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Motivate Volunteers by Understanding Their Needs

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012

What makes people volunteer? This question often runs across the minds of nonprofit organizations when trying to recruit volunteers for service projects. It is important to understand these motivating factors to recruit more dedicated volunteers to your cause. When individuals have a strong tie to your organization, they are more likely to return for service again. They feel that their needs and feelings are being respected when they are included in project planning.

How can you better serve your volunteers? Check the top six factors that make individuals volunteer for your organization.

  1. Social: Individuals are often motivated by social factors when choosing whether or not they should volunteer. Social factors include statements such as “My friends volunteer” or “People I know share an interest in community service.” These individuals tend to choose organizations they have heard about through word of mouth. Word of mouth is one of your best recruitment strategies. Provide great service experiences so that volunteers want to talk about it and get their friends involved in your cause.
  2. Value: Other individuals are motivated by their core values when choosing their ideal service projects. Value reasons include, “I am concerned about those less fortunate than myself” or “I feel it is important to help others.” It is important to reinforce your organization’s core values in its recruitment message to attract this type of volunteer.
  3. Career: Volunteers can also be motivated by their career paths and goals. Volunteer work is a great way for people who are looking to expand their professional network to find new connections. It is also a great outlet to gain new skills or utilize skills they may not have used  otherwise. This type of reasoning includes “I can make new contacts that might help my business or career “or “Volunteer work will look good on my resume.” It is important for your organization to include the personal benefits to volunteering, as well as the overall community benefits from volunteer work.
  4. Understanding: Volunteering to gain a better understanding of the community and its needs is essential some individuals. These individuals may ask your organization “What can I learn more about the cause for which I am working?” Volunteering allows individuals to gain a new perspective and understanding of their community and its members. It opens new doors for new information that can be used to better serve the community.
  5. Protective: Volunteer work is a great stress reliever. It makes us feel better about ourselves and our current situation when we actively help our community. These factors should be highlighted, when recruiting volunteers, as well. This reasoning includes “Volunteering is a good escape from my troubles” or “By volunteering I feel less lonely.” Volunteering forces you to step out of your comfort zone and find new meaning and perspective.
  6. Esteem: When we help others through volunteering it makes us feel that we serve a purpose and we are an important part of the community. Highlight this aspect in your recruitment message. Let your volunteers know that they are making a huge difference in the overall health of the community in which they are serving. If possible, cite results from the actual project to let volunteers know the  magnitude of their service.

Which one of these factors applies to you? We would love to hear your comments and suggestions in the section below!

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Posted in Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

5 Tips to Better Volunteer Communication

Monday, July 30th, 2012

As a volunteer manager, it is important to keep your volunteers up-to-date and in the loop with important information regarding your organization. Communication is also a key step to project management and it should be an essential step in every service project planning steps. What is the best communication strategy for your organization?

Check out our communication suggestions below and decide which one will work best for you!

  1. Social media: Our culture is increasingly becoming more reliant on technology. This heavy reliance makes a social media strategy essential for any emerging business, including the nonprofit sector. If your organization can secure funds to make a social media team possible, it will be worth every penny! Your organization can use social media to communicate important event dates and details, new resources, service projects, nonprofit news, and project tips. Social media can help your organization market itself at a low cost, which will help your organization attract a new audience.
  2. Newsletters: A great way to keep your volunteers informed is to publish a frequent newsletter. Newsletters can contain a variety of information including upcoming projects, organizational news, and volunteer spotlights. Your organization can save money by distributing these newsletters via email lists. The best way to begin compiling email lists is by collecting personal volunteer information on project days.
  3. Telecommunication: Utilizing cellular phone technology is another way to reach a large number of volunteers without taking a lot from your annual budget. Choose a text-messaging program that volunteers can opt into to receive organizational updates and service project information.
  4. Volunteer orientation: Prior to service projects, assign times for volunteer training/ orientation. At volunteer orientation, inform your volunteers about your organization’s mission and purpose, important information regarding the upcoming project (attire, transportation, specific requests), and explain project expectations. Allow volunteers to give input and meet organizational staff and other volunteers.
  5. Volunteer resource guide: Publish your organization’s volunteer resources online for volunteers to access, when needed. These guides can serve as information for volunteers who wish to plan their own projects. These guides should communicate every necessary detail for volunteers so that they know what to expect at each planning and execution step.

 

Project communication is essential to the success of your project. Make sure that you make this step a priority within your organization. As you can see there are many different communication tools that your organization can use that do not cost a great deal of money. It is important for your organization to choose a communication tool that will fit your organization’s style.

How does your organization communicate with its volunteers? We would love to hear your tips, insights, and questions in the comments section below!

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Posted in Social Media, Volunteer Management, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Fully Clothed: Why Corporate Support is Vital to Volunteering

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

Today’s post originally appeared on Chicago Cares‘ daily blog site on July 20, 2012.

“Is Volunteering the Emperor’s New Clothes,” was a title that we could not resist when visiting Realized Worth on Wednesday morning. In her Hot Topic article, Susan Ellis wonders what, if anything was really accomplished at the 2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service (NCVS). Concerned about the role of corporate sponsorship on service, Ms. Ellis asks, “Why is volunteerism up for sale and up for grabs like summer’s most popular fashion?”

In 2011, Chicago Cares engaged nearly 14,000 corporate employees in service to our city. At the 2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, we worked with Points of Light and Chase to create the Seeds for Change project models that Ms. Ellis calls into question. We’ve taken a few points directly from the article to share some of our thoughts with nonprofits and corporations.

For Our Corporate Partners:

Cause Marketing is NOT volunteering

“It’s good news that high-ranking people are talking about volunteering in all sorts of public forums. The bad news, however, is that each corporation and national organization wants to ‘wear’ volunteerism…for only a moment.”

The vast majority of examples provided in Ms. Ellis’ article are focused on cause marketing, not on actual corporate service.

We will be the first to agree that cause marketing and “Dollars for Doers” types of programs are not ideal for the corporation, the nonprofit or the volunteer. As Realized Worth has already discussed, corporations trying to incentivize service face dwindling employee engagement and minimal measurable impact. Our research has shown that people who volunteer through these types of marketing programs generally don’t return to serve again, which results in sporadic support for the nonprofit.

Philanthropy is not a single act, it is a way of life. Volunteers serve because they have a personal connection to the cause or community they are serving, they don’t come for a cup of coffee. Nonprofits that recruit and train volunteers must embrace this responsibility and provide corporations the expertise to create successful and meaningful service opportunities.

Unfortunately, for many nonprofits, the time and effort needed to build and maintain high-impact volunteer programming remains a struggle due to tight budgets and employees already spread too thin by more pressing needs. This is why organizations like Chicago Cares and other HandsOn affiliates are so important. If a company really wants to make a difference, we can ensure that their actions translate into impact, balancing the interests of the company with the needs of the nonprofit organization. We are already in the community, managing ongoing relationships with organizations, listening to their needs and responding with appropriate project planning, supplies, logistics and curriculum that can best meet those needs.

Real Corporate Service is alive and well…and making an impact!

“Maybe it’s because service is an easy platform for corporations and institutions to gain a halo effect merely by stating a commitment to community involvement – with no risk of being held to promises made or even having to report back any activity at all.”

Every year we work with hundreds of companies of all sorts and sizes. Whether it’s an international conglomerate or a local business, the reason they return year after year has little to do with getting good press. They come back because they appreciate the opportunity to do hands-on work at local schools and social service agencies, they discover their employees are happier and more engaged when they learn to work together through volunteering and they’re inspired by what they can achieve outside of their day-to-day business goals.

The unique benefit that corporate volunteers offer through service is the ability to provide substantial budget relief to local service agencies which allows those organizations to focus their efforts on achieving their mission goals. In the words of Ms. Ellis, “examples abound.”

  • Over the course of a single month, Discover’s BT Division was able to mobilize enough volunteers to repaint every client’s bedroom at Little City, a project that would have taken years for the organization to accomplish on their own. Because of Discover’s financial investment, those volunteers also constructed a “Safety Town,” where the Little City community can practice safe behaviors in a controlled environment, creating a greater sense of independence for residents.
  • When our partners at the American Indian Center were awarded a grant from the Chicago Blackhawks to build an auditorium for their students, the staff was overwhelmed at the prospect of removing decades of stored items from their third floor space. Hyatt was able to provide enough volunteers to completely clean out the space in a single day, allowing the staff at the American Indian Center to utilize their grant funds more quickly.
  • What started as a painting project at a Southside school for Grosvenor employees a few years ago, has grown into a unique relationship between the company and the school. Grosvenor employees continue to help with facilities improvements but they have also started tutoring programs, job skills training, sports camps and museum field trips at a school where over 99% of the students live at or below the poverty level.

Companies are doing more than coming up with slogans, through Corporate Volunteer Programs they are making a real difference in the lives of thousands of Chicagoans.

To Our Nonprofit Community:

If you aren’t reporting, you’re doing it wrong.

“Shouldn’t high profile volunteer promotions be held accountable by someone?”

YES. At Chicago Cares we know that reporting is key to ensuring a quality experience for the volunteer and a lasting impact for the community. Before a project can even begin, it is imperative to have information on the actual needs of the community and an understanding of the obstacles that your project will face. Throughout the entire life cycle of the service initiative, organizations must be keeping track of basic metrics like volunteer show rates, projects completed and cost analysis. Surveys need to be collected that measure the personal experience of the volunteer and the impact perceived by the community. We must include long-range data that asks questions like, “Did the volunteer return, why or why not?” and “Is there any measurable improvement in the community, why or why not?”

Take, for instance, the Seeds for Change program sponsored by Chase which was a central campaign at NCVS this year. We love to share the impact that volunteers had at the hands-on projects which served 3 under-resourced schools in Chicago. At Schmid Elementary in the Pullman neighborhood, volunteers built a learning garden that is part of the principal’s push to encourage healthy living and introduce her students to fresh foods that aren’t always available in this food desert.  We started this project by sitting down with the principal and outlining her vision for the school.  The community need always comes first.

Thanks to Chase’s support, conference participants had the opportunity to spend the morning volunteering at CPS schools in located in food deserts. Back at the conference center, thousands more helped build garden kits that will be delivered to almost 100 schools so that they can finally use their gardens as learning tools.

We measure the impact of these projects in several ways, including: what was accomplished, how many students will benefit, what will volunteers take away from this experience? We use this data to help improve our programs, to communicate impact to our corporate partners, and to share with the community we are serving.  We believe measuring impact is critical to an effective volunteer project, whether volunteers are from community groups or corporations.

We can’t speak to what sort of data was provided to most of the companies that Ms. Ellis mentions in her article. However, if a company is not being provided with accurate and informed reporting after their service initiatives are complete, they need to find a new partner.

Be better than the hype

“…if our goal in the volunteer community is to increase and sustain volunteering over time, promotional campaigns must go beyond hoopla to legitimacy.”

We believe that if the volunteer community wants to increase and sustain volunteering over time, they need to stop focusing on finding the next promotional campaign and start focusing on quality volunteer experiences.

Real volunteers, the people who will become invested in the community and continue to serve, aren’t there to receive a prize, they’re there to make a difference. Whether a volunteer is walking into a project for the first time or the 100th time, it is our responsibility to make sure that when they leave, they know that their time was well-spent. Of course, there are times when we fail but it is exactly those failed experiences that allow us to collaborate with volunteers and partners in finding innovative ways to improve upon the work that we’re doing.

By relying on national ad campaigns to bring volunteers through our doors, we’re selling ourselves and our community short. In a recent survey, nearly all of our volunteer respondents mentioned how much personal fulfillment they receive by donating their time. Being an active part of building stronger communities is a truly transformational experience and that is the story that volunteer service organizations need to do a better job of telling.

If you really don’t believe that the act of giving your time in service to help others is far more powerful than a trip to a theme park or a coupon for free gas, than you are in the wrong business.

So What Do We Do Now?

“There is nothing wrong – and actually quite a bit of good – in many voices repeating the invitation to get involved.”

If you’re a company, don’t settle for a mediocre volunteer program. Chicago Cares, or other volunteer service organizations like us can help you meet your goals in a way that will have a deep impact on you and your community. If you aren’t receiving adequate reporting, start asking for it. If you aren’t being given a quality experience, find a better option. You have the power and the capacity to create a lasting impact in your community, so make sure you’re partnering with people who can help you make it happen.

If you’re a nonprofit organization, take charge. It doesn’t take a lot of money to tell a volunteer’s story or to research the ways that your organization is reaching your community. Improving your volunteer programs can often start with something as simple as running a quick survey to get ideas from the people who are supporting your work through service on a regular basis. Learn from their comments and don’t be afraid to try new things. Every school and agency has a story to tell. If it seems too overwhelming, then find a HandsOn Affiliate to help you recruit and organize volunteers for your programs. Don’t wait for a corporation to inspire your volunteers to serve, go out and do it yourself!

For all of us, the most important thing that we can do is serve. Serve without cynicism. Serve with awe at what we can accomplish when we all work together.

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Posted in News & Links, Service | 1 Comment »

Screen for Success!

Monday, July 16th, 2012

Recruiting volunteers is the first step to a successful volunteer program within your organization. Training your volunteers to be an effective part of your organization is equally important.

Once organizational, programming, and volunteer goals have been identified, position descriptions and standards for each program will need to be developed, as well. Think of volunteer program as similar to job training. You do not want an employee who does not meet certain standards for the listed project description. If the volunteer is unable to meet basic standards, reassignment may be necessary.

How can you ensure a successful screening process? Follow our suggestions below to better develop your program needs.

  1. Application process: When conducting a volunteer interview, every volunteer administrator should identify the necessary education and skills to be successful for the project. The volunteer administrator should be able to identify the volunteer’s skills and nurture them to allow for successful participation in the project. The overall volunteer administration department should be able to identify the desired skills after conducting interviews with various volunteers during the screening process. It is important to identify the volunteer’s employment status, education, skills, past volunteer experience, and availability.
  2. Interview process: The interview process is just as important as the job description. The organizational representative can find out more about the volunteer’s qualifications by interviewing them for various focus areas. The interview allows the administrator to identify the volunteer’s strengths and weaknesses.
  3. Job descriptions: Job descriptions are very important because they identify the assignment expectations for potential volunteers. An ideal job description will include the job title, how it relates to the work of the organization, list of specific requirements and accountability, standards of performance, what education/ experience is necessary for the position, necessary attitudes and values, time commitments, location of the assignment, the supervisor, and a brief description of the supervisory relationship. The job description should also identify the benefits for volunteers.
  4. Needs analysis: The application and interview processes can help volunteer administrators identify volunteer training needs. Why should you conduct this type of analysis?
    1. Identify whether or not this volunteer has the qualifications to be competent at this particular position.
    2. Identify volunteer needs that may be needed as a result of various changes that have taken place.
    3. Identify the gap between volunteer performance and expectations.

To be successful at needs analysis you must:

a.       Define the goals or purpose of the needs analysis process.

b.      Determine the necessary methodology.

c.       Design the questions.

d.      Organize the data.

e.       Review the findings.

f.        Develop training recommendations.

g.       Repeat the process on the same skills and behaviors 6 to 12 months later.

h.       Be easy to use and practical to implement.

i.         Create guidelines to develop needs analysis questions.

j.        Build the organization’s skill priorities into the questions.

k.      Organize questions into job categories and competencies.

l.         Build a pool of questions to use for possible surveys.

m.     Analyze current volunteer skills and compare them to organizational needs.

n.       Identify volunteer strengths and areas that need development.

 

The screening process is the first step in ensuring the overall health of your organization’s volunteer program. It is important to develop and define a uniform analysis across the organization. We hope that by following these tips you will see a more successful program!

What steps has your organization used to establish a successful volunteer screening process? We would love to hear about it in the comments section below!

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Posted in Fundraising & Development, Tools You Can Use, Volunteer Management, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteerism | No Comments »

Boost that Resume, Volunteer!

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

Are you a recent graduate looking for a new job? Maybe you are someone who is looking a for a new career path to develop some skills? Volunteering is the best outlet possible to do all of these things!

Why? Volunteer work benefits your professional goals because it allows you to acquire new skills that your professional degree may not allow you to develop otherwise. Volunteer work is also a great way to cram the gaps in your work history.

Win-win situation, right? Not only do you help your community, but you also boost your personal life! Check out how volunteering can help boost your professional skills below!

Assertiveness: You can develop your assertive skills by serving as a fundraiser soliciting pledges or support. Recruit others to support an organization or cause.

Budget management: Plan or chair events with a budget. Volunteer for a board position with financial responsibility. Volunteering to be in charge of an organization’s budget will greatly help you in the financial world!

Change management/ strategic awareness: To develop this professional skill participate on an organization’s board or advisory council, participate in a focus group, or help write a group’s vision.

Computer skills: Computer skills are a necessity for most professional jobs. To increase your skill set develop an organization’s database or provide data entry for a group or project.

Conflict resolution: To hone in your conflict resolution skills serve on a board, manage a function or event, or serve as a subcommittee chairman.

Cultural awareness: To become more culturally aware, become a tutor or mentor, or volunteer in an activity that works closely with people unlike yourself. IT is important to expose yourself to all types of people to better develop this skill. Make this a habit and not a one time occurrence.

Creativity: In order to develop your creative skills you will need to step out of the box a little bit. Try volunteering at a children’s arts and crafts project or volunteer to paint a school mural.

Delegating: Want to get better at delegating tasks? Try chairing a committee or assuming a leadership role within an organization such as becoming a volunteer manager.

Event planning: You can become a bigger pro at event planning by coordinating volunteers or sitting on a committee for a big event.

Leadership: Leadership skills are big eye catchers on a resume. To develop your skills serve on a chairman board, be a spokesperson for an event or organization, or volunteer as a mentor to a young community member.

Organizational skills: Need to get more organized in the workplace? Volunteer to sort donations, provide clerical services, or plan an event.

Problem-solving: Problem-solving skills are a must! Better engage your skills by being an on-site manager for a big event or be a project leader.

By adding volunteer experience to your resume you will start building up that skill section in no time! Whether you are unemployed or looking to start down a new career path, it is always great to volunteer in your free time!

How has volunteering boosted your resume? We would love to hear your stories in the comments section below!

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Posted in Education, Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

14 Ways to Better Engage Your Volunteers

Monday, June 11th, 2012

Most volunteer managers can agree, retaining regular volunteers can be a daunting task at times. It is important to not get discouraged when you are constantly seeing more new faces than familiar faces. Remember, one hundred percent retention of volunteers is an unrealistic goal.

You may be asking yourself, “how can I ever retain one volunteer if the odds are against me?’ Check out the tips below to help ensure a more active volunteer group within your organization or at your service projects!

  • Opportunities for evaluation: Evaluation can be informal. Just read your volunteer’s body language and verbal cues to see how they are feeling about the project. If their cues seem more negative than positive, ask them to come talk. You can ask them questions such as, “what do you like most about your job?” or “what can we do to make your time more fulfilling?”
  • Vacations and leaves of absence: To ensure volunteer enthusiasm and interest, offer regular volunteers the option of promotion for good performance. If your volunteer is feeling overwhelmed by personal obligations, allow them a leave of absence or vacation until they are able to serve again. Keep in touch with them to let them know that you care about their well-being.
  • In-service training: Training can be a great reward for dedicated volunteers to learn valuable skills for not only their volunteer work, but also their personal life. If your organization has a conference coming up or an opportunity to meet with a professional trainer in the field, reward them with the opportunity.
  • Staff meetings: Allow volunteers to attend staff meetings within your organization in order to give them a voice in projects. If that is not possible, coordinate volunteer team meetings so that they can share opinions.
  • Presentations: Invite volunteers involved in an interesting project to share their work at a staff meeting.
  • Advocacy opportunities: Invite your volunteers to advocate with governmental agencies, their opinion may mean more because they are not paid to give it.
  • Volunteer advisory council: Form a volunteer council to help develop policies and share project ideas. The council should have the chance to meet with your organization’s board members, too.
  • Expense reimbursement: Reimburse your volunteers for their out of pocket expenses such as gas or clothing. Making a small budget for reimbursement will pay off in the long run.
  • Benefits: Treat your volunteers like your staff members. Volunteers need food and drink, a safe working environment, and excess insurance if they are driving frequently.
  • Personnel file: Keep record of your volunteers’ involvement so that you can right a reference later or be reminded of good performance. This file will help you keep track of your dedicated volunteers.
  • Interesting tasks: Vary the work given to volunteers to ensure fulfillment and prevent boredom.
  • Respecting volunteers: No volunteer is “just a volunteer.” Remember, volunteers are unpaid staff members; they should be treated with the same respect as paid staff members.
  • Volunteer socialization: Create opportunities such as picnics or ice cream socials for volunteers to network and celebrate successes together.
  • Staff appreciation: Recognize and thank staff members that work well with volunteers. If staff feel appreciated, they are more likely to connect and interact with volunteers.

 

It is important to provide inclusive projects for both your volunteers and your staff members to guarantee retention. When volunteers feel their work is both meaningful and fulfilling, they are more likely to return.

How does your organization better retain its volunteers? We would love to hear your retention policies in the comments section below!

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Get Creative and Say “Thank-you” to Volunteers

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

National Volunteer Weeks is a time to “celebrate people in action!” Volunteers contribute so much everyday to the community, with little or no recognition for the work that they do. The Independent Sector values volunteer time in 2011 to be $21.79. We believe their contributions are worth more than any money could buy!

If you love volunteers like we do, why not show them your love this week and beyond. This week is the perfect time to start showing your recognition for the work that your volunteers are doing. Whether you are a traditional thank-you note kind of person, or you like to spice things up a bit, we have an idea for you! Check out today’s list and get inspired to celebrate the volunteers who make our community better everyday.

  1. Present your volunteers with handwritten appreciation certificates
  2. Host a theme party for your volunteers (toga, tea party, Hawaiian theme)
  3. Send a kind smile their way
  4. Outreach to local media for volunteer project coverage or thank you write up to volunteers
  5. Send them candy for a job well done
  6. Create a volunteer suggestion box and show them that you value their opinion
  7. Shake hands with your volunteers and thank them for a job well done
  8. Invite volunteers to staff meetings so that they  have a voice in organizational decisions
  9. Is your organization hosting a conference? Develop a special award for volunteers to allow them to go for free!
  10. Have a volunteer of the month hall of fame
  11. Host a volunteer party catered by a local restaurant. Include a volunteer red carpet for their entrance.
  12. Provide coffee and breakfast for an early volunteer event.
  13. Take pictures of volunteers at the service project and share them on social media.
  14. Provide volunteers with a four-leaf clover and a note saying, “We’re lucky to have a volunteer like you!”
  15. Hold a volunteer awards ceremony similar to the Academy Awards for volunteers. Best female volunteer, anyone?
  16. Give volunteers sparklers with a note saying, “No one sparkles like our volunteers.”
  17. Hold a volunteer ice cream social.
  18. Give your volunteers a round of applause at the end of a service project
  19. Have a fabulous contest to reward dedicated volunteers with prizes
  20. Utilize Cabot Creamery Cooperative’s Reward Volunteers Smartphone application to celebrate service hours!
  21. Have the CEO of your organization come to the service project to say “thank-you” to the volunteers
  22. Pass out Lifesavers to your volunteers with a note saying, “Thank-you volunteer, you’re a lifesaver!”
  23. Have a volunteer pizza party!
  24. Sponsor a volunteer retreat for the most active volunteers
  25. Give movie passes to your volunteer leaders.
  26. Ask your volunteers to contribute a blog post to your organization’s blog about their volunteer experience.
  27. Let your organization and your volunteers know the impact that they made during the project.
  28. If your volunteers are involved in big projects, have a plaque made for the site with their names on it.
  29. Make a photo album of the project and the volunteers to display at your organization.
  30. SAY THANK YOU EVERY PROJECT EVERY TIME!

It is important to show your volunteers how much your organization appreciates the work that they do. We hope that you will take a minute and recognize them for their commitment to service this week and beyond!

How do you say “thank-you” to your volunteers? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, we would love to hear your ideas!

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How the phone patent changed volunteering!

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

 

It’s March already?! Sheesh! But hey cheer up because spring is right around the corner! March is also awesome because in March, Alexander Graham Bell patented the phone, an invention that changed the world AND volunteering! That’s right, the phone-which paved the way for other technological inventions, allows for people to participate in virtual volunteering! Here’s how:

  1.  Call, text, skype, or email someone who is homebound, in a hospital or a rest home! By simply using some form of communication and letting someone know that you care and are thinking about them is inspiring and can brighten someone’s day! Whether sick or healthy, it’s always nice to know that someone took the time out of their busy day to contact you.
  2. Staff an e-mail or chat room answer/support line: Whether it’s a phone answer/support line, people can write in questions and trained volunteers can answer them; or, volunteer to be part of an online support group, where members provide advice to each other via a chat room, list or newsgroup.
  3. Conduct online research: find information an agency can use in an upcoming grant proposal or newsletter. Gathering information such as similarly –focused organizations’ web site addresses or a particular government program or legislation could greatly benefit an agency’s clients.
  4. Welcome people in advance who are about to enter the hospital, go to summer camp, etc. from volunteers, via email or a special Web page or Intranet, and post-service follow up to the same group via email or the Web! This provides them with support and care!
  5. Help an organization dot their eyes and cross their T’s by proofreading papers and online publications to ensure that they convey a grammatically correct message to their audience!
  6.  Add an agency’s volunteer opportunities into online databases: We totally understand the benefits of a volunteer doing this as this is very beneficial to an organization and volunteers seeking volunteer opportunities.

These are just a few ways that technology and phones have contributed to the expansion of volunteering. Let us know how you plan on celebrating the phone patent anniversary in the comments!

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Posted in Technology, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Volunteer, It Is What All The Cool Kids Are Doing!

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

There are so many posts about ideas to volunteer with kids, older generations, and as a family, but what about teenage volunteer ideas? Well, it is good that you are reading this post today! At HandsOn Network we know that it is to get discouraged from volunteering, if there are a limited amount of resources to help you make a service decision.

Adolescents can make a huge difference in their community and can benefit from service work, as well. No only will you learn the importance of giving back, but service work is also very helpful when looking for jobs or applying to college.

Are you interested in adding community service to your to-do list? Check out our list of tips and ideas to get your project started!

  1. Love summer camp, but you are too old to still be a camper? Become a counselor in training! It is great way to still go to camp and volunteer at the same time. Camp counselors make a positive impact in the camper’s lives every summer; don’t you remember your favorite counselor?
  2. Interested in the medicine field? Check out your local hospital for volunteer opportunities. Many hospitals will hire young volunteers to interact with patients such as reading books to patients or sitting with families in the waiting room. You may even be able to help the nurses in the nursery, etc. It is a great way to get some hands-on experience in the medical profession!
  3. Give back to those who have given so much: Help out at your local nursing home. Whether you are playing games, cleaning, cooking, or planning events you are sure to have a good time! You will not only give back, but you may also learn some valuable lessons working with senior citizens.
  4. Woof woof! Help out at your local animal shelter or veterinarian clinic. Interested in veterinary science? This is the perfect opportunity to get experience, while helping animals in your community. You will have so much fun; it will not even feel like volunteering!
  5. Help your old elementary school: Want to reconnect with your old teachers? Hold a book or school supplies drive at your old elementary school. This is a great way to get experience in the education field, by working with school children.
  6. Volunteer at your local nursery: Does your church, town hall, or place of work have a nursery? Check to see if they need any extra hands to help with the children. You can volunteer to read stories to the kids or even help clean up.
  7. Volunteer to be green: Have a green thumb? Gather your neighborhood and start a community garden. Have every person plant their favorite flowers, vegetables, or fruits. It will be a great asset to your community, and will also help the environment!
  8. Love to read? Libraries are always looking for eager volunteers. Check with your town’s library to find out their various needs and how could help them through volunteering. This is a great service project to put on your resume!
  9. Good cook? Make food for your local shelter or soup kitchen. Short on time? Start a food drive at your school. Donate your collected items to your neighborhood’s shelter.
  10. Artistic? Make coloring books for homeless children. There are many websites with coloring pages ready to be printed. Put together a few books and donate them to a children’s or family shelter.

Volunteering is the perfect excuse to utilize the skills that you may not be able to use every day. What better way to learn about yourself and the career path you would like to take than volunteering your skills?

Have a hunger for more projects like these? Check out generationOn to find more projects for teenagers!

How has volunteering helped you? We would love to hear your story in them comments section below!

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Posted in Kids, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteering | 2 Comments »

Short on Time? 6 Quick Volunteer Ideas!

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’ve always wanted to volunteer, but I don’t have the time,” or “I just don’t know where to start”?

Challenge your definition of volunteering and you might just discover that you are doing it already! A volunteer, to put simply, is someone who gives his or her time willingly and expects nothing in return.

Have you ever helped a friend write a letter or a job application? Have you helped at your child’s school with an outing, at a book sale to raise money, or a community sports event? Ever “paid it forward” and committed a random act of kindness like helping a stranger with his or her suitcase at the airport? These acts are all forms of volunteering. I bet you didn’t even notice the time it took out of your day!

If time is short but you want to get involved, lending a hand can become a way of life. Here are six quick and easy ways to volunteer and start making a difference.

• Multitask!

You have to go food shopping. Why not call an elderly neighbor, or someone who can’t get out, and do his or her shopping? How about picking up a few cans for your local food bank? You are going anyway!

• Like to chat?

Do you have 30 minutes to spare, maybe once a week, and access to Facebook? Check out . You could partner up with someone wanting to learn your language and maybe learn his or hers, too.

• Throw a swap party!

Grab your friends for an hour and have a swap party. Choose a theme (books, clothes, toys, etc.). You might come away with something you didn’t know you needed, and all of those unused items will be recycled as something someone didn’t know they needed. All the unclaimed items can be donated to the charity of your choice.

• Are you a gamer?

Did you know that you can play online games for free that donate to charities on your behalf? One example is Charitii – a charity-donating crossword Web site that raises money to provide clean water, food for the malnourished, and protection of the rainforest worldwide.

• Utilize your own connections

If there is a cause that really means something to you, you can help raise awareness of its work using your own network. You never know who might be listening who can help! Colleagues at work, friends and family, acquaintances that you find yourself chatting with – help spread the word by talking to people. If you have time free during your lunch hour, maybe that charity needs help writing e-mails or posters that need to be put up. Why not write to your newspaper to tell of the good work that the charity does?

• Do what you know!

If you can cook, you can help. If you can read, you can help. Are you a computer programmer? A nurse? There are countless ways of using your existing skills to benefit others. Cook someone a meal, advise on health matters, fix a computer for an elderly neighbor or underfunded organization. Become aware of the people around you and figure out how much time you can spare each month. Even half an hour can make a huge difference for those who could benefit from your skills.

These are just a few small ways of donating a little bit of your time to help others. They are all unique volunteer activities and there are hundreds of more options out there. Small acts of kindness count, and add up overtime!

How do you volunteer in short time periods? Let us know in the comments below!

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Posted in Equip, Service, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

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