Today’s post comes from Chelsea Martin at Volunteer Centers of Michigan.

It was going to be a regional meeting in Atlanta during the month of October… but hurricane Sandy hand other plans.  So come February, I headed to Los Angeles for the regional affiliate meeting. I’d spent the previous few months on calls with other network members and HandsOn (HON) staff thinking about the meeting content and how to make it a useful gathering. The planning calls gave network members the chance to give input on what was important to discuss when convening and how it could be structured. Repeatedly, those on the call said networking time with other Volunteer Centers was critical- having the opportunity to listen and share was a big reason why members attend the regional meetings. Turns out those individuals were right.

Attending the meeting was a great opportunity to represent the Volunteer Centers of Michigan network and talk about all the great work going on in our communities throughout the state of Michigan.  Even better, I got to hear about the amazing programs, innovative organizational structures, and implementation of new initiatives in other Volunteer Centers around the country. Network members wanted to hear about our work in Michigan and I was excited to hear about their role in the community.

During the sessions and networking time, it became clear there are more than a few inspiring things happening and network members are truly facilitating change in local communities. Among all of the sharing of ideas there was a common theme of change for Volunteer Centers. Change in the funding climate. Change in leadership. Change in how community members want to be engaged. Through all the talk of programming, sustainability, and transition at the gathering, three topics really stood out to me:

1.      Innovation takes time and capacity.

HON supports a cohort of Volunteer Centers who serve as innovation hubs (ihub).  Each ihub focuses on finding different ways to use volunteers to tackle community challenges.  At the gathering we got an update about ihubs and the work they are doing. The idea of giving a Volunteer Center the time, community, and a little capacity to think creatively about developing projects and programs is exciting. These incubator centers are trying out ideas to strengthen not only their center but so that those new programs can be adopted or adapted by other centers across the country.

I think the ihub model is a unique way to help move the network forward. It helped me to think about how this same model (on a smaller scale) could be used by a local center to help develop innovative programs or strategies for meeting their community’s critical needs. It is important to take the time to develop a space to think deeply and differently about Volunteer Center programming to help keep up with the changing world.

2.      Creative programs help engage more volunteers.

The affiliate gathering offered the venue to discuss the different programming currently taking place at centers. It was interesting to hear about the different strategies being used to engage more volunteers. Centers continue to be creative with their programs in an attempt to grow a volunteer base and keep those volunteers engaged. Not all the ideas are new but some are new to a particular Volunteer Center.

A couple very cool ideas stuck with me after I returned from the meeting. In communities with a lot of newcomers, the idea of using volunteering as a way to get to know the city has proven successful. In cities where people have short amounts of time to give micro-volunteering has been a way to tap new volunteers. There is also an incredible movement to partner with local companies to utilize their employees as both skilled volunteers and to give their time as a group on a specific project.  While this idea is not new it seems to be gaining traction in more communities and with more companies. Partnering with companies is a way to leverage volunteers and has developed into a revenue stream for Volunteer Centers.

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• .      Have your ID. Have equipment that works. Engage all sectors.

Karen Baker, California’s Secretary for Service and Volunteering, joined the gathering and gave an engaging key note that had most of us in the audience laughing and nodding in agreement. She emphasized the need for Volunteer Centers to have a clear brand and to invest in the organization’s reputation. It is critical for people to know who a Volunteer Center is and what it means to the community. Baker told the group that Volunteer Centers need to have the right equipment in order to succeed. She explained that the right equipment includes having a supportive board and the right staff to deliver on the organization’s reputation. Lastly, Baker highlighted the importance of engaging all sectors including public organizations like government, private business, and individuals. Engagement of all sectors helps stabilize an organization by diversifying the type of supporters and positions the Volunteer Center to be a leader in the community.

Participating on the planning team calls and making the trip to the gathering was an excellent experience and offered context to the work being lead by Volunteer Centers around the country. The mix of causal networking, structured sessions, and inspiring speakers lends itself to an increased appreciation of the network’s efforts and helped me consider how to move the work forward in Michigan.