Posts Tagged ‘Volunteering’

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Five Tips for Adults Working with Teen Volunteers

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

Today’s guest post comes from Michael LaRue, a Teen Volunteer Leader with HandsOn Suburban Chicago.

 

1)      Let us know our boundaries: When you put teens in charge of something make sure you let them know their boundaries in the leadership. There have been many volunteer activities that I have participated in where I had no idea what I was suppose to do when it came to leadership. Whether it be overstepping my boundaries and giving instructions that the teen should not be giving. Or just standing there not knowing where to start because there have been people doing the jobs you thought were directed towards you.

2)      Impact is most important to us! When thanking a Teen Volunteer know that most of us know we are doing a good job. If we weren’t happy with the progress or success of a program we wouldn’t be doing it. Therefore, if you’re going to thank us know that the only thanks we truly need is seeing the smile on the leader’s face or the smile of the people we’re serving (in my case the students I mentor).

3)      Treat us with respect. Know that we are here to volunteer because we have passion for what we are volunteering for, As a teen leader I know that I don’t have full control and I would never expect that, what I do expect though is to be treated with respect for I am giving up time to help something that is important to me.

4)      Don’t treat us like we are kids. We may not be adults, but we do have an idea of what is going on. Tell us what we need to do and allow us to ask for change in order to improve what needs to be done.

5)      Don’t expect more out of teen volunteers than you expect out of yourself. We are a team; therefore we should be working together for a common goal, not separately.

 

Michael LaRue has been volunteering since he was a freshman in high school in his hometown of Arlington Heights, Illinois. In four short years, he’s worked with Riley Elementary School Homework Club tutoring students and helping them with homework. Through Buffalo Grove High School’s Interact Club, he’s helped to lead his peers in impacting their community in various ways.  Most recently, he’s become a Teen Volunteer Leader with HandsOn Suburban Chicago, taking a key leadership role in the CHiL program, where he leads and supports 20 volunteers who work with middle school students to improve their grades through homework help as well by acting as role-models and mentors.  

HandsOn Suburban Chicago is a partner and grantee of generationOn, Points of Light’s global youth service enterprise. Through a dynamic partnership called Ready-Set-Go!, generationOn and HandsOn Suburban Chicago have almost doubled the amount of direct service and leadership opportunities available to youth in northwest suburban Chicago. To learn more about Ready-Set-Go! and to access our free resources to train adults to be more effective managers of youth volunteers, click here.

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Posted in generationOn, Volunteer Management, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

9 Ways to Make Volunteering a Part of Your New Year

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

It’s a brand new year and many of us have made resolutions to make our lives better in one way or another. We hope your resolutions include working to make your community better, too!

But where do you start? How do you make your community a better place? We have some tips to get started, and we’d love to hear about what you’re doing!

Find a cause you care about.

This is the best first step, because if you’re not connected to the work that you’ll be doing, it’s not going to be any fun. What do you care about most in your community? 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 way to help.

One of the easiest ways to find a way to get involved in a cause that you care about it is to volunteer with an organization that’s already supporting that cause.  You can find thousands of volunteer opportunities with HandsOn Network affiliates across the country.

Do a little research.

Spend a bit of time on the websites of the organizations that host the projects you’re interested in. Find out how they support the causes you’re interested in and learn about the work they do in your community. If you find a nonprofit you’d like to support and a way to support them that sounds fun, you can…

Sign up for a project!

Each of our affiliates has a way to sign up for projects on their site. They’re not all the same, but it’s really easy!

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? Did you make new friends? Did you learn something new? Awesome! Why not let us know?

Tell us about it on 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 that could be a better fit for you.

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

Pass it along.

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 Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

Seven Essential Principles of Neighboring

Thursday, October 4th, 2012

Yesterday’s post introduced the idea of neighboring. It’s a place-based approach to community problem solving that focuses on individuals’ talents as a resource to improve their neighborhoods.

We’ve found seven ways that individuals, organizations, and businesses can use when working with communities to engage and empower local volunteers and to build effective partnerships with their community. Whether you’re planning a short-term volunteer project or a long-term community initiative, these tips can help bring about real change!

1. Try to understand the language and nature of volunteering

  • Understand the history and culture of the community.
  • Include youth, immigrant communities, seniors, faith communities, and refugees.

2. Overcome barriers to volunteering.

  • Understand the community obstacles. What has traditionally kept people from volunteering?
  • Understand the organizational barriers. Have organizations tried to work in the community previously? What made their actions successful?

3. Empower the community.

  • Create space for residents to own their issues and develop solutions.
  • Support residents to witness the benefits of their involvement.
  • Engage residents in the decision-making process.
  • Mobilize residents around issues that impact them directly.
  • Host community meetings and provide examples of success.

 

4. Cultivate community members’ skills and talents.

  • Acknowledge and build on existing community assets.
  • Help members identify their own skills and talents.
  • Allow residents to have a real role in the partnership.
  • Encourage residents to plan and lead projects.
  • Show the relationship between residents’ skills and project outcomes.

 

5. Strengthen existing community leadership.

  • Cultivate leadership and the internal capacity of community members to lead and engage in community activities.
  • Help develop leadership and recognize different leadership styles.
  • Identify volunteer leadership development training.
  • Encourage leaders to have a leadership role in the partnership.

 

6. Acknowledge that volunteering is an exchange.

  • Offer volunteers something in exchange for the time, talents, and efforts they contribute to bettering their communities. A simple, honest, thank you note is enough to recognize each person’s contribution, but you can always do more.
  • Help people see the benefits of the work that has been done, and the work that they can do.
  • Understand that it’s okay to receive something in exchange for volunteering.
  • Develop mechanisms by which residents receive tangible outcomes such as tutoring, child care subsidies, and job opportunities.

7. Ensure community readiness.

Participate in building the internal capacity of communities to partner with outside organizations and engage residents in community activities.

  • Be patient; community building and resident involvement takes time.
  • Remember that relationship building is a process.
  • Be flexible; survival issues demand time and attention.
  • Help communities resolve conflict that may be preventing involvement.
  • Set your community up for success but accept if it is not ready.

Have you used neighboring practices in your community? Let u know what worked for you in the comments!

 

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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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Olympic Athletes Know Good TeamWork!

Monday, August 6th, 2012

The Olympics have been full of excitement and surprise thus far. From seeing Michael Phelps become the most decorated Olympic athlete thus far to watching Gabby Douglas pull in the Gold medal after a stellar performance. It is hard not to be captivated by these athletes’ amazing strength and endurance.

How can we take insight from these spectacular athletes in the nonprofit world? We can take away their message of teamwork. Whether you remember the spectacular performance Jordyn Wieber gave to her team or the undeniable friendship between Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt. We must model this dedicated teamwork when we volunteer in order to be successful!

  1. Support every volunteer: Volunteers come with different background experiences, education, and skill levels. We must left up our fellow volunteers when they are feeling down or commend them for a good job. When a volunteer is ready to give up come to their defense and help them finish the job whether they need an extra hand or a little message of motivation. When someone does a good job, let them know!
  2. Don’t steal someone’s spotlight: If another volunteer is doing a great job, do not take credit for their work. Let your organization know how awesome this individual is whether you are giving them a shout out in a newsletter or discussing their performance at an organizational meeting. It is important to let others know about the awesome work your volunteers are doing.
  3. Make sure volunteers have everything they need: To be successful, a team must have all the necessary components to succeed. Just like a swimmer needs goggles, a bathing suit, and a swimming cap to be successful in the water, a volunteer needs basic materials as well. Make sure you supply volunteers with the necessities such as gloves if they are working outside. Also, supply water bottle and snacks to replenish hard-working volunteers.
  4. Thank you goes a long way: Let your volunteer team know how thankful you are for their service. They will be more willing to support your organization if you let them know how appreciative you are. Just saying individual thank you during and after the project makes a big difference. Also, writing hand written thank you notes is a great way to show your appreciation, as well.
  5. Give them the gold: Discuss having a volunteer of them month award at your organization to recognize extraordinary performance. You can also hold a volunteer award ceremony. These incentives will make your volunteers want to continue playing on your team.

We can learn a lot from our Olympic athletes. Not only do they give back to charities, but they display great team practices, overall. Thank you for representing America so well and teaching us all so much!

What are your favorite Olympic events? We would love to hear about the lessons that you have learned this far during the games in the comments section below!

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Posted in Volunteer Management, Volunteer Recognition, Volunteering | 1 Comment »

American Girls are Volunteers, Too!

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

You might think that the American Girls‘ stories stopped after their last book, but did you know that they’re still living out new stories? They’ve all found causes that are important to them and working to make their worlds a little better!

Molly McIntire: Molly’s father served in England during World War II and her best friend Emily saw the effects of the war first-hand in England. Molly knows how important it is to her dad to get her letters while he was away, and when he came back she wanted to help out the soldiers that had fought in the war. Every month she puts together care packages for her dad’s friends who haven’t come home yet and goes to visit soldiers that are recovering from wounds with her dad.

Kit Kittredge: Kit grew up during the Depression and has seen people without jobs, homes, or anything to eat. Her dad tried to keep his car dealership from closing because he didn’t want to fire any of his employees and used his own savings to pay their salaries until the dealership had to close. Knowing that so many people don’t have enough to eat or a place to live inspired Kit to help make sure people had enough to eat and works to support the organizations that work to end homelessness in her community.

Cécile Rey: Cécile  in New Orleans during the Yellow Fever outbreak. After seeing their city so affected by sickness, Cécile and wanted to do something for the people who will still recovering and work to help find a cure. She loves visiting hospitals with toys she has collected to share with the kids that are recovering. Every few months she throws a party and asks her friends to bring a toy to share with a kid that’s still sick. She especially like when they have a chance to sing with the kids they visit!

Kaya’aton’my: Kaya likes swimming every morning with her friends and her grandmother’s stories, but she really cares about animals – especially horses. She not always think before she acts, but she knows how important it is to make sure  her animals are taken care of. She works to make sure that animals that don’t have forever-homes aren’t forgotten about and get taken care of with the same care that she shows her horses.

Kirsten Larson: Kirsten is brave and hardworking. She wasn’t sure that she was going to find a home in Minnesota but found out that she loves living there. Because her home is important to her, she knows how hard it could be to lose her home. She heard of people that have lost their homes in storms and wanted to help them to stay safe when an emergency strikes. She has used money she has raised from selling honey to help with disaster relief, and always makes sure her neighbors are safe after a storm!

If you want to know more about how the American Girls are helping to encourage literacy, check out today’s post on the Points of Light blog! Mary-Grace Reeves started the American Girl Book Club to fill a gap in literacy education for young girls in her community. Check out Mary-Grace’s story, then find out how you can support literacy and education in your community!

This summer you can make your mark on the world and inspire others to do the same through generationOn’s Community Action Heroes summer program! Visit communityactionheroes.generationon.org to find out more about the range of youth service projects you can get involved in, as well as the national recognition and prizes that you can win for your creativity and effort.

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Selfish Reasons to be Selfless

Friday, July 13th, 2012

Volunteers give so much to the causes they serve. It’s no surprise that volunteers are also benefiting from their time spent in service! As you give your time and skills, you will find new people, skills, connections, and perspectives. Read on for a few rewards and opportunities that come to those who reach out in service.

Volunteering broadens your horizons. Service projects can connect you to segments of the population you might not normally encounter, such as homeless people, foster kids, or the mentally ill. Volunteering provides you with a more accurate picture of society and makes you more aware. You may even find that you gain empathy when you step out of your comfort zone!

Volunteering can teach you new business skills. Dive right in to a new area of business that you haven’t had the chance to experience before and pick up new skills quickly! Some volunteers believe that the managerial skills they’ve learned through community service would have cost them thousands in tuition. Volunteer exposes you to changing technology, language, and skills. Service can make you a better human being and a better businessperson.

Volunteering looks fantastic on your resume. When an employer reads that you’ve served, it reflects well on you and can create a special connection. Perhaps you’ll even have a similar volunteer interest. Volunteering experience sets you apart from the competition and makes  you seem special.

Volunteering is a great way to test-drive a career. If you’ve been thinking about taking the leap into another industry, try volunteering in some capacity there first to be sure you enjoy it. It’s a great way to practice other skills and be sure you’re interested in the day to day events of your new industry.

Volunteer projects bring fun into your life and force you to slow down and smell the roses! You may end up doing something you’ve always wanted to, but never had the time to get around to.

Volunteering helps you develop great friendships. It takes an extraordinary person to love a stranger enough to give your time and skills to them. Some volunteers find that the quality of people they met while volunteering is higher than anywhere else; there is something intrinsically special about people who volunteer.

How has volunteering personally benefited you? Let us know in the comments below.

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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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Five Summer Volunteer Ideas for Teens

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

There is nothing like summer vacation as a teenager! With summer comes endless possibilities. It can be a chance to laze around and catch up on all of that terrible TV you missed during the school year, or it can be a learning and growing experience in your own community. Leave the couch behind and spend time volunteering this summer. Volunteering can help you learn new skills, understand more about your professional interests, and give you something to put on your resume for college applications and future paid positions!

Read on for summer volunteer ideas for teens.

Nursing Homes Why turn to your television for a good story this summer, when you could hear real life experiences from seniors in your local retirement community? Being around young people helps old people recreate memories. Volunteer tasks at nursing homes could include: office work; setting up the dining room; pushing wheelchairs; playing checkers, cards, and puzzles; having a conversation; delivering mail; helping write letters; reading aloud; cooking projects, and art projects.

Camp Consider volunteering at a nearby summer camp. Even if you’re too young to be a paid full-time counselor, look into counselor-in-training programs at a camp you’ve attended. CITs are usually 16 or 17 years old, depending on the camp. Volunteering at a camp combines the experience of volunteering with the fun of summer camp!

Hospitals If you’re interested in medicine, volunteering at your local hospital might be just the thing for you. Just call a hospital in your area and ask to speak to the volunteer coordinator. Volunteer tasks at hospitals keep it fresh, with tasks varying from stocking supplies, transporting patients with a nurse, making some pharmacy deliveries, bringing books to patients, sitting and talking to patients, and reading to patients.

Animal Shelters Why coo over pictures of cute animals online when you could play with them at your local animal shelter? Local animal shelters and vets are a great place to start looking for opportunities. Volunteer tasks may range from walking or playing with the animals, answering phones, escorting animals in and out, and cleaning the kennels. Look up veterinary offices and animal shelters and hospitals in your area and ask to speak to the office manager how you can help.

Libraries If you’re a big reader or just looking for a cool place to escape the summer sun, volunteering at your local library might be right for you. Library volunteers work in a variety of positions including the computer center, re-shelving books, and aiding with the children’s programs. Ask to speak to someone in volunteer services at your local library.

Are you volunteering somewhere during your summer vacation? Let us know in the comments below!

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Give your dad the gift of volunteering this Father’s Day!

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012

Give your dad the gift of volunteering this Father’s Day! This Sunday is Father’s Day, and what better way to spend time with your father than by volunteering with your dad! Here are 5 ways to volunteer with your dad on father’s day!

 

  1. Celebrate Father’s Day by volunteering with your kids at a community garden. This is a great way to spend the day outdoors doing community service while bonding with your friends & family. You and your dad ca plant seeds, turn compost, and dig in the dirt.  Remember to bring all your banana peels, apple cores, any rotting lettuce you forgot was in the refrigerator, tops of carrots or peppers that you cut from your dinner preparations, and coffee grounds from your breakfast to also help feed the compost system.
  2. Celebrate all the fathers in your community by delivering donuts! That’s right, donuts are the ultimate comfort food and a pleasant way to say thank you to all the dads in your neighborhood. I’m pretty sure they’ll love this simple treat this father’s day.
  3. Looking for a way to have fun and do good at the same time? Do a Father’s Day 5K and 10K race. Volunteer opportunities include: Registration,  Split Timers – calling out times to runners as they pass by your assigned mile marker, Water Stop – fill cups of water, hand to runners, clap and cheer, clean up dropped cups after race, be race course marshalls by providing clear directions to keep runners on course, clap and cheer. At the finish line, you and your father can decorate, keep runners moving across the finish line, clap and cheer! Or you all can volunteer at the refreshment table by setting up food and drinks at the finish line for runners.
  4. Volunteer at a sports event! Many organizations are throwing Father’s Day fundraisers in the form of sports tournaments and events. Whether it’s a softball tournament, golf tournament, baseball tournament, etc, volunteer opportunities include, help with decorations,  distributing materials, providing decorations, or simply donating money to the organization and participating in the actual event. Volunteering at sporting events is a fun way to spend time with your father on his special day!
  5. Do something out of the ordinary! This father’s day, volunteer to just do something out of the ordinary to spend quality time with your dad to remind your dad that he is special to you and your family!

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