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7 Tips for First Time Volunteers

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Make a Difference Day logo.Make A Difference Day is just a few weeks away! If you know how you’re going to make a difference on October 27, awesome!

You might say “But I’ve never volunteered before? How can I make a difference? I don’t even know where to start”

Today is your lucky day! We have seven tips to help make sure your first volunteer experience is a great one!

Find a cause you care about.

Is there something that you really care about? Does your local school system need a little help? Are there a lot of stray animals in your neighborhood? Do you love the way your library smells and want everyone to be as excited about books as you are?

Once you’ve found something in your community you’d like to make better, then…

Find a project in the DAYta Bank.

Once you’ve decided on a cause you’d like to support, you can find a project near you in the Make A Difference Day DAYta Bank! As long as you’re looking, why not find a few different projects that sound like they could be fun and…

Do a little research.

Spend a bit of time on the websites of the nonprofits that are hosting the projects you’re interested in. Find out how they support the causes you’re interested in and the work they do in your community. If you find a nonprofit you’d like to support you can…

Sign up for a project!

The DAYta Bank makes it easy to sign up for a project! Once you find a project with an organization you like you’ll be taken to the signup page for that project. Sign up and you’ll be all set to volunteer on Make A Difference Day!

Remember it’s OK to ask questions.

It’s alright to ask questions about the project before you show up. Project listings should have a person to contact if you have any questions about what the project is about and how you need to prepare. A lot of questions are answered in the project descriptions, but if your question isn’t it’s alright to get in touch with the event organizer so you’re ready for the day when you show up!

Show up ready to have fun.

You’re volunteering because there’s a cause you care about, right? That doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time! The best way to make sure you’ll have fun at your first volunteer experience is to go in with an open mind. You might be asked to do something different than what you signed up for, or you might be asked to something you don’t know how to do. Keep an open mind and try it out, you might learn a thing or two, or find something you never thought you’d love to do! Volunteering can be serious business, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

Take time to reflect on your experience.

A lot of volunteer projects have some time set aside at the end of the project to think critically about the work that you just did. Reflecting on how working in a community garden can have an impact on the health of the local watershed or how it can influence kids to eat better is an important part of the volunteer experience. It doesn’t just give you a definite stopping point for a project, but it helps volunteers to better understand how their work has multiple effects in their community.

Keep making a difference!

Did you have a great time volunteering? Awesome! Tell us about it on the or Did you not quite fit with the project or organization? That’s alright! There are a lot more organizations out there that need your help! Try finding another project in the DAYta Bank or with HandsOn Network!

Was your first volunteer experience great? Did you decide to find a different way to volunteer? Let us know in the comments!

SUPER BONUS TIP!

Did you have a great time volunteering? Why not bring a friend along with you next time? Not only will it make sure you know someone at the project, but you’ll be involving your friend in something you care about and making your community better! Plus there’s a great opportunity to take cheesy pictures to share on Facebook!

 

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Posted in Events, Inspire, Mobilize, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

How AmeriCorps Worked for Me

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

Today’s blog post was written by Luci Miller, an AmeriCorps National Direct member at Points of Light. Luci has served at Points of Light since October, 2011 and her last day of service is this Friday, August 31.

When I graduated from Georgia Southern University in May of 2011, I did not have a clue about what to do after graduation. I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology, which left my job options wide open, making things a little difficult. I had dreams of landing an internship at a Psychology clinic, while taking some time off before graduate school. After spending a couple months job searching, my idea seemed more like a faraway dream, as I found myself moving back in with my parents in Atlanta, Georgia.

My best friend had started an AmeriCorps term of service at Points of Light, and she mentioned that I may find an opportunity there. I had never considered a career in the nonprofit sector, so I was a bit skeptical of this opportunity, initially. Despite my apprehensions, I applied to an AmeriCorps position at Points of Light where I would work with their Digital Strategy team.

After a grueling interview process, I landed the position! I spent my first week of service at week-long National Service retreat with the rest of the HandsOn Corps National Direct Team. I met so many amazing young people who were so willing to give themselves to their communities to make a difference, while developing professionally.

After returning from this retreat, I was ready to serve! Through my position, I became the manager of the HandsOn Network social media platforms and a writing contributor to the HandsOn blog content. Through the use of online tools, I was able to make volunteering easier. I had no experience with volunteer resources prior to my term of service. I am now extremely knowledgeable in the field of volunteer work, and I can tell you anything you need to know about starting a project. I gained experience with creative professional writing through writing daily volunteer resources on the blog.

At the end of my term, I was able to put my skills into action, while planning the Points of Light staff volunteer project at the Atlanta Tool Bank. I engaged over 25 volunteers successfully. It was amazing to see the skills I have been developing all year come to life!

From spending time in an office cave to hanging out with a blow up penguin, I can truly say that choosing to do AmeriCorps was a great decision. I feel more prepared to tackle the next path life throws at me, than I did at this time last year. I finally have goals that I am trying to obtain thanks to the skills and personal development I have gone through this year. I am excited about what the future holds for me and I know AmeriCorps has made a lot of contributions to my future success.

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Does Your Organization Have an Episodic Volunteer Program?

Friday, August 17th, 2012

Traditionally, many volunteer programs have organized services around the continues-service volunteer-those who serve on boards, in museums, church school teachers, those who’ve lead you youth clubs, etc.  Jobs are created for them, training is created to meet their long-term needs, and motivational activities are used to enhance their retention over time.  But what about the episodic or short-term volunteer? Here are six steps to developing an episodic volunteer program.

  1. The Needs Assessment: A needs assessment for the episodic volunteer program  should include but not be limited to identifying the current quality and quantity of service by episodic volunteer in the last three to five years and surveys identifying areas in which episodic volunteers may be helpful.
  2. The plan: Establish a plan to accomplish the task. This includes setting an overall goal and smaller objective statements that describe the steps to implement the episodic volunteer program. The episodic planning team should include current continuous-service volunteers, paid staff, former episodic volunteers, and community
    members.
  3. Volunteer Roles: The primary task for the planning team is to identify new jobs that can be performed on a short-term basis and/or to redesign traditional volunteer jobs so that they can be more appropriately assigned to the short-term volunteer. The development of the roles of the episodic volunteer includes gathering information from staff and other volunteers about specific tasks that can be accomplished by those giving short-term service.  Episodic volunteers need clearly defined parameters for their jobs.
  4. Recruitment: Here, we can apply the 4P’s of marketing- product, promotion, price, and placement. First is the one-to-one or in-person method. Studies have reinforced the fact that the majority of people become volunteers “because someone asked them.” The second recruiting technique involves a person asking a group. Telephone contact is the third recruiting technique. The fourth method of volunteer recruitment is the mass appeal. This includes such things as flyers, print and media ads, billboards, brochures, window displays, or want ads.
  5. Screening: Screening, both continuous and episodic volunteers includes written job descriptions, applications, and interviews. Each organization must decide on the extent of the screening for volunteers. Also, it is good practice to review screening procedures every two years.
  6. The recruiting team: The recruiting team could ease the burden of work on the volunteer director or program manager. The team can set numerical targets for recruiting, design, the screening process, review job descriptions, and design and carry out advertising and recruiting strategies. Most importantly, the recruiting team must manage its recruiting effort within the constraints of the resources available: It must have a budget.

Tell us in the comments how you plan on implementing short-term volunteers in to your organization?

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How to Host a School Supply Drive!

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012

This blog originally appeared on Create The Good.

We’re halfway through the summer, meaning it’s almost time for kids to begin preparing to go back to school! A new school year marks new beginnings for kids and parents; however, for those who lack the resources to purchase school supplies, this time of year can be filled with anxiety and stress.

As a solution, you can collect supplies for schools! You can help children in school by giving them the tools they need to succeed. Donate school supplies or, even better, organize your own Equipped to Learn school supply drive. Here’s How you can host a  successful school supply drive!

STEP 1: GET HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS

Whether you organize the drive on your own or make the organizing a group effort, you will need to reach out to a lot of people in order to make the school supply drive a success. So go ahead and recruit your family, work colleagues, neighbors and others in your community.


STEP 2: ADOPT A SCHOOL AND DETERMINE WHAT SUPPLIES THEY NEED

If you know a teacher, principal or school administrator, you can talk to him or her about your idea and find out the school’s supply needs. Or you can call a local school or district and ask the principal what supplies the school may need.

STEP 3: MAKE A PLAN

  • Put together the list of supplies needed.
  • Determine drop-off dates and locations.
  • Determine whether supplies will need to be sorted and prepped. If so, schedule the drop-off deadline at least one week before the date you plan to give the supplies to the school. Consider keeping an estimated tally of collected supplies. It’s helpful to know what you achieved when you celebrate your success.
  • Divide your tasks — don’t do it all yourself.

STEP 4: PROMOTE IT

  • Develop flyers
  • Tell the local papers
  • Tell all of your friends — word of mouth is a great promotional tool.
  • Reach out to PTAs, community organizations, faith organizations, YMCAs, libraries, etc., and ask them to help you promote the school supply drive. They could do so through bulletins, email blasts, mention at public meetings and/or allowing you to post your flyer in their buildings.
  • Post the school supply drive on your Facebook, Twitter or other social media and send out messages to your network.
  • Post signs near the drop-off location to make it easy for everyone to find you. Use large construction paper or poster board so people can read the signs from their cars.

STEP 5: DROP OFF YOUR SUPPLIES

Work with the school principal and/or administrator to determine the best date and time to drop off the supplies. Consider asking the principal to present the school with collected supplies during an assembly time. Make sure you invite the other volunteers to join you in presenting the school with the supplies. 

After everything is done, it’s time to celebrate your success!

Give yourself a pat on the back for all of your hard work. And remember to thank everyone who helped you — it will make them feel great. While the school supply drive is still fresh in your mind, think about what worked well and what didn’t. That way you can build on your success, if you decide to do this again.

 

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Celebrate Independence Day by serving others!

Wednesday, July 4th, 2012

Barbecues, family time, and soaking up the sun tend to go hand-in-hand with the fourth of July; however, why not do all of those activities in addition to serving others? That’s right, fourth of July is a perfect time to get out and serve others, as there are a plethora of volunteer opportunities set aside for this day.  Here are four ways you can have fun this fourth of July while also spending your time helping others.

  1. Volunteer for a Bicycle race!This is a great opportunity to volunteer while watching bicycle racing up close without leaving town. Often, cycling races involve a variety of for your entire family, Enjoy a few hours or an entire day of bicycle racing with plenty of time to prepare for the evening’s fireworks and other festivities.
  2. Volunteers are needed for all of those July 4th Parades! Parades and the fourth of July are synonymous with each other along with all of the hard work that goes into making a parade successful. Additionally, volunteers are also quite important for parade activities and logistics. Parade volunteer activities range anywhere from sandwich makers needed to serve parade participants to the banner carriers needed during the parade to volunteers needed to help clean up at the conclusion of the parade. Parade volunteer activities are endless and open for all ages, allowing for you and your family to participate.
  3. Road Race volunteers are extremely important to fourth of July races! Volunteers are needed to help keep the road free from any debris, pass out water, announce times to runners, and so on.
  4. Celebrate your service to others! That’s right dedicated volunteers, veterans, and active duty soldiers, this also your day to celebrate your year-long service to others! Many cities are hosting free concerts and events to celebrate the service of others and express sincere appreciation for their work. So, gather your family, get out, and enjoy yourself!

Today, we hope you’re able to take time to celebrate all of the things that make this country great, and that when you do it, you take a moment to think of everyone that’s working to make America an even better place to call home. Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

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Celebrate Women’s Health Month!

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

We all have a role to play in women’s health. Women often serve as caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, partners, children, and parents before their own. As a result, women’s health and well-being becomes secondary. As a community, we have a responsibility to support the important women we know and do everything we can to help them take steps for longer, healthier, and happier lives.

National Women’s Health month brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women’s health. The theme for 2012 is “It’s Your Time.” National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to take the following steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases:

  1. Get preventive screenings! Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings. As recommended by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, every two years, all women should receive a blood pressure test. Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89.  Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher. Starting at age 50, women should get screened for breast cancer every two years. Other important screenings for women include screenings for Cervical cancer (Pap test), Chlamydia, cholesterol, Colorectal cancer, diabetes, Gonorrhea, HIV, and Syphilis.
  2. Get active! Regular activity can help prevent unhealthy weight gain and also help with weight loss, when combined with lower calorie intake. It can also improve your cardiorespiratory (heart, lungs, and blood vessels) and muscular fitness.
  3. EatHealthy! Following a healthy eating plan doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge every now and then. If what you eat is generally low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat) and sugars and you are getting enough vitamins and minerals, you may indulge in a rich dessert or serving of fried food every once in a while. If, on the other hand, you eat a lot of high-calorie foods, you are likely to get all the calories you need quickly without getting enough vital nutrients.
  4. Get enough sleep and manage stress! For the month of May and beyond, try to get a good night’s rest. Adequate sleep makes you more productive and ultimately feel good!
  5. Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet.

National Women’s Health month motivates women to improve or maintain women’s well-being. Tell us how you plan on promoting women’s health this month!

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Posted in Family Volunteering, Impact, Inspire, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Happy Birthday to the American Red Cross!

Monday, May 21st, 2012

On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton and a circle of colleagues founded the American Red Cross. Barton and colleagues originally founded the Red Cross to aid injured war soldiers during the Civil War.

Prior to World War I, the American Red Cross developed its first water safety, first aid, and nursing initiatives. From 1914 to 1917 the number of Red Cross chapters, nation-wide, increased to 3,864 in order to aid the war effort. In 1918, Red Cross nurses helped combat the influenza epidemic.

After World War I, the American Red Cross focused their efforts on veteran relief and safety education. The American Red Cross also expanded their services to disaster victim relief and services.

Similar to World War I, the American Red Cross played a major role in World War II from supplies to providing nurses. Post World War II, the American Red Cross held the first nation-wide blood supply drive.

Since World War II, the Red Cross has expanded its services to biomedical research, human tissue collection, civil defense, CPR/AED training, HIV/AIDS education, and disaster victim support. The Red Cross also helped the federal government form the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Since founding the Red Crescent Societies in 1919, the American Red Cross has joined more than 175 other national societies in bringing aid to international victims of disasters.

Today we celebrate the amazing contributions the American Red Cross has given not only the United States, but also the entire world. Let us remember some of these accomplishments by reading the list below:

  • The American Red Cross supplies 40 percent of the nation’s entire blood supply
  • The American Red Cross supplies over 3,000 national hospitals’ blood supply
  • Over 200,000 blood drive are held across the United States, annually
  • During Hurricane Katrina, over 2,000 Red Cross volunteers provided relief
  • The American Red Cross allocated $314.7 million in disaster relief donations to victims of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.
  • In 2001, the American Red Cross partnered with other world organization in the Measles Initiative. Since 2001, the Measles Initiative has helped vaccinate over 1 billion children in over 60 developing countries.
  • Each year, the American Red Cross responds to over 70,000 disasters.
  • Over 12 million Americans are trained in CPR/AED annually with the American Red Cross course.
  • The American Red Cross provides one-quarter of the nation’s plasma supply through their volunteer services.

These accomplishments would not be possible without the 131 years of American Red Cross existence. May 21 is the day to celebrate the birthday of such an amazing volunteer organization. Take a minute to thank your local Red Cross chapter for the all the work they do.

Do you want to get involved with the American Red Cross? You have a great deal of volunteer options from holding a blood drive to hosting CPR training. Check out the official Red Cross site today to learn more about volunteering opportunities near you and find a local chapter close to your community.

Have you been touched by the Red Cross? We would love to hear your story in the comments section below!

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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 »

May the Fourth Be With You!

Friday, May 4th, 2012

In case you haven’t noticed but we like to put our own little spin on things! May 4th is the unofficial National Star Wars Day. Today we celebrate May 4th, volunteering, and Star Wars, which means it’s time to break out our favorite Star Wars quotes to inspire you to volunteer and help others! Check out our favorite Star Wars quotes to inspire you to volunteer!

  1. “On many long journeys have I gone. And waited, too, for others to return from journeys of their own. Some return; some are broken; some come back so different only their names remain.” Vacationing soon? Remember this quote the next time you go on a vacation. Let this inspire you to volunteer to serve others. The volunteer vacation will change you for the better and possibly influence your will to also do good at home!
  2. “To answer power with power, the Jedi way this is not. In this war, a danger there is, of losing who we are.” Stay true to your community by researching local volunteer opportunities that match the needs of your community.
  3. “To be Jedi is to face the truth, and choose. Give off light, or darkness, Padawan. Be a candle, or the night.” Be the light at the end of a tunnel, especially during an after disasters. Volunteers are essential for disaster relief efforts and further provide hope when there is doubt.
  4. “No! Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” Volunteer Managers! Often, when  coordinating volunteer activities, planning the logistics of the event can be a daunting task causing one to consider giving and potentially abandoning the activity; however, don’t give up, remember that you’re serving others, and remember YODA!
  5. “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Do not be fearful when you choose to volunteer. Be ready for any task you may be assigned.  Remember that you’re serving others and you’re doing good in your community.
  6. “Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.” Youth are valuable volunteers. Make sure to incorporate youth volunteers in your service activity. Check out our affiliate Generation On for more information on youth volunteering.”
  7. “Always in motion is the future.” Volunteers are our future! Volunteers will be necessary and an aspect to our nation.

We hope this weekend and throughout the year, that the force be with you! Happy Volunteering!

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Remember to Thank Your Volunteers During National Volunteer Week!

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

As you may know, this week is National Volunteer Week! This week is a special time of the year to recognize and thank all of the great work of the awesome volunteers around you and throughout the country!

When thanking your volunteers, we at HandsOn Network hope you remember to thank our military and veterans for their service to our country this week and throughout the year!

Check out these six ways to thank your veterans during National Volunteer Week!

  1. Visit a hospitalized veteran or a veteran living in a veteran’s home! Why wouldn’t a veteran appreciate someone taking the time out of their day to come and visit them in the hospital to remind them that they are grateful for their service to our country!
  2. Leave a kind and encouraging message online thanking veterans for their sacrifice! Messages can be left at the Facebook pages for the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force. Or you can leave a message on the personal page of a veteran who you may know, thanking them for their service and remind them that it’s National Volunteer Week, a week dedicated to them and their service!
  3. If you own a company, or make employment decisions, consider hiring a veteran. While the national unemployment rate, continues to rise, the unemployment rate for veteran’s continues to increase at nearly double the national unemployment rate.
  4. Let your voice be heard! Learn about local, state and national issues affecting veterans then let your voice be heard. If time permits, call your local congressman and/or Senator to further advocate for the protection of veterans’ rights.
  5. Donate or assist an organization that helps wounded veterans, such as Disabled American Veterans, the Wounded Warriors Project or Joining Forces. 
  6. Make sure your children understand the significance of veterans and the sacrifice of those who have served. And at the very least, be sure to say “thank you” to a veteran today, be it a friend, family member, co-worker or just someone you know in your community!

 

For National Volunteer Week, whether you decide to visit a hospitalized veteran, call a veteran, or advocate for veterans’ rights, we would appreciate it and would be glad that other people are so willing to remind others of our awesome veterans and their service! Comment and tell us how you plan on celebrating veterans during National Volunteer Week!

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