Cause goes towards the charities of the client’s choice.
  3.  Give A Mom-To-Be A Safe Delivery: In 2010 alone, the International Rescue Committee helped more than 152,000 pregnant women have safe deliveries in areas where hospitals have been destroyed. When you send your mom an IRC Mother’s Day card, your $24 donation will make sure that figure keeps climbing.
  4. If your mom has more than enough “stuff,” consider this fresh idea: Provide a green garden — and a living — for another mother and her family. An Oxfam fruit and vegetable garden provides fresh fare for families in need to eat themselves or sell at local markets. Purchase your Oxfam garden from one mom to another here.
  5. Don’t forget to take care of Mother Earth! On Sunday spend the day out doors with your mother by taking planting a garden or beautifying your local park by planting flowers.
  6. Help keep mothers healthy by volunteering to do a Mother’s Day 5k Run/Walk. If you are not interested in actually running the race, you can always help set up, decorate, pass out water and snacks, or simply cheer! Whatever you are willing to offer, you will be welcomed with open arms and thank you!

 However you choose to celebrate Mother’s Day, we hope that you are doing good! Tell us in the comments how you plan on helping others for Mother’s Day!

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Posted in Family Volunteering, Impact, Just for Fun | 2 Comments »

May is National Bike Month- Time to Pedal for a Better Community!

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

League of American BicyclistsDo you choose to ride a bike instead of commuting in a car? If your answer is “yes,” this month is for you. May is National Bike Month!

The League of American Bicyclists established May as National Bike Month to spread awareness about the many benefits of choosing a bicycle over an automobile. Whether you choose to ride a bike to cut costs, benefit your health, or protect the environment get involved in Bike Month to spread the message to your community!

Why should you choose to ride a bike over a car? The following are just a few reasons:

  • Gas prices are high, biking is free! You no longer have to pay parking fees either.
  • Car exhaust dramatically increases environmental pollution, bikes emit no air pollution. Cars emit 3.6 pounds of pollutants into the atmosphere every minute; you can completely cut that out!
  • You can greatly improve your health. A ten mile bike ride can burn up to 400 calories.
  • Traffic is horrible, speed right through it on your bike.
  • All the cool kids are doing it, why aren’t you?
  • The Federal Highway Association is installing safer bike lanes for commuters, making your commute even easier!
  • It is a nice little energy boost in the morning, biking gets your heart rate up allowing you to tackle the day with ease.
  • Increase your balance and strength
  • Proven stress reliever
  • Bicycles get cars off the road. Up to 10 bikes can park in one car spot.

Although we only cited 10 reasons why you should get out on your bicycle, the benefits are infinite. How do you start a bicycle transportation campaign? Just follow these ideas to promote biking within your household, your workplace, school, or community. Check out The League of American Bicyclists for more ideas and steps to help plan your bike ride!

  1. Provide maps with routes to work and dispense them to your coworkers so they can plan their trips.
  2. Provide bicycle mentors for new bike riders. These mentors can share their expertise with beginners to help them get started.
  3. Make arrangements for neighbors to ride together.
  4. Ask restaurants or grocery stores for breakfast item donations for rider incentives. Bikers can meet at a central location to eat breakfast together.
  5. Ask companies to get involved. Companies can compete to have the largest number or bike commuters. Incentives can be gift certificates to restaurants or movie theaters. Companies can also receive recognition for their clean commuting habits.
  6. Provide incentives for participants too. Those commuters who log the largest amount of hours will win prizes such as T-shirts, gift certificates, water bottles, etc.
  7. Ask your community to develop a commuter challenge such as Georgia’s Clean Air Campaign.
  8. Ask your local politician, such as your city’s mayor, to get involved in a bike ride. The event will be more meaningful to your community members if they can attach a face to the event.
  9. Ask you local newspaper editor to promote biking events within the community.
  10. Plan bicycling events for kids, as well. Whether kids take their bikes to the park or participate in Ride Your Bike to School Day, get them involved in the fun, as well!

As you can see, bicycling has many benefits for the community. It is an easy way to volunteer to improve the environment and your community’s overall health.

Do you choose to ride your bike over your car? We would love to hear your suggestions in the comments section below!

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