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Sustainability
Preparing for Civic
Participation – Big Time!
April 2009 |
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Dear “Preparing"
Colleague,
The
United States is poised to embark on a wave of volunteer
activism. During difficult economic times, there is
a strong sense on the part of people to help others.
Record numbers of unemployed will be able to serve their
communities to keep busy, fill resume gaps, and make
connections to possible re-employment.
Social profit (non-profit) groups nationwide are being
challenged to incorporate new volunteers into their
programs as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here
are some tips to help you easily and gratefully absorb
their support. Click on the titles on the right to learn
more about…
Promoting Service Satisfaction-
AmeriCorps*VISTA Members Speak Out
Appreciating Recession Volunteers
Saying
“Thank You” to Your Volunteers
Note:
National Volunteer Week is April 19-25. Celebrating
People in Action is the theme. Click
here for more information.
Do you have questions about using and managing volunteers?
Contact us through OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
for more information. You can still access previous
issues of On-the-Go eTA by clicking on the back issues
at the bottom of the page.
Promoting
Service Satisfaction-
AmeriCorps*VISTA Members Speak Out
The
public call to nationwide public service will raise the
number of volunteers in national service programs to 250,000
up from the 75,000 current volunteers. Many have already
found that civic participation is a route to a career.
AmeriCorps Week on Facebook features stories of VISTA
members whose experiences have led them to new discoveries
about themselves and opportunities to develop skills that
lead to lifelong career satisfaction. Here are a few stories
that VISTAs tell about their service experiences:
- Kelly Michal: “I spent two
years as an Americorps*VISTA, and now I'm the CEO!
Our organization has been approved for 8 VISTAs to
begin the end of this month, and I am really psyched!!
VISTA service made a huge impact on my life. I am
working in an organization that is dedicated to identifying
the root causes of poverty in our community, and finding
systemic solutions for those root causes. The decisions
that I make and the choices that I choose are now
all colored by the experiences I had as a VISTA. I'm
trying to convince all of my nieces and nephews to
become VISTAs (so far only one has done so), and when
my kids get older, I will strongly encourage them
to do so as well.”
- Amber Prince: “Former AmeriCorps*USA
literacy tutor in NW WA! I did two years of service
and have been considering a third year as a VISTA.
My first year of AmeriCorps literally changed the
course of my future. Before that experience I'd never
seriously considered becoming a teacher. By the end
of that year I'd decided that teaching was what I
really wanted to do. I did part of my master's and
teacher education program during my second year of
service and am now a WA state certified teacher. I
? AmeriCorps!”
- Marianne Disney: “I serve
as an AmeriCorps*VISTA for the Kellogg-Hubbard Library
in Vermont.
My goal is to build capacity by providing assistance
in literacy and outreach programs, as well as creating
a volunteer database, recruiting volunteers and assisting
with fundraising. This supports the mission of the
library to make sure everyone in the community is
aware of the library and its services and uses them
actively.
My service has given me new skills, in-service trainings
and the chance to live in a beautiful part of the
country. It has allowed me to put my beliefs into
action.”
Click
here and click on the wall to read more stories.
Appreciating
Recession Volunteers
The number of workers losing their jobs surpasses the
recession of 1983. Many of these former employees are
using their down-time to volunteer in their communities.
Unlike the volunteers that many organizations are used
to accommodating, these are not retired citizens motivated
by the need for social interaction, or school-aged youth
seeking community service credits for graduation. These
are recession volunteers who are hoping and planning to
return to the workforce as soon as possible. Here is a
chart that further highlights these volunteers’
motivations with recommended responses to how you can
prepare for their civic participation:
Motivations
of
Temporarily Unemployed Volunteers
|
Some
Responses |
Have
skills
They want to keep their skills current
and perhaps even learn new ones. |
Guide
volunteers into areas where their skills fit best,
such as finance, marketing and public relations,
fundraising, program management, mentoring, information
technology, writing, working with communities, etc.
|
Want
to stay positive
They want to keep active and relieve boredom
that can lead to depression and inability to find
a job.
|
Let
them know they are valuable to your organization.
Provide them with meaningful work in an encouraging
way.
|
Need
to network
They can make connections through your
organization which can lead to future paid employment. |
Provide
opportunities for them to engage with staff and
other volunteers in your organization. For instance:
Serving on a capital campaign committee will introduce
them to potential employers.
|
Seek
experience to include on resume
Volunteering could help them stand out in the
job search. |
Collaborate
with them to develop responsibilities that will
last 2-3 months with clear goals that are achievable.
Provide letters of recommendation that highlight
their accomplishments.
|
Require
flexibility to job hunt
They may be available only until they find new
permanent employment.
|
Fit
them into your program right away.
Provide short-term tasks with specific outcomes. |
Are
good candidates for long-term volunteering and becoming
donors after they have found new employment
They will develop an understanding of the work
you do and feel proud of their association with
you.
|
Keep
in touch after they have completed their service
and returned to permanent employment. |
For an excellent explanation of the effective integration
of volunteers into an organization click
here to go to Volunteer Maine Professional Competencies.
Saying
“Thank You” to Your Volunteers
Your
volunteers keep your programs running throughout the
year. How can you possibly thank them enough? Here are
some ideas:
Many organizations have an annual volunteer event and
recognize these individuals for their service. Some
organizations give plaques or certificates. Volunteer
names with terms of service can be listed in programs
and annual reports. Birthday and anniversary cards,
thank you notes, and small tokens of appreciation are
nice ways to say “thank you.” Profiling
your volunteers on your website Is another way to recognize
their contributions.
While most volunteers say they don’t participate
civically for the recognition, volunteers do appreciate
being thanked and are often encouraged and energized
by the thanks they get for doing service.
Most program directors find some way to personally express
their thanks at various times throughout the year. A
number of programs directors have devised clever and
free or inexpensive ways to let their volunteers know
that they are very special.
Click
here to read about some creative volunteer Thank
You and Recognition Programs others have devised.
Let
us know
Contact
OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
We would be happy to answer questions or to give you
more support.
Thank you for your interest in On-The-Go eTA. We encourage
you to send this and other issues of OTG
eTA
to friends and colleagues who would benefit from the
information. Also, if you’re on information-overload,
you may request email
removal.
Otherwise OTG e-TA will be back soon with another edition.
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Resources
eOrganizer
eOrganizer is an interactive clearinghouse for the latest
and greatest web instruments of change. This GIZMO shows you
how to maximize free and inexpensive online tools and resources
to mobilize people around issues and within organizations.
Structured around eight categories important to community
organizing, it offers descriptions and provides access to
many of the most current web arenas and strategies for bringing
groups together to create community change.
http://www.campaignconsultation.com/GIZMOs/eorganizer/index.html
The National ASK (Awareness, Skills, Knowledge) to Sustain
Institute, sponsored by Corporation for National and
Community Service, provided by Campaign Consultation, Inc.
1998, 2002.
The CNCS Resources Now! National Institute, sponsored
by Corporation for National and Community Service, provided
by Campaign Consultation, Inc. 2005-07.
Learning
Products and Services
Sustainability:
OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com is designed to give
information fast on building capacity. Use this online support
for advice from a fundraising professional.
Contact OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
VISTA
Campus:
VISTA Campus is an online learning environment for
the VISTA community. The aim is to support you in your development
throughout and beyond your VISTA service. The Campus includes
self-paced tutorials and courses, reference materials, discussion
boards, a campus bookstore and more to help improve your
skills and connect with other VISTAs. To access the site,
go to http://vistacampus.org
and select the “VISTAs” option. You will need
to create an account to access the content and discussion
boards.
GIZMOs:
(Giving Information for Zooming Mission Objectives)
GIZMOS are resource and fund development tools for you and
your volunteers. They are tangible products in packets,
pocket brochures, CD-ROMs, games, etc. They feature a myriad
of fundraising topics such as The Case for Support, an interactive
online resource. View and use our newest GIZMOs at www.CampaignConsultation.com/gizmosplash
The
Chronicle of Philanthropy:
Everyone who comes to a Resources Now! National Institute
gets a free subscription to the Chronicle for a year. Participants
in CNCS Campaign Consultation workshops receive the latest
issue free of charge plus a $20 discount on one year’s
subscription.
Workshops/Clinics:
The Corporation for National and Community
Service (CNCS), through its T/TA service provider Campaign
Consultation, Inc., offers a three-hour workshops and clinics
for those interested.
WebWizard:
CNCS sponsors this new service that
Campaign Consultation provides to assist programs and projects
in maximizing their websites for program, client, volunteer
and fundraising needs.
Online
Courses/Webinars:
Web course delivery of topics pertinent to resource
development such as — Build Fundraising Volunteer
Champions and Cause Related Marketing and
Corporate Partnerships.
Available
through the Resource Center at http://www.nationalserviceresources.org
Read
Back Issues of OTG e-TA
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