http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/510593
1. You could end up doing a less effective job in contributing to your organizations’ mission than you otherwise could
2. You could be contributing the challenges that are holding back the sector as a whole
3.You could be limiting your own career growth


Doing a less effective job in contributing to your organization’s mission than you otherwise could
The goal of a manager of volunteer resources (or anyone who is charged with the management of a volunteer program) can be expressed as to create an environment where the organization’s volunteers contribute the maximum amount that they are willing and happy to toward the attainment of the organization’s goals. This compares very closely to how a well managed staff is led. Would you not agree that the job of a manager (of paid staff) can most basically be stated as to create an environment where the business’s staff contribute the maximum amount that they are willing and happy to toward the attainment of the business’s goals. Just like unsatisfied staff might be profitable in the short term but not in the long term, unsatisfied volunteers won’t stay around, won’t work as hard and won’t put as much care into their work as satisfied volunteers. Whether it is related to volunteers or paid staff, a manager’s job is to get the most out of the people they are responsible for managing.

Leaders of volunteers who lose sight of this core purpose can end up creating volunteer programs that are more focused on the needs of the volunteers than on the needs of the organization. In some cases this manifests itself in a volunteer program that is more of a social circle than an effective input of human energy.

Leaders of volunteers who lose sight of this core purpose can end up keeping volunteers around even though their presence detracts from the accomplishment of the organization goals. This could be in obvious ways such as poorly representing the organization or faulty work. It could be more subtle ways such as wasting some of a manager’s time which could have been applied to mission attainment tasks.

Leaders of volunteers who lose sight of this core purpose can end up holding volunteers back from contributing at their highest level. Too often the line that is drawn between what a volunteer can and cannot do is not drawn in the best interest of the organization. When it comes to the management of paid staff there is an obvious benefit to creating an environment that does not limit the significance of contribution an employee makes. That the volunteer is deprived of having a more meaningful experience is only part of the problem here. The organization also loses potential volunteer contributions.

You could be contributing the challenges that are holding back the sector as a whole
Unfortunately we have all heard an expression along the lines of “they’re just volunteers”. The more that this phase mirrors the way Managers of Volunteer resources lead their volunteers, the more the job becomes Manger of “just volunteers”. As long as that is the case, there will be challenges in becoming included strategically in management circles, there will be challenges in attracting the brightest new talent and there will be challenges getting the resources to best to the job.

You Could Be Limiting Your Own Career Growth
The accomplishments of your volunteers are your accomplishments when it comes to your annual review or next job. One look at the resume of anyone whose has had a successful record of managing people makes this very obvious. It is filled with phases such as “led a team that …”. The team’s successes become the team manager’s successes. The more your team accomplishes toward the organization’s mission, the better you have done your job and the better you look on paper when it comes time to ask for a raise or look for new job.
]]> Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:32:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/510593 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/499875
I was at the AMVR conference in Binghamton N.Y. last week and in one of the sessions, participants were asked what attributes they associated with an effective manager of volunteer resources. The following is the compilation of the responses.

· Able to assess the needs of the organization (what needs to get done)
· Time management skills
· Matching skills (person to task)
· Good listener
· Good communicator
· Multitasker
· Educator
· Diplomatic
· Technical skills (ability to make use of current software)
· Trainer and delegator
· Able to meet organizational goals
· Able to pull together a variety of resource
· Work in concert with the organizations mission
· Motivator
· Team player
· Open minded
· Flexible
· Positive
· Approachable
· Confident in the organization’s mission
· Confident in one’s self
· Creative
· Relationship builder
· Recognize trends
· Empathetic
· Inclusive
· Critical thinker
· Able to keep volunteers satisfied

Nobody can be great at all of the attributes listed above but does the list describe what you think would make an effective manager volunteer resources?

In considering the list while we began to discuss it I couldn’t help but wonder, “If a group of people walked into the seminar room right now and looked at the list without knowing what conference was going on, would they be able to figure out that we were discussing volunteer management? Or, would they conclude that we are discussing people management in general? Or to put it another way, would they conclude that we are discussing the management of paid staff?”

With the exception of the specific mention of volunteers in the last bullet I doubt anyone would conclude that the list pertained exclusively to managers of volunteer recourses, or unpaid staff.

Think of the position of your boss, not your boss specifically but your boss’s position. Would the list above not just as easily have been developed if the exercise was to list the attributes of an effective nonprofit CEO or executive director, or the attributes you would like to see in your next boss?

Every organization and every sector has its own culture, from which stems various styles of people management. When you think of sector here, think entertainment vs. health care for example rather than volunteer vs. corporate.

How would you group the following together into two pairs if you are trying to group those that are most similar in workplace culture?
1. A hospice where volunteers visit people in their homes
2. A not-for-profit group of volunteers that builds websites for other not-for-profits for free
3. A software company that builds video games.
4. The nursing department (paid) in a hospital
It is not volunteer vs. corporate that should define differences in management style. It is the mission. The culture of working in technology is not the same culture as working in health care. These different cultures generally attract different volunteers for different reasons and the maximum effectiveness in each area will be derived with different management approaches. The bigger differences are not based on not-for-profit vs. corporate but rather they are based on the types of products and services provided by the organization.

Many of you might be thinking that the management of volunteers is far different than the management of paid staff because paid staff have to show up. “It is their job and if they don’t show up, they won’t get paid. MVRs don’t have the luxury of money to motivate people.” Ask the manager of any restaurant, a school principal, a retail store manager or a call center manager etc. if payday is the only tool a manager needs to keep things running smooth.

At the conference last week , Martin Cowling told the story of while crossing the border into the United States, the border guard had trouble believing his explanation that he was on his way to speak at a conference for managers of volunteer resources. The guard’s comments went something like “They have conference for volunteer management? Why do they need that? You call the volunteers and they show up.” It’s not like that for volunteers and it’s not that easy in a paid staff environment either. Do you know of someone who used a sick day when they felt fine? Apparently not even paid staff just “show up” every time.

I own a small company and manage a small salaried staff. Like everyone else I am not strong in every attribute listed above but I can assure you they are all very import elements that contribute to whether or not I am an effective manager. Motivating my staff helps them bring out the best in themselves. I have to be open minded to their ideas. I can make similar comments about each item in the list. The only change required from the list above compiled by MVRs about MVR is the substitution of ‘paid staff’ for ‘volunteer’ in the last bullet.

The similarities of management styles related to paid and unpaid people are becoming even more important as our volunteers, like our staff, are coming (or are hopefully coming but that’s another topic all together) from a younger generation. Younger generations want a greater sense of community and self fulfillment out of their work, paid and unpaid.

I think that when MVRs don’t recognize their role as staff managers in general, the MVR him/herself, the volunteer sector, the organization and the volunteers themselves all suffer. Check back in the middle of the month and we’ll look at the consequences of thinking that the management of volunteers is nothing like managing paid staff.
]]> Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:48:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/499875 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/318179
Nonprofits trying to integrate the use of technology are faced with burdens that they need to overcome. Barriers include cost, training and time. Professional grade software programs are often considered a luxury that the volunteers and the volunteer program don’t need. Despite the decrees made by most organizations that “our volunteers are our most important asset”, new investments in technology go first to the fundraisers and often run out before volunteer management is supported.

I am not so naive to not comprehend the importance of fundraising. The staff salaries, rent, phone lines and the means in which services are delivered are in most cases funded by the work of the fundraiser(s). If we are going to tell volunteers that they are important to the organization however, then the organization ought to actually treat them as important and reduce the amount of lip-service given. Organizations need to ensure that they have a qualified Manager of Volunteers running their volunteer program and that manager needs access to the right resources to do her job effectively and efficiently. This includes funds for training, books, recognition and technology and the time to engage all of these. If the volunteers are one of your organizations most important assets, treat them that way. This doesn’t mean just being nice to them. It means that you take the management of the volunteers’ contributions of their time as seriously as you manage the financial contributions to the organization.]]> Thu, 31 May 2007 17:25:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/318179 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/165287
A. Far too often I hear intelligent people assume that when I speak of nonprofits adopting a business-like approach, they assume that I mean that bottom line is the only important consideration. Martin's views help explain how a business-like approach can help a nonprofit.

B. I am concerned by the number of times I hear, "But that's not how we do things here," as though the organization must feel it has no room for organizational improvement.

C. The world is changing at an ever-quickening pace and the nonprofit sector is no absolved from this pace. In the absence of the ability to change nimbly, organizations become outdated. This caused poorer service deliver than desirable and even complete closure.

(Also see 'Nonprofits Need to Think More Like For-Profits' for some of my own thought on the topic. http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/36494)

The Business of Volunteer Resources Management: A Conversation
by Celeste Sauls-Marks

Recently, Volunteer Management Review talked with Martin Cowling, the CEO of People First-Total Solutions in Melbourne, Australia, about his views on the application of business techniques and entrepreneurialism in the field of volunteer resources management. His responses to our questions follow.

1. You have said that volunteer resources managers should use a business-like approach to their programs. Why do you feel this is becoming more important?

On one level I am not sure it is becoming more important as this has always been my view…the mission of the VRM is to ensure the organisation’s mission is met whilst providing volunteers with the best possible experience.

To do this within the limited resources and budgets we have requires us to employ a business like approach. Having said that the following changes are impacting on our field:
In many places the resources available in the non-profit sector for volunteer development are being frozen or reduced…we need to do more with the same budgets we had …or less.
Funders are demanding that we demonstrate we are targeted, efficient and responsible. They are looking for “returns” that match the funds they are investing.

“Baby boomers and Generation X” are looking for programs that meet their needs to give in particular ways within their specific time fames.

We need take a business like approach to how and whom we target in recruitment. The “scattergun” advertising approach if it ever worked is not an efficient way to harness the community in our work.

My only caveat is we must not let the “business” of doing the work squeeze out the human element of volunteering. Business techniques should be about enhancing the human element not minimizing it.

2. What role does entrepreneurialism play in volunteer resources management?

I believe it is imperative for Managers of Volunteers whether paid or unpaid need to see themselves as “social entrepreneurs” marrying innovative approaches and standard business skills to impact on social issues. This is a very different role to the traditional volunteer manager who in some organizations is seen as a babysitter or entertainer.

3. How can volunteer resources managers be more entrepreneurial?

We need to be clear about what our own personal vision is for the volunteer program. This requires us to take the time to articulate it…planning time is something volunteer managers neglect in their haste to be maintaining programs.
We need to measure the effectiveness of what we do: e.g.… How does this program impact on the mission of our organisation?

We need to tell the organisation what the impact of our work and approach is. Organisational and government resources will only be available to us if we can demonstrate the return we make.

VRMS could recruit volunteers from the community who are entrepreneurial in their views and work to work with us in a “senior volunteer administration or management” role. This means exposure to entrepreneurial ideas and influences, the ability to multiply personal workload through deploying innovative thinkers and openness to developing or expanding entrepreneurial programs.

We also need to communicate what the impact of our work is on the organisation in terms people understand.

4. The work that volunteers engage in is changing. For instance, we are seeing an increase in episodic volunteering and youth engagement. How does this impact volunteer resources managers?

The not for profit sector is facing one of our biggest challenges. The people who founded many of our institutions and have kept them going in the west are aging, and retiring form volunteer work. The attitudes being brought in by younger people who are living in a 7 day a week work environment, with more entertainment and study options than at any other time in history and the most incredible communication technologies ever seen have a completely different attitude to how they want to volunteer. How non-profits will delver services in this new environment needs to be considered urgently as it will not be the same in the 21 st Century.

The key thing is we need to understand that our community is as passionate about the world as any other generation has ever been but they want to engage in a very different way. For example, kids under 25 in Australia are passionately concerned about the environment yet membership of conservation organizations in that country is at low ebb. We have to find a way to bridge this disconnect. For example in the wake of Katrina in the US and the Tsunami in Asia, millions of people sought to find ways to engage with helping people in need. How do we harness this passion?

We have been talking about episodic volunteering and corporate volunteering since Nancy Macduff coined the phrase in the early 1990s but we are acting as if it’s a new trend now.


5. If volunteer resources managers change their approach to their programs, what results do you anticipate they will see?

They will be seen as the lead part of their agency and a powerhouse.
They will have a more rewarding job.
They will not have a shortage of volunteers
"Copyright © 2005 Celeste Sauls. All rights reserved.
This article is reprinted with permission from CharityChannel.com and the author of this article. The author holds the copyright to the article. To receive the entire issue by email each week, visit http://charitychannel.com/enewsletters and use the subscription form. To seek permission for reprints, visit http://charitychannel.com/enewsletters/reprints. For more information, contact CharityChannel at http://charitychannel.com/rapid-reply."

]]> Sun, 18 Feb 2007 02:37:00 EST http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/165287 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/59691
______________________________________________________________________________

This article is to ask a small favour that will have a great impact on a project that will help nonprofits in Colombia. In the end, I am asking for a $10 contribution and if 100 people make a donation before November 30, a leveraging donor will kick in $5,000! You know how the internet can help in recruiting volunteers. We are trying to make this possible in Colombia.

Here is a summary of the project.

· I am working with Partners of the Americas (www.partners.net) to provide Colombia with an infrastructure that will connect Colombian volunteers with the organizations that need them.

· Outcomes of this project include the launch of a Spanish version of the recruitment (not ongoing management) portion of MyVolunteerPage.com throughout Colombia and training on its implementation. Columbian nonprofit organizations will be able to advertise their needs for volunteers for free in MyVolunteerPage.com and from there, in offline promotions as well.

· The project has been featured on the Global Giving website and was selected as one of only five projects to be included in their launch.

· Global Giving is like a marketplace for project donations. Think of it like a wedding registry for doing good. It is one of their supporters that is providing the $5,000 to each the five pilot projects that have 100 donors contribute to the project.

The leveraging of this makes it a great giving opportunity but please do not assume that others will make it happen. Please throw in your few bucks to help the project get an extra $5,000. Go to http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/1600/proj1566a.html

Thank you, thank you, thank you!]]> Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:26:00 EST http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/59691 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/51551 In my home town of Burlington Ontario Canada there are four Rotary clubs. Like most service clubs there are principles to the organization that are common in every club around the world and unique characteristics that make clubs even from the same community different from each other. Like other services clubs, Rotary clubs are recruiting new members and one measure of success in a club is its membership growth. Despite the inherent competition for new members though, a philosophy exists that in the words of one of our past club presidents in Burlington, “We are like one club with four doors.” In the end it really does not matter to which individual club this new member’s dues or volunteer efforts are channeled. Rotary’s international projects such as the eradication of polio have a new ally regardless of which club it is. Local projects that support local nonprofits too have a new ally regardless of the specific club. Rotary, and all that it supports, benefits by having more than one door into its organization.

United Way understands this concept. Their innovative approach to fundraising creates a significant number of doorways to donating through the workplace community. In the big picture, does it matter if I give though where I work full time, where I work on a temporary contract, where I volunteer or directly to the United Way? No. But when their campaign is on I cannot help but to notice the number of opportunities (doorways) I have to donate.

For those of who live in Canada or have visited Canada, you can easily see how Tim Hortons understands this concept. When the goal is to get a coffee and a donut, Tim Hortons has door for you just about everywhere you go. And even though one location competes with another, they all win with each new customer because the customer who buys in one store will very likely then buy in another.

So when it comes to welcoming volunteers into new ways to get involved, can there be too many doors? A former chair at a prominent national organization in the volunteer sector put it quite succinctly “It is incumbent upon all of us to encourage and support volunteerism”. If we all do what ever we can to encourage new connections between volunteers and organizations, even if it is not our own, we all win. The corollary to this is of course is that, like the experience one has as a member of an individual Rotary club, donor to a nonprofit or customer at Tim Hortons can influence future decisions, we need also do what ever we can to ensure a good experience for the volunteer. That topic will have to wait for another blog. For now, no, there is no such thing as too many doors.

]]> Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:54:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/51551 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/36494
There are a variety of areas where this is the case but this posting will focus on the art of collaboration.

While some non-profits like to think they are good collaborators, many hold back from the full possibilities. Quoting from Community Visions, Community Solutions by Joseph Connor and Stephanie Jadel-Taras, “While they (nonprofits) may embrace the message ‘You should collaborate’ they also hear another message, ‘You are in competition with each other for a piece of a small pie. Being told to collaborate and compete simultaneously is, to say the least, confusing for non-profit leaders.” Because participants of a collaboration carry a concern about protecting their own turf, their collaborative efforts do not lead to solutions that are greater than the sum of their parts.

For-profit organizations don’t seem to have the same difficulties comprehending the value of collaboration among competitors. Businesses strive to general a profit. If collaboration with other businesses will generate more profit then they collaborate, even if the others around the table are their competitors. Trade associations are made of business that all provide similar good or services and compete with each other, but still work together for purposes of education, advocacy, strategic planning etc. Car dealerships form auto-malls together because in making it easier for consumers to shop at competitive dealers, more consumers go to auto-malls to shop. I have shared a conference presentation stage with competitors in a mutually advantageous effort to education the audience on the benefits of automating some of their processes and sharing other processes with their volunteers. Yes, as a result of this, some chose to buy our software and some our competitor’s, but by collaborating together we were able get on the conference program to educate volunteer managers about the benefits of implementing such systems and we were all better off because of it.

As non-profits strive to accomplish their particular mission, many choose to stop short of this pursuit if the result would reduce their revenue stream. How would you suppose a non-profit whose mandate was to deliver prepared meals to shut-ins would approach a community collaborative effort that in the end would reduce the number of shut-ins requiring the delivery of prepared meals, and in doing so, reduce the number of clients that they serve? What if the number of clients served has always been part of the non-profit’s grant applications as a measure of effectiveness? And to add another dimension, imagine the same scenario except that the organization’s funding is tied directly and proportionately to the client numbers. How committed to collaborating do you think this organization would be? How committed do you think it should be?

As a second example to consider, what if the collaborative process led to a second agency in the community offing the same services as yours? Assume that the group as a whole has determined that in such a scenario there would be an overall increase in service delivery quantity, quality and/or cost effectiveness. How would your organization approach a collaborative effort where the community would benefit but your organization, as an organization, would somehow suffer?

In my experience, collaboration seems even more difficult for a non-profit when the others around the table are a mixture of non-profits and for-profits. A general and misguided distrust in the non-profit sector of the motives of business is one of the reasons for this. Perhaps a greater obstacle to good collaboration though, is the feeling of some people in non-profit organizations that the delivery of the services that they provide could only be done appropriately by a non-profit. In some cases, this is of course true, but certainly not all. There are many types of organizations that exist in both the for-profit and non-profit arena such as festival organizers, recreation facilities/services, education and physical or mental health care. In most cases, particularly where non-profits charge a user fee, consumers of the services offered by these organizations don’t see the difference between for-profit and non-profit. They see the service delivery and how satisfied they are with it.

Branching out beyond an organization’s core competencies is another obstacle to productive collaboration. Non-profits and for profits alike struggle with finding the right balance between outsourcing and doing everything themselves. Too often the soft costs such a salaries, the longer term commitment of reinvestment and the costs of diversion of attention from core competencies are not properly factored in when considering the use of outsourced solutions.

Non-profits need to look at the big picture and weigh in all of the effects of the collaborative process and their anticipated results. In collaborating one may have to make compromises. The important consideration though, is a question of whether these are compromises to the shared goal or compromises to your organization and how it has operated in the past. I think the difficulty some organizations have separating these two is the biggest barrier to collaboration. One lesson that non-profits can learn from for-profits is that having identified the mission driven goals of the organization, one should go boldly into collaborations if they will bring about the attainment of the goal. Be as focused on that as businesses are on profit.
]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 15:56:00 EST http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/36494 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/36053
Let’s suppose that the sole owner of a major real estate development company did particularly well for herself over the years and having more money than she could ever use herself, decided it was time to do something with it for the benefit of others. Further, let’s suppose that having lived her entire life in one community, that she wanted to make a difference in her home town. Further yet, while she is slowing her pace at work a little, she is excited about the prospect of making a difference and decides that she would rather engage in her own project rather than donate the money somewhere. Having commissioned some brilliant researchers, she discovers that if she takes the vast pool of money she has set aside in her enlightened philanthropic state and invests it in low-cost and supportive housing, that she will eliminate all cases of homelessness in her community. (I know this simplistic to a fault but just go along with me for now.)

Now suppose you are on the local board of an organization whose sole purpose is to build housing for the homeless. Would you (a) throw your arms up in glee because you can now shut down or (b) throw your arms up in the air in frustration over someone coming in to do the job that your organization has invested itself into?

When I bring up this story up at speaking engagements or group meetings there is typically about a 50-50 split on the answer and some interesting dialog between people on opposite sides. As hypothetical in the extreme as this scenario is though, I hope you picked throwing your arms up in glee. If you did, your organization (or at least your approach to it) exists to satisfy the mission and written or not, the mission includes solving a problem… completely. Even in the most desperate of environments, I believe that social service organizations need to include a conscious effort to toward a goal of eventually closing their doors. If the goal is not set you will certainly never get there.

Consider the real-life organizations, programs and departments that will close once polio is eradicated from the planet, which will likely happen this year. When the current campaign against polio started, it was a local project with a focus on stemming the tide of local cases. Thankfully, it grew to encompass a mission that included fixing the problem completely and hopefully later this year, we will all get to celebrate the fact that they will close their doors.
]]> Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:48:00 EST http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/36053 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/32806
When there is disparity between the intended and the actual, the leaders of the organization , whether they be staff, volunteers or directors, need to work with all concerned to ensure that efforts are tweaked to get back in line with the intended mission of the organization. It is not a failing of an organization to discover a drift of focus has occurred. The environment in which we work introduces new elements to our situation frequently and with these new elements come opportunities to refocus with greater precision and effectiveness on the core mission, or to lose some focus through the addition of an ever growing set of parameters to deal with.

That a sailboat drifts off its intended course is not necessarily in trouble if the course is corrected in time. Real trouble comes when the captain fails to recognize the drift either by not paying attention or by being so set on his beliefs that he ignores the signals around him.

A very simple test can help add clarity to the decision making process. Ask yourself, “Will this action (or inaction) contribute to the success of our mission as it is stated?” If the answer is yes, it is worth further exploration. If the answer is no, the process of consideration should come to a halt.

If the answer is yes, a second question to be considered is "Are we the most efficient and effective providers of this action?" If not, outsourcing to a dedicated provider is the likely the best way to achieve the organization's mission. Take a good look at your mission statement. It likely speaks to the destination, not the mechanics of getting there.

Every undertaking of your organization must have a positive effect toward the success of its mission, as all others are most certainly detracting from it in their consumption of resources that could and should be applied elsewhere.

Does your organization follow its mission? Never forget what your mother told you. Your actions speak louder than words.
]]> Wed, 30 Nov 2005 22:56:00 EST http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/32806 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31785
These pictures were taken moments apart at the same one-room school, in a community that is unrecognized by the local government, the electricity is stolen from the lines running down the street and potable water has to be delivered by donkey. Here families displaced by the years of warring factions, carve out their existence and hope for a better life for their children.

Inside the schoolroom, where we met with parents, a mother spoke from the heart of her of how much it hurts her to have brought children in her world there and how desperately she and others want the basics of life for their children. Outside, the children who are oblivious to standard of living outside their own are genuinely thrilled with the presence of visitors and overwhelmed with joy as they get the chance to see their own faces in the screen on my digital camera.]]> Mon, 17 Oct 2005 20:01:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31785 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31798
With the help of the Rotary Clubs, our mayor, generous donors, a dedicated board and countless people in our community, the dream became a reality and we have just celebrated our third anniversary. The power of volunteerism shines not only in the warmth and beauty of the home that we have built, but also in the faces of the residents and their families.

Although the examples set by my parents and older siblings instilled in me a predisposition toward volunteering when I was young, it was my recent work with the hospice that taught me just how rewarding volunteering can be. I am often thanked by acquaintances and strangers who have had someone close to them live at the hospice, for my part in getting it started. I find this ironic sometimes though because there are many days now where I can not help to feel it is I who should be thankful, thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful project and the path that it has lead me on.

Tonight was the annual meeting for the hospice and with it, the end of my role as a board member. Four years as chair and three following are all that our bylaws allow so it is time to move on to something new.

The fork in the road continues…
]]> Thu, 15 Sep 2005 23:40:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31798 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/25791
Serving as Honorary Chair of New Heights in Volunteerism is broadcast journalist Myrka Dellanos. Named 2004’s “Star of the Year” by People en Español, Dellanos is perhaps best known as the decade-long host of Univision Network’s news magazine show “Primer Impacto” and other programs on the network. Dellanos is also committed to charitable initiatives throughout the world at the grassroots level. They have included volunteering to help disaster victims and serving as the national spokesperson for Save the Children, which helps disadvantaged youth worldwide.

In Latin America , volunteerism is growing but remains at lower levels than in North America . According to the most recent data from the Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project, whereas 22 percent of U.S. adults volunteer, only 6 to 8 percent do so in countries like Argentina , Brazil , Colombia and Perú. But that is changing, sparking a movement in which more Latin Americans are giving back to their communities. Partners volunteers such as Antonio Sampaio in Brazil are part of that trend and have witnessed the shift: “More and more people in Belem are talking about the importance of giving our time to help our own community,” Sampaio said. “There is a buzz about volunteerism, and we must seize this opportunity to make it easy for people with the will to volunteer to find needs and take action.”

New Heights in Volunteerism kicked off in Belem, Brazil, where a volunteer chapter of Partners spearheaded a call for more volunteerism in its community. The initial phase of the initiative will climax with a fundraising climb up Mount Aconcagua , the highest peak in the Americas . At 23,000 feet, the trek represents a great challenge, similar to the one that all communities face in elevating the culture of volunteerism.

Partners will use its 40 years of expertise in the region to connect citizens with local organizations that would most benefit from volunteer efforts. Online tools developed by Volunteer² will facilitate those connections.
]]> Mon, 04 Jul 2005 19:00:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/25791 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31793
Given that richness is not always measured monetary terms, there many aspects of my life that have made me a rich man. My work in the volunteer sector, both professionally and as a volunteer, have made significant contributions to my sense of wealth. There is something about working with volunteers that I find contagious. People who give of themselves are quite generally, great people to with which to work and socialize. There are also moments when the optimism about what is possible can be dizzying and others when the realization of what has been accomplished can bring on a feeling of satisfaction like no other and most certainly of greater longevity than that of a paycheque.

Whether a volunteer assisted initiative is enriching lives with the most basic of necessities or simple frivolous fun, the affect on other lives overflows back to those that make it possible.

Ah, to be truly 'rich'.

(The photo is just one of many groups of volunteers who have helped enrich my life - Partners of the Americas volunteers in Recife, Brazil)]]> Mon, 06 Jun 2005 21:47:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31793 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/23595
Based in Canada, Volunteer Squared fosters growth in volunteerism throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2005 22:44:00 EDT http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/23595 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31795
Good news for the volunteer sector....

1. 'Competition' is great for new innovations. It keeps everyone asking "how can we make this even better" and "what if we could do this". It raises the bar on the sector's expectations. There are a lot of small custom matching databases out there that were pieced together with an inadequate budget and pale by comparison in effectiveness to larger initiatives.

2. The more places an opportunity is advertised, the more likely a great volunteer will be found. I know that a few volunteer centers will disagree with me here but, the principles of advertising tell us that no matter what you do, not every potential volunteer is going to end up on the volunteer center's website to look for opportunities. Each provider of this service has a different audience base. Opportunities advertised on Monster will get exposure to potential volunteers who may not even have been thinking of volunteering. Just Volunteers and Volunteer Match likely appeal to different audiences because of each of their own affiliations and the way each of their sites operate. Volunteer Match has a great corporate program for volunteering. Volunteer Squared takes a localized approach to how the database appears while others take a national or international approach. The point is that each service has its own strengths and with that will attract(and keep) different audiences.

Think of it this way, if your organization was looking to hire a new E.D. or Manager of Volunteers, would it advertise in just one place and assume that the best candidate will happen to find it in that one place?

3. News and word of mouth about that fact that there are a variety of new services available will help funders understand that there is obviously a need for volunteers and for matching volunteers. It will also filter out in the general media (which we should all help push along) as any general news about volunteering will help promote volunteerism in general and attract new volunteers. After all isn’t that what we want? This heightened awareness is also the good news for the organizations that offer services as well. The more volunteers are looking for opportunities the more the service's site is used. As more organizations understand that one of the functions of recruitment is advertising and that advertising in some cases is more effective when somewhat diverse in its approach, the more these site's services will be used.

The bottom line....While it is true that there will come a point where that sector is saturated and new systems will only replace previous ones, I don't think we are there yet. Whether motivated by profit, by a personal/organization desire to make the world a better place, or a combination of the two, we ALL (the organizations that offer the services, nonprofits and volunteers) benefit as the sector grows.
]]> Fri, 11 Mar 2005 14:17:00 EST http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/31795 43.3166667 -79.843.3166667-79.8 http://tonygoodrow.tigblog.org/post/23538
New Initiative Strives for Growth in Volunteerism Across Canada

Not-for-profit organizations in Canada have a new resource for recruiting volunteers. Community Hub, an online database of local volunteer opportunities is now available free of charge in every community in Canada. Not-for-profit organizations can register for a free account and post the volunteer positions for which they are recruiting. Volunteers go online to www.MyVolunteer.Page.com to search for or browse the volunteer opportunities in their community. When volunteers find an organization or opportunity that interests them, they fill in a form that sends all pertinent information directly to the relevant organization.

For volunteer centres in Canada, this new resource can be used as their own volunteer matching database if they don’t currently have one, or in conjunction with whatever they use now. To monitor the Volunteer Centre's success with the system, they will have access to reports indicating the number of matches conducted in this manner over any time period.

“It is always exciting to be involved in helping introduce such a significance new resource to the voluntary sector in Canada,” claims Darryl Peck, CEO of the Change Canada Charitable Foundation. “The Foundation is always looking for new approaches that will improve the ability of organizations in the sector to build additional capacity. Decreasing costs while at the same time improving an organization’s efficiency and effectiveness is an important component of capacity building. Existing volunteer matching software can cost a community thousands of dollars and custom-built solutions can cost a community tens of thousands of dollars more, and that is just to get started. Then there are the ongoing costs associated with keeping the service up to date with current technology, not to mention new applications. Another significant benefit for the sector with this initiative is the fact that participating volunteer centres will be able to provide input on how to make the system better in the future and will receive free of charge the updated versions, rarely the case in commercial software that is made available free of charge.” Mr. Peck noted that In the United States, a single Community Hub license like this sells for $2,000 US. Change Canada’s support for this project and our assistance in gathering other support helps makes this volunteer matching resource available at no cost.

The My Volunteer Page websites exists for communities as small as 500 people. “This is especially exciting for smaller communities that can not financially support their own volunteer centre”, according to Michelle Quintyn, Executive Director for the Foundation for Rural Living. ”It makes some of the resources that were typically only available in urban centres, now available in rural areas as well. It really helps level the playing field.”

Bill Smith, formerly of Volunteer Barrie sees the value of this initiative from a unique perspective. He was the E.D. at Volunteer Barrie when the board was faced with the difficult decision to close the doors due to a lack of funding. “Volunteer Barrie had to close its doors because of the challenge that many community organizations face in constantly raising enough money to stay open. There was a significant void left in the community when Volunteer Barrie closed. This new service is really something that can help communities by creating a virtual volunteer centre that requires little to no funding or by helping an existing volunteer centre to become more self-sufficient. It provides the community with valuable volunteer matching software that they don’t need to purchase and if volunteer centres are looking for a way to raise more money, this is an alternative worth considering.”

The system has just launched so the database in most communities has only a few volunteer opportunities. In each community, local volunteers are being recruited to help build local volunteerism. One position being recruited in each community is an Agency Coach who will help organizations who would benefit from assistance in using a web based resource. Another is a Communications Coordinator who will help promote the local website address and volunteerism in general. “This represents a great opportunity for youth volunteers. In addition to helping build a strong local community, students can gain valuable job related experience”, states Wendy Blair of South Simcoe Youth Promise.

Once the database has a sufficient number of opportunities in it, the system will share the data in a variety of ways to promote volunteerism in new and innovative ways such as, localized random opportunities appearing on high traffic national websites and specific types of opportunities appearing on company intranet sites.

“This is truly a unique opportunity for national organizations looking for grass roots help in every community,” according to Gabriel Atele, president of The Organ Donation and Transplant Association of Canada. “Our association is dedicated to encouraging Canadians to become organ donors and given the personal nature of this type of gift, a volunteer who can speak to the cause at the local level is an important component of the life saving work that we do. I am very excited about the opportunity to advertise our volunteer needs at the local level, all across Canada.”

Community Hub is being provided by Volunteer2 and is sponsored in part by the Change Canada Charitable Foundation. Volunteer2 works all across North and South America with a mission to foster growth in the volunteer sector. “Canada lost 1,000,000 volunteers between 1997 and 2000 and Volunteer2 is going to help get them back!” claims Volunteer2 founder, Tony Goodrow of Burlington Ontario. “Volunteer Centres deserve all the support they can get in their efforts to promote volunteerism and communities that are too small to operate a physical volunteer centre can still promote volunteerism through a virtual volunteer centre. Especially with the recent closure of Volunteer Canada’s VOE, we are very happy to be working with The Change Canada Charitable Foundations to be able to offer this service for free in Canada.”

Volunteer2 will be making Community Hub available in French as well. Through the efforts of volunteer translators in Paraguay and Brazil, a Spanish version is being released next week and a Portuguese version in the spring. If you would like to contribute translations to the French version, contact Volunteer2.

Information on Volunteer2 or the Community Hub software can be found at www.volunteer2.ca. The Change Canada Charitable Foundation website is at www.changecanada.ca. To see an example of Community Hub site that has been in operation for a few months, visit www.MyVolunteerPage.com/Oshawa.

For additional information or interviews, contact:

Tony Goodrow
Volunteer Squared
tony@volunteer2.ca 1-905-637-0512 ext 20

Darryl Peck
The Change Canada Charitable Foundation
darryl@changecanada.ca
416-596-1799

Michelle Quintyn
Foundation for Rural Living
mquintynfrl@on.aibn.com
519-826-4126

BillSmith
Formerly of Volunteer Barrie
wmsmith24@sympatico.ca
Gabriel Etele
Organ Donation and Transplant Association of Canada
getele@organdonations.ca
416-487-3232

Wendy Blair
South Simcoe Youth Promise
wendy@nottawasaga.com
705-431-8020


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