Posts Tagged ‘Volunteers’

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I Give Time Because …

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

Why do you volunteer? That’s the question we all want the answer to, as it varies so much from person to person. We collect stories, read studies, and browse charts & infographics in pursuit of the common theme. We love volunteers and never tire of hearing the inspiration behind the time and effort they give to the causes and organizations they are passionate about.

So why do you give your time?

I give time to your cause because it makes me feel generous.

…because I was asked.

…because I want to show support for a friend who is involved.

…because you asked me to, and it’s hard to say no to you.

…because I want to be recognized.

…because I want to keep busy.

…because I feel guilty.

…because I don’t want to seem apathetic.

…because it’s my duty.

…because you make me feel needed.

…because I have a personal connection or stake in the challenge you focus on and the solution your organization is working for.

…because its good for my health & perspective.

…because you inspire me.

…because I identify with your story.

…because my spouse volunteers with you or sits on your board of directors.

…because I want the t-shirt (mug, calendar, raffle prize).

…because I was in a giving mood.

…because it’s my job.

…because it’s an escape from my job.

…because it looks good on my resume.

…because it’s fun.

…because I want to pay the benefit I got from your organization forward.

…because your organization’s professional staff are so nice to me.

…because you’re changing the world somehow and I want you to keep on making changes.

…because volunteering makes me feel cool.

…because volunteering makes me feel happy.

…because volunteering makes me feel hopeful.

…because volunteering makes me feel part of a community.

 Why do you volunteer? Let us know in the comments below!

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Posted in Volunteer Reflection, Volunteerism | 3 Comments »

Don’t Stress! 7 Reasons It Pays to Volunteer

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Why do you volunteer? Many volunteer for selfless reasons, but service can do so much good for the volunteer too! Consider volunteering more often to help others in your communities, social circles, and life, not only for all the wonderful benefits that come from spreading kindness, but also for the great benefits that people experience when they help others.

Research, observation, and possibly even your own experiences agree that helping others, altruism and finding meaning in life all have their hand in stress management. While donating your time or unneeded possessions doesn’t always solve your problems or ameliorate your stressors, acts of kindness and volunteer work can provide the following positive effects:

  • A good feeling about oneself. Having a positive sense of self can actually help you feel less reactive to stress, and bring more enjoyment to all of your activities.
  • A feeling of connection to others. Having a sense of community, a supportive circle of friends and other forms of social support can increase your resilience as well as your longevity and quality of life.
  • A sense of meaning and greater purpose in one’s life. Having a greater sense of meaning can help stressors seem more manageable, feel less threatening and be less likely to trigger your stress response.
  • Perspective about one’s stressors–others may have greater problems. Having a change of perspective can help your stressors seem much smaller to you, and may help you realize that you have more control in life and more options than you realized.
  • A reminder to feel gratitude. When you’re feeling more gratitude about what you do have, your whole life feels better, and those things that you lack seem less important, less stressful.
  • An opportunity to use one’s own unique gifts. Especially if you’re battling burnout or in a job that doesn’t thrill you, it’s important to have outside activities that ‘feed your soul’, that challenge you in ways that make you feel alive. Often, volunteer opportunities can provide that, while you provide others with gifts that they can really use as well.
  • Something to think about other than one’s stress! Distraction can be a beautiful thing, and distraction from stress can give your body a chance to recover from chronic stress and feel healthy and calm again.

All of these effects can help with stress management, and are reasons to continue to volunteer throughout the year! Consider starting with small things that will still make a big difference to someone in need; do to what you can, rather than thinking that you’re too busy to make a real difference! Are you a regular volunteer, or do you plan to do something to help others this weekend? Share your good deeds in the comments below.

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Posted in Volunteering, Volunteerism | 6 Comments »

6 Tips for Writing an Awesome Volunteer Position Description

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

When you’re recruiting volunteers for a project, it’s nearly unavoidable that you’ll have to write a position description for the position you’re recruiting volunteers for. Recruiting volunteers face-to-face is great, but you might not find all of the volunteers your organization needs while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store.

The position description for the volunteer position you’re recruiting for might be the first contact a potential volunteer has with your organization, here are some tips for making it great!

Have a great headline. Do you read a newspaper article if the headline doesn’t interest you? Make sure the first thing that a volunteer sees on the position description is interesting and exciting. If you’re recruiting a volunteer to help socialize animals at a shelter, “Animal Shelter Volunteer” could work for a headline, but what about “Wet Nose Looking For A Dry Nose,” or “Share Your Life With Someone Who Has Nine?”

Introduce your organization. Don’t assume that everyone knows about your organization. Let volunteers know what you do and how you benefit the community. If you can avoid it, don’t copy and paste your mission statement into the description. While it’s important to share your mission with volunteers, try sharing it in a way that’s playful and exciting. If your mission statement is written that way, great!

Make it exciting! Take a look at some job postings. It’s rare that a job posting is anything more than facts about the position (the Photojojo folks laugh in the face of boring job descriptions). That’s not to say that you should make things up about the volunteer position, or that facts aren’t important, but you can put a great spin on the facts. Have a little fun writing the position – it’s ok; volunteering isn’t serious business all of the time.

Who is your ideal volunteer? Everyone should answer this questions along the lines of “someone who is extremely skilled, has eight arms, sixty hours a week to volunteer, is psychic, and can travel through space and time at will.” We all want a volunteer like this, right? Why not share your idea of an ideal volunteer, even if it’s outrageous, and build that into your position description? Do you need someone with eight arms? Ask for it, and then be open that you’re really looking for four volunteers.

Remember that volunteers are as important as staff. Make it show in your position description! If there’s an opportunity for volunteers to take on leadership positions within your organization, make sure to highlight them. The opportunity might not be there on the volunteer’s first day, but if there’s a potential for growing into leadership, don’t forget to include it.

Tell what a day of volunteering looks like. Try to describe what a day of volunteering look like. There are exciting things that the volunteer will be doing, and probably some things that aren’t as exciting. Be open about the volunteer’s tasks and talk about them in a way that demonstrates their importance to the organization.

 

How do you make volunteer position descriptions exciting? Let us know in the comments!

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Posted in Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteering | 3 Comments »

7 Tips for Summertime Projects

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Summer is a great time for outdoor projects. Tree plantings, park cleanups and building playgrounds are great examples of outdoor projects, but there are some things that you need to keep in mind when you’re planning projects.

Plan for changing weather. Keep an eye on the weather reports a few days before your project and up to your project day. Weather in the summer can turn from bright and sunny to clouds and rain very quickly. Make sure you’re prepared for possible changes in the weather.

First aid. Working outside in the summer can be dangerous. People may not realize that they’re being affected by the sun and heat until it’s too late. Make sure that you have a plan in place for addressing exposure problems. Having someone at your site that’s First Aid trained can help volunteers who have had a bit too much sun or hurt themselves at your project.

Water. When you’re working in the sun it’s important to make sure you’re drinking enough water. Make sure there’s plenty of water for the volunteers that you’ll have on site, and make sure that they take a minute or two for themselves to drink water throughout the day. Even if they don’t think they’re thirsty, encourage volunteers to drink something. Staying hydrated helps volunteers to stay sharp and safe.

Encourage volunteers to take breaks. Even if volunteers are drinking enough water when they’re working out in the sun it’s important to encourage them to take breaks. A few minutes out of the sun can help volunteers to focus away from the tasks they’re working on and how they’re feeling, and it’s a great opportunity to put some water in their hands.

Shade. Try to provide some kind of cover for volunteers. Giving volunteers somewhere out of the sun to take a rest can help them avoid heat and sun related problems.

Have multiple projects available. Having multiple projects available allows you to accommodate volunteers with different skill levels. It also allows volunteers who may not be comfortable working in the sun all day to participate in your project without having to be in the sun.

Check up on your volunteers. Make sure to take time throughout the day to check up on your volunteers during your outside projects. Carry a few bottles of water with you when you’re checking up on the volunteers so if they need a drink you can give them something. It also gives you an opportunity to remind volunteers that it’s ok to take a break if they need it.

Have you planned outdoor projects during the summer? How do you make sure volunteers stay safe at a project? Let us know in the comments!

 

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Posted in Volunteering | 1 Comment »

Four Tips for Connecting Volunteers With Your Mission

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Values and vision guide the action of individuals, teams, and organizations. At the heart of it all, lies the mission, or purpose. It’s what attracts volunteers and supports and drives all initiatives.

Keeping volunteers connected to the fundamental purpose of your organization is key to keeping volunteers involved . Organizations that “keep their eye on the prize” tend to be better at involving volunteers, in more meaningful, mission-focused roles.

Talk. Think. Do!

Talk more about the importance of the work and less about the crunch time to accomplish the work. Think about the perspective of volunteers and what it is about the “cause” that attracts them. Then, do! Work to align the mission and resources to make sure the mission does not get lost along the way.

Beware of distractions.

The mission may seem obvious, but sometimes staying focused on it isn’t always so cut and dry. Whatever the distractions: finances, competition from others, or status in the community, they are sure to come. It’s important to ensure volunteers aren’t pulled in to the short-term hustle and bustle than on activities that can produce meaningful results to meet real community need.

How we talk about our volunteers is critically important.

Connect volunteers to the purpose of the mission. Openly discussing volunteer roles can’t hurt, only help.  Leaders should not only talk openly about the value of volunteer contributions, but also make sure this is backed up by action.

“This organization was founded by volunteers and volunteers still make the policy and guide the work.”

Share this view in the organization through public documents, and informal conversations.

Build the team around the mission! 

Try out the team approach! When tasks are spread out among many units of the organization, individuals have the opportunity to grow as leaders. Evaluating the best qualities represented in the team begins with knowing your strengths. Thinking more broadly about potential contributions of volunteers can ensure the organization’s mission is upheld and the best people are in place to tutor a child, intervene in a family crisis, or manage a surplus food program.

 

How do you keep volunteers connected to your organization’s mission? Let us know in the comments!

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Posted in Volunteerism | 2 Comments »

Connecting Volunteers to Your Organization’s Leadership

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Who is in charge of managing volunteers? Is there a process in place for handling new volunteers? Ensuring that volunteers are appropriately assigned and supported is a collective responsibility, and everyone understands how their piece relates to the whole.

A role for everyone.

Just as it is everyone’s job to respect the limits of the financial resources, it is also critical for everyone to understand how they contribute to effective volunteer resources management. Volunteer resources management is connected to strategic planning, IT, fund development, and evaluation, and personnel. Responsibility is jointly owned and translates into concrete, collaborative actions that lead to expansion and strengthening of volunteer involvement.

Focused and integrated.

Share management of volunteers with staff that has a vested interest in the
success of volunteer placements. When tasks related to planning, budgeting, data management, and evaluation are spread out among many units of the organization, the sense of leadership increases among all staff, and the amount of creative energy surrounding the utilization of volunteers is multiplied.

Barrier busting.

While issues related to liability, confidentiality, geographical location, and scheduling are real in most organizations, they can also become false barriers that mask more deeply rooted resistance to volunteer involvement. Proactively look for ways to reduce or eliminate barriers in order to maximize the benefit of their volunteer resources so they can most effectively contribute to upholding the mission.


 


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Posted in Volunteer Management, Volunteerism | No Comments »

Seven Questions to Ask Before Recruiting New Volunteers

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Deciding that your organization needs volunteers isn’t as simple as looking at a pile of work that can’t be done with existing staff and saying, “We should get some volunteers.”

It’s a decision that shouldn’t be made lightly – volunteers can be a positive addition to your organization, but your organization needs to answer some questions to find out if you’re able to support volunteers.

Why do we need volunteers?

Can volunteers add capacity to the organization? Will volunteers be needed for a specific project or will they be helping your organization for a longer period? Before you start recruiting volunteers, make sure that your organization knows what kind of work volunteers will be doing with the organization.

What role does our volunteer program play in our overall mission?

Laying out exactly what the volunteer’s role with your organization is will help your organization to understand how volunteers can be helpful and help to ensure that volunteers have a positive experience working with your organization.

Does staff understand the pivotal role that volunteers play in our efforts?

Making sure that staff understand the role of volunteers in the organization helps staff to identify work that volunteers can assist with and make a more welcoming environment for volunteers.

What are the benefits to the individual who volunteers in our organization?

Understanding the answer to this question helps to give your organization a sense of what the recruiting message can look like and what your organization can do to help retain volunteers.

Are the volunteer opportunities for clearly defined?

Having a clear position description that are flexible can help volunteers and staff know exactly what volunteers’ role with your organization will be. This will make finding work for volunteers easier and volunteers will know what to expect on their first day.

Who do we want as a volunteer?

If your organization is looking for a certain kind of volunteer, knowing who that person is can help to inform your recruitment strategy and help you to narrow your outreach for volunteers.

Are we prepared for the response from volunteers?

Before you put out your first call for volunteers, make sure there’s a plan in place to process people who want to volunteer. Who will screen and place volunteers? Will the volunteers need training? Who will do it? Making sure there’s a plan for responding to volunteer inquiries will help to reduce the amount of time between a potential volunteer expressing interest in your organization and the person starting to volunteer.

 

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Posted in Volunteer Management | 2 Comments »

What Volunteers are to the City of Los Angeles

Monday, April 11th, 2011

Today’s post comes from Rafael González, Chief Service Officer for the City of Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, volunteers are the heart of the city.  You can count on them every day of the year in every corner and culture of the city ready to serve.   In times of community building, crisis, problem solving, generosity and celebration I have stood side-by-side with some of the most amazing people I have come across my many years.

People often ask me why I serve and why I value volunteerism.  It’s because I believe service plays a critical role as a strategy for social change.  More importantly, it’s because I believe that together people can transform communities and the status quo.

As far back as I can remember, volunteerism and justice have been a part of my values and life.  From organizing recycling drives for children’s shelters as a youth, to organizing door-to-door to address slum conditions in my neighborhood as an adult, I have taken it upon myself to serve my community.

I learned this from my parents and through our collective action as a family living in the downtown community west of City Hall.  No matter what financial or social struggles stood in our way, we always had our apartment door open to support and share with our neighbors.

This was imbedded in me at a very early age; the belief that service is the right thing to do and that change begins with the self.

For over 5 years I’ve had the privilege of serving in Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa’s administration, first as his Associate Director of Neighborhood & Community Services and now as his Chief Service Officer.  In both roles I’ve had the honor to meet and partner with everyday people who volunteer their time across the city on many levels.

They are the “moms & pops” who lead community beautification projects; high school and college students assisting immigrants on their pathway to U.S. citizenship; professionals who take time to mentor youth; parents who partner with teachers to build and sustain community gardens in our schools; neighborhood councils who engage in making local government accountable to its residents; local businesses who exemplify corporate responsibility and so many more examples of volunteerism.

It gives me hope that Los Angeles is one of many cities throughout the country that values volunteerism and service.  We are proud to be part of “Cities of Service,” a national movement that engages people to find new and innovative ways to harness the power of volunteers to help solve pressing local challenges.  Through this effort, Mayor Villaraigosa created “We Serve LA,” a local campaign with strategies to transform volunteerism and service into a powerful tool for civic engagement, community building and social change.

“We Serve LA” provides a shared vision for community involvement and promotes service as a defining characteristic of the culture of Los Angeles.  “We Serve LA” starts with building the much-needed infrastructure to expand service opportunities and effectively connect Angelenos to them.  It is our intent to make it easier for Angelenos from all walks of life and of every age group to connect with meaningful service opportunities and to make a difference in their City.  We aim to create an energetic and positive pathway to take Angelenos who care deeply about the problems we face from individual volunteers to a powerful force for change.

I firmly believe that volunteers are the good conscience and hope that makes Los Angeles a city of service.  Volunteers don’t wait for change to happen.  Volunteers make that change.  I truly believe that without volunteers, there is no movement.  What embodies the soul of the movement is the love that people have for Los Angeles and a common belief in citizen and neighborhood empowerment.   Los Angeles is a better city because of it!

Rafael González is the Chief Service Officer in Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa’s administration.  He is a lifelong Angeleno with over twenty years of experience as a community organizer, advocate and public servant.  He can be reached at .  For more information on Cities of Service go to www.citiesofservice.org.

 

 

 

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Posted in Volunteering, Volunteerism | No Comments »

Eight Tips For Writing the Perfect Thank You Note

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

volunteer, volunteering, volunteerism, thank youYou’ve thanked the volunteers that serve with your organization, right?  Thanking them when they’re serving is important, but it’s also important to show them that their service is important even when they’re not serving.  A thank you note sent to a volunteer at their home is a great reminder that they’re an important part of the organization.  Here are eight tips for writing personal thank you notes to your volunteers:

1)      Focus on the volunteer.

Before you write the thank you note, try writing the volunteer’s address on the envelope and write it out by hand.  As you’re writing their address, think about your relationship to the volunteer; think about where they’re living and how they’re serving.  It will help you to write an individual message for that volunteer

2)      Write the note by hand.

Unless the number of volunteers your organization has makes writing a thank you note by hand unfeasible, take the extra time to write the note out by hand.  A hand written note will mean more to your volunteers and shows that you’ve taken the time to focus on each volunteer specifically.

3)      Talk about the volunteer’s service directly.

When you’re thanking your volunteer for their service, include a note about something that the volunteer has done.  Whether it’s figuring out a new way to do something, making sure that the people they work with are always smiling, or being the only one that can figure out how to make the copier stop squeaking, be sure to draw attention to it.

4)      Talk about how the volunteer’s service is changing or improving the organization

If the new way of doing something improves the office work flow, tell the volunteer how many hours the improvement saves over the course of a year.  If the volunteer helps to buoy everyone’s spirits, tell the volunteer how their presence makes everyone’s day a little easier to get through.

5)      Try writing a draft before writing out a thank you card.

Your writing will get a little bit better with each draft.  You can keep an early version of the thank you note in the volunteer’s file where it can serve as a reminder of the great work they’ve done for your organization.

6)      Keep it simple.

Your thank you note doesn’t have to be a complicated and involved.  It doesn’t have to be a Presidential address.  It can be two or three lines, simply written that come from the heart.  Pretty words are great when you’re trying to charm someone, but meaningful words are more important when you’re trying to thank them.

7)      Think of how your organization can serve the volunteer better.

If there is something that your organization can do to make the volunteer’s work easier to do, mention that you’re trying to make those things happen.  Whether it’s a brighter desk lamp, more thorough trainings, or simply involving the volunteers more in the day-to-day operation of your organization, let the volunteers know that you’re willing to support them and the work that they do as much as they support you and your organization.

8)      Write a lot of thank you notes.

If you’re not used to writing thank you notes to your volunteers, write a lot of them.  It will get easier, and you’ll get better at it.  Remember, you can never say thank you too many times.

What are some of the ways that you’ve said thank you to the volunteers you work with?  Let us know about the awesome ways of showing your volunteers that you appreciate them – whether it’s high fives in the hallways or winter wellness kits full of tissues and vitamin c.  Let us know in the comments!

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Posted in Volunteer Management, Volunteer Recognition, Volunteering | 17 Comments »

Five Ways to Engage Baby Boomers in Volunteering

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

By Barb Quaintance, AARP Senior Vice President for Volunteer & Civic Engagement

Since AARP was founded in 1957, the organization has placed a priority on community service and civic involvement. We developed Create The Good to engage their boomer and older members – and their families – in more volunteering. A few of the things we’ve learned along the way might help your volunteer organization:

1.)  Ask Them to Help. Boomers believe they are leaving this world worse than they found it – and they want to change that. The best way to get them involved is still a personal ask. This is one place social media can really help non-profits. Encourage your volunteers to share the ways they help your organization on social networks and ask their friends to join them.

2.)  Be OK with Lone Rangers. Baby boomers have never been “joiners” and that doesn’t show any signs of ch-ch-changing. While they are less likely to want to be part of an organization, informal volunteering has jumped with this generation. In 2009, 57 percent surveyed by AARP reported volunteering on their own. In 2003, it was just 34 percent.

3.)  Adapt and Be Flexible. More than half of boomers surveyed by AARP said they want flexible options when it comes to volunteering. Many of them are taking care of their parents and raising kids… and sometimes grandkids. We know, we know, flexible isn’t the way it’s been done in the past… Adapt. Create The Good’s volunteering website offers zip code searchable opportunities in a wide variety of flexible categories: in person and online. It also offers how-to toolkits for the more serious volunteer to five minute ideas for people who aren’t sure what to do but want to make a difference. Create The Good helps finds the right match for each person.

4.)  Family Ties Bind. Generation X still has the highest rate of volunteering. Encourage your younger volunteers to participate with their parents and grandparents. It’s a great way for families to forge connections – and make a difference!

5.)  Find the Right Role. Smart non-profits figure out how to make each volunteer feel like they are a part of the mission. If you can match your organization’s needs with an individual’s skill set, you will have a long-term contributor. For example. if you’ve got an accountant that’s working in your soup kitchen, consider engaging him or her to help with your non-profit’s financial issues. If you’ve got a public relations associate shoveling mulch in your community garden, consider asking them to help get the word out about your work to the media. If you have a teacher mentoring kids, consider how they could help you train your volunteers better by developing curriculum.

For more information, download AARP’s report “More to Give: Tapping the Talents of the Baby Boomer, Silent and Greatest Generations.”

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Posted in Equip, Inspire, Mobilize, Service, Tools You Can Use, Volunteer Management, Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 5 Comments »

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