Planning, Strategic
Are Volunteers Our Most Valuable Stakeholders?
The global pandemic – along with raised consciousness on diversity, equity and inclusion – has forced many organizations to refocus, change directions and reflect on a range of issues. For example, some are re-evaluating how they serve their community, from both a procedural and ethical lens. Others are tweaking volunteer engagement to make it more accessible online. And still others are undergoing a wholesale review of the place and value of volunteers within their work.
Rethinking The Language We Use to Describe What We Do
The language we use to talk about Volunteer Engagement is a topic we’ve touched on before in Points of View. We revisit the theme in this issue because earlier this year, author Simon Sinek published a short YouTube video that posed quite a challenge for those of us working in the not-for-profit / nonprofit / voluntary / charitable sector. His challenge was to make a fundamental shift in our vocabulary, and it certainly got us thinking.
We Are Building Back Better, But For Whom?
The light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic tunnel may finally be coming into view. After over a year of lockdowns, restrictions and changes to how we all live, there is the promise of a return to something like the lives we used to lead.
All Things Volunteer Engagement and 2020
In this Points of View, Rob Jackson and Erin Spink sit down (well, Rob stood up!) to chat on video about all things volunteer engagement and 2020. In what was an exceptional year for the whole world, volunteer engagement professionals faced new challenges and opportunities of a scale and at a speed that few had ever encountered before. The two authors seek answers to such questions as:
Volunteer Engagement Through a Critical New Lens
The good news first: 2020 is almost over! This article launched on October 15, just 77 days until we arrive in 2021. Few will be sad to see this year over. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there hasn’t been a year like this in living memory (thank goodness). “Unprecedented” should be the word of the year, along with “you’re on mute” as phrase of the year!
Voices For Something New: The National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement
Have you ever felt like you are working all alone in volunteer management, or being pulled in different directions by groups working in siloes? Then you will be excited to hear about the launch of the new National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement, a group that developed after the 2017 National Summit on Volunteer Engagement Leadership “to guide future collective action at the national level towards embracing volunteer engagement as an effective strategy to address community needs.”
In this Voices, author Allyson Drinnon hears from some of the people active in the National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement movement. They explain why this collective action at the national level will advance the power and potential of volunteer engagement.
Using Interactive Polling Software to Engage Volunteers in Training
It's the holy grail of all trainers – more interaction! But how do you increase interaction if you continue to use your typical orientation and trainings methods?
In this Training Designs, author Sammy Feilchenfeld introduces "Poll Everywhere" – a free plug-in tool for PowerPoint® that lets you to ask questions and get answers live. Using a number of resources, this Training Designs article will showcase a few different ways you can use Poll Everywhere to connect with volunteers in training sessions. Feilchenfeld explains that volunteers only need their phones to participate via web browser or text, and reviews how volunteer managers can work with their live responses. This Training Designs will no doubt help you deliver the highly engaging trainings you strive to create while interacting more with your volunteers.