Posts Tagged ‘Volunteers’

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How to Use Social Media to Remember 9/11

Monday, August 30th, 2010

by ,  HandsOn Network

Are you willing to be an online ambassador for volunteerism?

Will you leverage your social networks to encourage your readers, followers and friends to memorialize the victims, survivors and heroes of the attacks of 9/11 through A National Day of Service and Remembrance?

Here are a few ways we can do it:

Using Facebook:

You can spread the word by asking your Facebook friends to get involved and to add their names to the growing list of individuals and organizations pledging to volunteer in observance of 9/11.  Share the link to the official 9/11 National Day of Service web site (http://911dayofservice.org/).  You can also lead by example.  Invite your Facebook friends to join you at a volunteer project.

Using Twitter

The hashtag for 9/11 as A National Day of Service is #911DAY.   Spread the word about the day of service by tweeting about it and sharing the link to the official 9/11 as A National Day of Service site (http://911dayofservice.org/).  You can ask your followers to volunteer – on their own or with you!  Share the details of your volunteer project with your followers. (If you mention , I’ll see your tweet, and retweet it or )

Using A Blog

If you’re a blogger, consider writing a post about 9/11 as a Day of Service. What you remember most about 9/11/01?  What images stand out for you? Why do you believe in honoring the victims, survivors and heroes through service? How will you take part in the Day of Service and Remembrance? (Here’s a sample 9/11 blog post: https://handsonblog.org/?p=2731)

You might want to include a call to action for your readers, such as:

–> Ask them to pledge to serve via a link to the official 9/11 Day of Service page (http://911dayofservice.org/)

–> Or, if you think folks might want to plan their own project, you can share a link to HandsOn’s guide to organizing a service project.  (http://www.handsonnetwork.org/files/resources/HON_Vol_Leader_Guide_FINAL.pdf)

If you send me a link to your blog post, I’ll link to it from https://HandsOnBlog.org.

Using YouTube:

Consider creating a video about why you think the 9/11 Day of Service is important. You coul answer the blogging questions above on video, upload it to You Tube, and share it with your social networks. If you send me a link to your video and I’ll link to it from https://HandsOnBlog.org

Related Content:

Feel free to use the official 9/11 Day of  Service Image:

You can add it to your blog or website with this HTML code:

http://911dayofservice.org“>

You can also embed or share either of these 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance videos:

Just Another Day

Finally, do something creative – whatever works for you!

For example, you could offer to do something wacky if  X number of your friends, fans or readers pledge to serve.

You could challenge your friends – “If 20 people sign up, I’ll… (insert your wacky thing)!” — Shave your head? –Perform “All the Single Ladies” on You Tube?  Only you can say…

If you’re planning your own project – try using eventbrite, meetup or VolunteerSpot to get the event organized.  If you need to raise money for your project, give Crowdrise a try.

Do you know anyone else who might like to use social media to spread the word and get others involved? Why not share this post with them?

Thanks for your using social media for social good, for helping to promote volunteerism online and for making the September 11th National Day of Service & Remembrance a success!

Want to receive e-mail updates on how to use social media to encourage an online volunteer movement?  Let me know and I’ll add you to my list.  Contact me at .

Related Posts:

Repair The World by Leah Koenig

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Posted in Service, Social Media, Tools You Can Use, Volunteerism | 3 Comments »

Can Volunteering Solve Real Problems?

Monday, May 10th, 2010

A couple friends and I have been exchanging emails over the past few days about volunteerism and its ability to solve social problems.

The conversation began when one of my friends sent out an email asking if we had seen the article/excerpt from a book called “The Soul of a Citizen: Volunteering Can’t Solve Our Problems.”

After reading the article, I at first became a little bitter.

I thought – what a very limited view of volunteering!  Volunteers can solve problems! In fact, it is our business to solve community problems.

The excerpt focuses on the failure of volunteer efforts to address the causes of social issues and the author suggests that we need to add a layer – “witness” – to our volunteering in order to leverage our good deeds for large scale social change.

Furthermore, the article implies that too often volunteer efforts treat the symptoms and not the root of social issues.

To illustrate this point, the article resurfaces an old story of community impact.

In the story, some friends are having a picnic next to a beautiful river and suddenly a baby floats past them.

They wade into the current and rescue it, but then they notice there are dozens – hundreds – thousands of babies floating down the river.

The question is, should they put all of their resources into saving the floating babies, or should they take some of those resources and put together a re-con team to go up the river and find out where all the babies are coming from?

When they head upriver and find an ogre tossing in babies, should they let it continue to wreak its havoc, or try to stop it?

The book excerpt asks the question, what if the ogre (or root cause of the problem) is our government or the private sector?

As the article states,

“I’ve seen too many compassionate individuals trying to stem rivers of need, while national political and economic leaders have opened the floodgates to widen them.”

It’s a nice story, and one that speaks to splitting our efforts between direct service and advocacy – but, I don’t think we – or the author – can ignore the multitudes of skills-based volunteers and self-organizing innovators who are already addressing issues far beyond direct service.

My friends and I think that volunteers already have a place at the heart of social change.

Many nonprofit ventures are started as all-volunteer operations – imagining and implementing solutions to problems large and small, global and local.

These volunteers already know that they can make a difference and move the needle on issues like poverty, discrimination, hunger, human rights, and other societal issues.

After my friends and I debated on this issue for a while we agreed on the following major ideas:

First, volunteers need to be better advocates.

Advocacy is a big part of being a volunteer leader and teaching others to advocate for themselves is as equally important.

We also need to embed advocacy into volunteer training. This is what Loeb means by being a witness – described as

“taking these examples and lessons to the village square–or its contemporary equivalent–and then doing our best to convey them to as many others as possible. It means we must refute myths that justify callousness and withdrawal. It also implies that we do all we can to help those who are habitually ignored or silenced to find their own voices and platforms…”

As volunteers and service leaders, we need to get better at telling our story so that the public doesn’t simply see volunteers as feeding the hungry and clothing the poor but also as those who are working on all levels to create lasting social change.

We can’t let the mythology that volunteers are only good for fishing babies out of rivers stand unchallenged – we have the skills, knowledge, and ability to tackle the ogre, too!

We must have a multi-pronged approach to addressing social problems.

Of course we must treat the symptoms and address immediate needs of clothing, food, employment etc. but we also need to get involved in local government and teach others to do the same.

As my friends Rebecca and Melissa say,

“We must make sure that basic human needs are met.  People can’t think about civic engagement when they’re worried about how to stay in their home or feed their kids. Once these are met then we can create a community around civic engagement and empower communities to use their own voice.”

My friends an I also believe that volunteers and service leaders should try to work with existing organizations.

All too often, people have an idea and start their own club or organization.

There’s nothing wrong with being a self-starter, but if there’s an existing framework, joining that group is an instant way to engage those people who are already involved instead of splintering off into smaller and smaller fragments of community.

It’s important to remember that people crave a sense of community.

If civic engagement just adds to our already overwhelming to-do lists, no one is going to want to get involved.

Have a block party with your neighbors!

Share your ideas, plans and resources with the young couple across the street!

Once real relationships are established we can ask people to take on more responsibility, but the relationships have to come first.

Special thanks to my friends Melissa Sines and Rebecca Southers, who always challenge me and helped write this blog post.

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Posted in Equip, Get HandsOn, Service, Volunteer Leader, Volunteer Management, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 8 Comments »

Inspiring by Example

Friday, May 7th, 2010

In honor of Mother’s Day, HandsOn Blog features a guest post from Jenny Viars, a Program Coordinator at Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind based in North Carolina.  You can read her personal blog at Great Little Stories.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I have been thinking about ways that my mom taught me the importance of volunteering and other forms of service in the community. The best and most lasting instruction is that which is by example, and learning to serve one’s community is no different.

My mother was a stay-at-home mom, and as an only child, I went with her everywhere.  My mom was very active in our small town, and I tagged along as she delivered Meals-on-Wheels, exercised her Library Science degree by helping at the local library, sang in community choruses, and helped out in many ways at church.  I’m sure that often, I was more in the way than anything, but I still have very vivid memories of the places we went.  My mom also volunteered at myriad school functions and tirelessly helped me with all those school fundraisers (how much wrapping paper does one family need, after all?).

Not only has my mom always been generous with her donation of time and energy, but physical donations to help those in need were always at the forefront, as well.  Outgrown clothes went to a local organization that collected items for children in need; other unused items went to the local charity-affiliated thrift store.  I was raised with the knowledge that others in our community and beyond did not have everything they need, and that it is important to share whenever possible.

Interestingly, I also learned another important life lesson: the power and importance of saying no.  It is so easy to say yes to everything and often so difficult to say no to an organization in need.  But my mom taught me that sometimes you have to choose; that it’s better to give your best to the ones you choose than spread yourself too thin. I try to remember this in my daily life; my varied interests and professional organizations can easily overwhelm my calendar, so I try to be conscious of the things I schedule.

In writing this, I started trying to remember when I started volunteering.  I was always involved in church activities as a child, and I started babysitting and working with children by about the age of 11.  Both of these interests have carried over to adulthood – I am active in my current church with choir, handbells, and children’s ministry, and a large part of my non-profit job is working with children with visual impairments.  In addition, I love keeping up with what is going on in my community, especially local nonprofits and their projects, and I actively support several.  I frequently donate to my own community charity-affiliated thrift store (and make purchases there!), and I belong to a local Kiwanis Club, a national service-based organization that focuses on children. I don’t have children of my own yet, but I am sure that I will be active in their schools and other interests, also.  Sound familiar? I now see how much of my involvement today mimics what I watched my mom do.

Perhaps most importantly, I learned from my mom that the value of volunteerism is indefinable, that giving one’s time and resources can make a palpable impact on the lives of others.  I’ve even taken that lesson into my career path at a nonprofit, where part of my job is actually volunteer coordinator.  I know that many of the programs we have at my agency would not be possible without our volunteers, and this appreciation inspires me  to volunteer all over again. Without the inspiration and leadership of my mom, my path and my interests might have been much different…and not nearly as much fun.

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Posted in Inspire, Service, Volunteer Reflection, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 4 Comments »

5 Steps to an Organized Community Volunteer Project

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Do you want to create high-impact, well-managed community projects that make a meaningful difference and engage neighbors and residents?

If so, HandsOn Network would call you a volunteer leader,  someone who sees a local need and takes the initiative to find a solution.

(We love you guys!)

Okay… you’ve identified a need in your community and you want to to meet that need, what’s next?

Step One: Identify Nonprofit or Neighborhood Partners

Contact the appropriate local nonprofit or community organization to introduce yourself and your idea.

For example, if you want to organize a project to capture the oral histories of local seniors you may decide to work with a local senior center.

Similarly, if you want to restore a local stream bank, you may need to work with the local department of parks and recreation and /or the local neighborhood association.

Schedule a meeting to discuss your project idea and determine the next steps.

Ask what other stakeholders should be consulted and involved.

If you’re working in a community, strongly consider holding a meeting to discuss your idea with residents and be sure to incorporate their leadership, ideas and support.

Step Two: Initial Site Visit

Work with your partners in advance to plan the project.

Determine what date(s) and time(s) you will hold the project and begin to develop an understanding of how you will manage it either on the day of the event or from one session to the next.

On your way to the site, take note of any odd driving directions. Providing this information will keep your volunteers from getting lost on their way to the project.

During the site visit, ask questions that help you understand the agency or neighborhood’s greatest needs and the ways that your one-time or ongoing volunteer support can have the greatest impact.

Consider using the HandsOn Project Work Scope Planner to break your project down into tasks, estimate the number of people needed for each one, the amount of time each will take and estimate the materials needed.

Carefully consider the types and amounts of materials you’ll need to complete each of the project tasks so that your volunteers will have what they need when they show up to help and you can make the best use of their gift of time.

Brainstorm with your agency partner about how to secure the needed tools and materials.

Can the agency provide them?

Can you ask volunteers to bring tools from home to support the project?

Can you work together to solicit the support of local businesses?

Determine the type of participation that you can expect from the agency during both the planning phase and the project itself.

Will they have supervisors and potential agency / community volunteers to work with you at the project?

Make sure you exchange contact information and plan your next meeting and the next steps.

Step Three: Recruit Your Friends to Help

In order to lead a great one-time or ongoing service project you’ll need volunteers!

It is important to develop a volunteer recruitment strategy to ensure a successful project.

If you have too few participants, the project will likely go unfinished, but too many will likely mean that some will have little to do and might feel that their time was ill spent.

To prevent this, consider organizing a volunteer registration process.

This can be as simple as you keeping a list or spreadsheet of the names and contact information for those that signed up.

Alternatively, you can experiment with online tools such as or Volunteer Spot.

Pre-registering volunteers also enables you to talk with interested volunteers about the skills, supplies or friends they might be able to bring to the project.

If your project is small, you may be able to both organize the project and recruit the volunteers.

However, if your project is large, requiring many volunteers, you might really benefit by identifying an individual who would be willing to lead volunteer recruitment for you.

Consider recruiting a volunteer to serve as The Official Chairperson of Volunteer Recruitment.

[Real leaders empower others, right?!!]

Here’s a long list of recruitment ideas.

Step Four: Advanced Preparation

Call your agency contact to review project details and confirm logistics.

Arrange for the agency or neighborhood representative to prepare a brief presentation thanking your volunteers for coming and explaining how their time will contribute to the overall cause.

Schedule a final site inspection if necessary.

Pick up any tools and materials that have been donated or arrange to have tools picked up and delivered to the project site.

Make sure all tools and materials are at the site, in your possession (in the trunk of your car!) or otherwise immediately available.

Make any final calls to landscapers, gardeners, painters or other specialists you have recruited.

Think through contingency plans for inclement weather, too many or too few volunteers showing up on the day of the project and any other potential problems you can anticipate.

Confirm event logistics and details with volunteers.

Strategize about how you will manage your volunteers at the project. How will you make it such a great experience that volunteers return again and again?

Consider planning a group discussion at the end of your project,  structured time for volunteers to think and talk about what occurred during the project.

This group conversation can often deepen volunteers understanding of the social issue your project addressed and increase their commitment to service.

Step Five: Manage the Project

  1. Arrive at your project site 30 minutes to one hour early to set up.
  2. Have all tools and materials ready and waiting at the location where a particular task will take place.
  3. Have all volunteers sign an attendance sheet and put on a name tag (including yourself).
  4. Have an agency / school representative speak to volunteers about the school or agency, their mission, their struggles, the difference volunteer efforts will make, thoughts on safety and any other announcements.
  5. Be a leader:
    a. Know your outcome and convey it to your volunteers.
    b. Be organized and assign / delegate work to your volunteers.
    c. Keep the work moving on schedule.
    d. Have fun and encourage volunteers to do likewise.
    e. Give positive reinforcement.
  6. Be a public relations agent for your project with volunteers, agency reps. and interested community members.
  7. Bring a camera and take pictures.
  8. Be sure to start clean up efforts at least 30 minutes before the scheduled end of the project.
  9. Hold a group discussion before volunteers leave.
  10. Have volunteers complete an evaluation form before they leave the project site. This will help you and your agency partner evaluate what went well and what you might improve next time.
  11. Leave the site clean and in a “finished” state.
  12. CELEBRATE!

What additional suggestions do you have?

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Posted in Equip, Service, Tools You Can Use, Volunteer Leader, Volunteer Management, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 1 Comment »

Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Recruit Your Friends

  • Send an e-mail to anyone you think might be interested.  Personalized e-mail will be much more effective than a mass e-mail!
  • Pick up the phone and call.
  • Post an invitation on your Facebook page and/or send personalized invitations to your Facebook Friends and / or other social and professional networks online.
  • Recruit your followers on twitter.
  • Post a video of yourself asking for help and direct your friends to it.
  • Make phone calls and ask.
  • Ask them in person.

Recruit Volunteers through Neighborhood Schools

  • Work with a principal, teacher or administrator to recruit students.
  • Create a flyer to send home with students inviting their families to volunteer.
  • Create a “teacher challenge” to encourage the school staff to volunteer.
  • Hang posters in the hallways.
  • Write an article for the school newsletter or website.
  • Recruit teams or clubs from the school.  (i.e. the football team or marching band)
  • Ask to make an announcement at the next all school assembly or teachers meeting.
  • Publish an article in the school newspaper.

Recruit Volunteers through Places of Worship

  • Address the congregation, a religious text study group or the governing body.
  • Publish a notice in the weekly service bulletin, the newsletter or website.
  • Hang a poster in the entrance.

Recruit Volunteers through Local Businesses

  • Encourage teams of employees to participate (suggest the team wear company t-shirts to promote their corporate community spirit!)
  • Ask to publish announcements in employee newsletters.
  • Hang flyers in the windows or on community bulletin boards at local businesses.
  • Speak at a chamber of commerce meeting.

Recruit Volunteers through Local Clubs & Organizations

(Rotary, DAR, PTA, The Peoples front of Judea…)

  • Speak about your project at a local meeting.
  • Ask to publicize your project in any club newsletters, blogs, listserv e-mail, websites or online fan base/follower groups.
  • Ask that the club or organization “sponsor” the project and agree to send a target number of volunteers.

Recruit Volunteers using Traditional and Social Media

  • Create a press release about your project and send it to the local media.
  • Write a PSA for local radio stations.
  • Ask a local newspaper, radio station, television station, online magazine, website or blog to sponsor the project and promote it in print, on air or online.
  • Some print and online publications list community events.  Find out which ones list events in your area and send them information about your project.
  • Some newspapers and websites reserve unsold advertising space for nonprofit ads.  Find out what size and format ads your paper and/ or the website accepts and have someone design an ad for your project.  Submit the ad in the appropriate size(s) and format.
  • Ask a local media celebrity to volunteer on the project.  As part of their commitment, ask them to recruit readers, listeners or viewers to participate with him or her.  For example, a radio personality could hold an on-air contest where winners would be able to serve on the celebrity’s volunteer team.
  • Investigate posting your message on local cable TV public access message boards, online forums, etc.
  • If it’s an ongoing project, consider starting a blog where you can share your experiences and reflections.  Try using a free blog platform like Blogger or WordPress.

Other Ideas

  • Host an “open,” potluck meal.  Invite friends to come with any guests they’d like to invite.  Talk about your project and invite guests to get involved.
  • Go viral. E-mail the details of your project to everyone you know locally and ask all your recipients to keep forwarding the message to more people.
  • Hold informational meetings at the local library.
  • Organize a booth to promote your efforts at a street fair or festival in your community.

Be sure your recruitment message includes the project description, date & time, any special skills, tools or other resources needed and information about how you want them to sign up.

What ideas do you have?

What would you add?

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Posted in Equip, Mobilize, Service, Tools You Can Use, Uncategorized, Volunteer Leader, Volunteer Management, Volunteer Project Development, Volunteer Recognition, Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteer Reflection, Volunteering, Volunteerism | 7 Comments »

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