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2007 Weekly Volunteer Management News

(Current News)

30 Dec: The American Society of Directors of Volunteer Services of the American Hospital Association—known as ASDVS for more than 20 years – is changing its long and non-specific name to re-brand itself as AHVRP, the Association for Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals. Their logo highlights the letter V in red. They’ve also adopted the tagline “leading America’s healthcare volunteers.”

The new name takes effect as of January 2008. Check out their Web site at www.todaysvolunteer.org.

23 Dec: An Energize staff member gave each of us a gift certificate last week to GlobalGiving—www.globalgiving.com—and it’s a great find! As they describe themselves: “GlobalGiving is a marketplace for goodness—where you can browse ways to help others around the world, pick the ones you are most passionate about, and give to the solution.” Through a worldwide network of well-respected charities, GlobalGiving has assembled information on projects large and small that need donors. You can search by cause, region, or sponsor. Many of the organizations listed for support have large volunteer components and GlobalGiving also encourages volunteering by site visitors.

In its Do More area, GlobalGiving provides a variety of ways for people to spread the word, including a list of volunteer activities in support of the site itself.

If nothing else, visit the site to see how an organization can use Web technology to inform, excite, and elicit action. Giving a gift card like this may end up the best excuse for procrastinating about real-world shopping!

16 Dec: On Monday, December 10th the word volunteer received some unusual attention when an armed parishioner confronted a man who charged into her New Life Church in Colorado Springs church Sunday firing a weapon, shooting him and ending a killing spree that threatened the entire congregation. Every mass media outlet covered the story; see CNN for a summary. The case was special for a number of reasons: the hero was a woman; she was licensed to carry a gun and used her own weapon; and she was acting as a “volunteer security guard.”

Well! In the past few days there has been reaction from all quarters, including several media folks calling Energize to inquire “is it common for volunteers to be asked to guard something with a gun?” The answer is no (which would seem to go double for a religious setting). Of course, there are many unanswered questions about this case, including whether it was usual for armed guards to be on site, whether she acted as a private individual or at the behest of the church, and more.

An interesting and informative thread of posts can be found at “Of Arms and the Law,” raising a number of related issues. By the way, the acronym CCW stands for “concealed carry weapon” permit.

However, it’s worthwhile to point out that volunteers do “work security” at hundreds of major events, including every protest march and demonstration. In those cases, however, their role is to keep order and work with law enforcement, not replace it. Planned Parenthood clinics and other controversial settings often recruit volunteer “escorts” who face real danger in walking clients through protesting crowds in order to enable them to get the service they need. But guns are generally not part of the position description!

9 Dec: Volunteer and Service Inquiry Southern Africa (VOSESA, http://vosesa.org.za) has been working to bring serious and knowledgeable discussion of volunteering and service-learning to Africans. It produces two free online publications, Service Enquiry ad VOESA Focus.

The articles in the December 2007 issue of VOESA Focus are on a range of provocative topics that raise important issues for any country:

Time for a volunteer policy in South Africa?
What is to be gained by working towards the development of a volunteering policy in South Africa? Helene Perold examines the role of policy and legislation in fostering volunteerism and outlines some guidelines for developing a volunteer policy.

Incentives in volunteering: the debate continues
Many people argue that receiving monetary incentives is at odds with the spirit of voluntarism and encourages dependency. This article explores the issue of incentives in volunteering, drawing on research conducted by VOSESA in Zambia in 2006.

Department of Social Development addresses challenges in VAPO Programme
The Volunteer Assistant Probation Officer (VAPO) Programme is a new development in South Africa’s national youth service. This article looks at challenges faced by the programme and measures being taken by the Department of Social Development to address these.

Youth volunteering for development
Youth volunteering can contribute to meeting the Millennium Development Goals, and youth volunteering initiatives are already underway in various African countries. This article examines the factors that facilitate and constrain youth volunteering for development.

2 Dec: For nearly 100 years, US Postal Service employees have sorted through the hundreds of thousands of letters children address this time of year to “Santa at the North Pole” and passed many on to volunteers, charitable groups and corporations that want to help. Volunteers could call an 800 number to receive information on a deserving child or go online to answer the Santa letters.

This year, for the first time, those volunteers will have to present photo identification and sign a waiver releasing the Postal Service from liability for "all causes of action, claims, liens, rights or interests of any kind or type whatsoever." This, despite the fact that there have been no lawsuits or accusations of impropriety.

In a timeline accompanying this story in USA Today, the historical highlights appear as:

1912: Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorizes postal employees and citizens to reply to Santa letters; program later becomes known as Operation Santa.
1940s: Increasing mail volume prompts Postal Service to invite charities and corporations to participate.
2007: Postal Service requires photo I.D. and release form from donors.

Sue Brennan, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service, says the change was made "to protect the children and to protect the integrity of the program and the Postal Service... We were giving out information about these kids to people we didn't know." Of course this is a sign of the times, but John Andrews, a former president of the Colorado Senate who specializes in tort reform at the Claremont Institute, a conservative public policy think tank in California had the best quote: "You would think the North Pole is one place on Earth that is safe from the trial lawyers and the litigation experts."

25 Nov: In 2004, editors Andy Fryar, Rob Jackson and Fraser Dyer published the first edition of Turn Your Organisation Into a Volunteer Magnet – a free collection of 18 essays written for and by volunteer management practitioners on three continents. Not resting on their laurels, the same three editors have produced a totally new 2nd edition, also available for free download. The new edition has 40 international contributors of short, but pithy essays, totalling 204 pages! Get both books for your collection:

2nd edition (2007)
1st edition (2004)

The editors’ statement of philosophy about the Volunteer Magnet book is important to know. They feel it is:

…a knowledge-sharing initiative within the international community of volunteer programme managers (VPMs) for the purpose of peer-to-peer professional development. The editors and writers have given their time for free and it is the intention that nobody should profit from the sale of this publication.

18 Nov: In the United States, one of the traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday is a parade, most often sponsored by a local department store. Whether you see this as a ploy to launch the Christmas shopping season, a way to get the kids out of the house while the turkey cooks, or something to fill the airwaves until the football begins, several parades are over 80 years old and are nationally famous. And every one of them relies on volunteers to bring off the event.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, shown on national television and immortalized in movies, involves over 4,000 volunteers, many of them Macy’s employees. See their timeline at http://www.macys.com/campaign/parade/history.jsp.

Interestingly, the accident with one of the giant balloons back in 1997 caused some buzz about poor training of volunteers. See one blog at http://emailforpics.com/2005/11/23/thanksgiving-day-parade-chaos/.

Hudson's Department Store in Detroit began the parade in that city (now known as 81st America’s Thanksgiving Parade®) but it now is run by The Parade Company, which “keeps the show running with thousands of volunteers. Many Detroit businesses are sponsors of the parade and the Distinguished Clown Corps is made up of many well-known Detroiters who contribute $1,000 to march as clowns in the parade” (source: http://info.detnews.com/history/story/index.cfm?id=173&category=life). If you’re wondering what you could do as a volunteer apart from paying for the privilege, see the list of opportunities at http://www.theparade.org/volunteers/default.aspx?id=22.

There’s also a list of volunteer opportunities for the McDonald's® Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago, Illinois at http://www.chicagofestivals.org/2007VolunteerPositions.htm. Here in Philadelphia, they are still seeking handlers for the large helium balloons, so if you’re free, go to http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=features&id=3522587 and join in!

11 Nov: Each year, the organization Echoing Green (www.echoinggreen.org) awards 20 two-year fellowships to entrepreneurs creating new social change organizations. Fellows receive up to $90,000 in seed funding and technical support to turn their innovative ideas into sustainable organizations. The application process is open to citizens of all nationalities, working in any country.

To accelerate social change, Echoing Green invests in and supports outstanding emerging social entrepreneurs to launch new organizations that deliver bold, high-impact solutions. These social entrepreneurs and their organizations work to solve deeply-rooted social, environmental, economic, and political inequities to ensure equal access and to help all individuals reach their potential. To date, Echoing Green has invested $25 million in seed funding to nearly 450 social entrepreneurs and their innovative organizations.

Encourage volunteers you know to apply! Get all details at http://www.echoinggreen.org/fellowship.

4 Nov: If this is the first time you’ve heard about the Web site Second Life (www.secondlife.com), we promise it won’t be the last. As they describe themselves: “Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe.” It’s free and individuals interact online using virtual personas called “avatars.”

There have been recent mentions of the phenomenon of nonprofits using this virtual reality site for real-world fundraising and volunteer recruiting in a range of publications, including The NonProfit Times and the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

An extremely interesting article in Canadian Fundraiser this week, “Not Only the Big Guys Can Teleport into the Big Time,” describes the successful experience of Bridges for Women, a small Canadian nonprofit organization, in opening a presence in Second Life’s Nonprofit Commons area. One of the opportunities explained in the article is the weekly nonprofit meetings held in Second Life by Tech Soup, the gurus of nonprofit technology trends:

…where she interacts with perhaps 25 to 30 avatars of nonprofit executives from around the world and feels the interchange of ideas is inexpressibly invaluable.

If she…got no other benefit from participating in Second Life, the meetings would justify the effort, she says, recommending her colleagues try to get there – meetings are free and all nonprofits are welcome. Go to http://npsl.wikispaces.com/Weekly+Meetings for further information…

In Second Life, there is already the capability of using streaming video and a whiteboard that can take Power Point presentations, and voice capability is probably not far in the future, … so courses offered in Second Life would truly embody “virtual reality” ... and they could be made available to the new widow in India or Africa or the escapee from domestic or political abuse in South America as easily as to the woman seeking employment in BC or Nova Scotia.

Keep your eyes open for lots more buzz about this phenomenon.

28 Oct: The Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (www.cvacert.org) has announced the next cycle for individuals seeking to earn their CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration) credential.

This unique, international, performance-based program recognizes practitioners with at least 3 years of experience in the field of volunteer resources management. It was originally developed by the former Association for Volunteer Administration.

Registration for the next cycle will remain open until March 1, 2008. However, the earlier you sign up, the sooner you can receive your materials and begin the process. (Register by December 31 and save money with the special Early Bird fee!) Candidates registering for this cycle will be expected to take the exam at local sites in May 2008, and will have until December 2008 to complete the written portfolio component.

To put CVA after my name ensures to all that I will bring legitimacy, integrity and a high standard of performance to the area of volunteer management.
Nancy Scott, CVA – Wolfville, NS Canada

Receiving my CVA was a great experience. Having someone else acknowledge me as a volunteer management professional is fantastic. But interestingly enough, it ended up being less about recognition from the outside and more about a genuine, internal understanding that I really do know what I am doing. It was my “a-ha” moment!
Rob Buckel, CVA – Boston, MA USA

To get started, visit the CCVA Web site at www.cvacert.org and print a copy of the 2008 Candidate Handbook and registration form. Specific questions can be directed to Katie Campbell, CCVA Executive Director, at 804-794-8689 or ccva@comcast.net.

21 Oct: When the Peace Corps (www.peacecorps.gov) was founded in 1961, it attracted the best and the brightest volunteers. Then it began to struggle with drops in applications throughout the ‘70s and ’80s and only a modest rise in the '90s. But since 2000, more than 51,000 young people have answered the call – putting the first decade of the 21st century on track for having the highest number of Peace Corps volunteers since the '60s.

According to a news release this month, the Peace Corps attributes the increase over the past seven years to a new tide of volunteering among young Americans.

“Rigorous college application processes and stricter admissions standards are emphasizing volunteer experience. Post-collegiate opportunities, like the Peace Corps, are an extension of that,” said Kim Ramsden, a Peace Corps spokeswoman, “especially when graduates are thinking about their future careers.”

This year, the Peace Corps was named one of BusinessWeek magazine’s “Best Places to Launch a Career” – jumping from No. 38 to No.23 in the annual ranking of the top U.S. employers for young professionals entering the workforce (http://www.businessweek.com/
careers/bplc/2007/23.htm). It is also No. 5 on BusinessWeek’s Undergrads’ 25 Most Wanted Employers, its first appearance on the list.

“As businesses become more global and jobs become more competitive, the Peace Corps provides language training and leadership skills that will give these graduates a unique edge,” said Ramsden.

With 7,749 volunteers today, the Peace Corps expects its numbers to continue to rise. Peace Corps, of course, is for Americans. There are similar international volunteering opportunities for citizens of other countries as well as programs coordinated by United Nations Volunteers (UNV). For a list of such programs, see: http://www.unv.org/en/partners/cooperating-agencies.html

14 Oct: EDS is a leading global technology services company delivering business solutions to its clients; it founded the information technology outsourcing industry 45 years ago. Each October since 1993, thousands of EDS employees in 24 countries and 36 U.S. states dedicate their time and talents to contribute to their communities through the company's annual Global Volunteer Day program (http://www.eds.com/about/community/volunteer/).

This year's theme is "Think outside the cube. Volunteer." To date the program has benefited 4,500 charitable causes by donating more than 600,000 volunteer hours in 32 countries.

"Giving back has always been at the heart of what EDS does as a company," said Ron Rittenmeyer, EDS president and chief executive officer. "We bring the same commitment and dedication to our communities that we provide to our clients around the world."

EDS teams have chosen to support a variety of volunteer projects this year:

In Thailand, more than 250 EDS employees, clients and their families will help the Department of Water build two dams to improve irrigation in the Dan-Chang District. Once finished, the reserve will use the rainfall water to grow trees in an otherwise dry area.
Eighty volunteers in Belgium will contribute to setting up a satellite infrastructure for Internet communication in Guinea, Africa. This project will help foster entrepreneurship among local business owners.
An EDS team in Michigan will help repair the facilities at New Horizons Rehabilitation Services, a workshop and training facility serving mentally challenged adults in Oakland County.
More than 20 projects involving 400 volunteers are being planned in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, home to EDS' headquarters. Nonprofits, including Camp Summit, Habitat for Humanity and Child Protective Services, will benefit from the volunteer efforts of EDS employees.

7 Oct: The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences bestows its Public and Community Service Emmy® Awards to honor television professionals for programming that advances the common good (http://www.emmyonline.org/public/). The Community Service Emmy® is presented to a local television station or cable company for a campaign that provides an example of outstanding service to its community. In addition, two awards for Outstanding Public Service Announcement are also presented each year. New this year is an award for public service announcements in a sponsored commercial. Winners for the Community and Public service awards are chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges composed of community leaders, clergy, educators, business people and artists.

Also to be presented at the ceremony on November 9 is the new Humanitarian Award. It will be given to WITNESS (www.witness.org), a human rights organization co-founded by musician Peter Gabriel, for its use of video and online technologies to document and expose human-rights violations around the world. WITNESS, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., has provided hundreds of human rights activists in 70 countries with the technical and strategic training and support they need to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice and change.

30 Sep: The GoldStar Exemplar Programme (www.goldstar.org.uk/) is a national initiative designed to encourage and enable voluntary organizations and projects throughout England to realize the potential of volunteers from socially excluded or disadvantaged groups. This includes people with no formal qualifications, people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups, and people with disabilities or long-term illness – “anyone in danger of social exclusion” who “represent a rich and largely untapped volunteer resource in all our towns, cities and local communities.”

GoldStar is run by the Cabinet Office which is central to English government (www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about_the_cabinet_office/). The Web site is rich with model program examples, templates and sample forms, and many details about how to engage socially-excluded groups in volunteering.

Last week, GoldStar announced a new “Vetting and Barring Scheme” (VBS) to increase protection of children and vulnerable adults by improving methods for screening potential volunteers and employees. It is a registration system, stopping people who the Scheme decides are unsuitable from volunteering (or trying to volunteer) with children and vulnerable adults.

It will be implemented in fall 2008. A 5-page document detailing the plan can be downloaded at www.goldstar.org.uk/Vettingandbarring_000.htm.

A new Independent Barring Board (IBB) will take responsibility for making barring decisions. The application processes for vetting and barring decisions will be run by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

The new VBS does not distinguish between volunteers and paid workers, as it is only concerned with access to vulnerable people. The new rules will apply to both volunteers and paid workers….

An important change is that many more organisations will be under a legal obligation to carry out checks than is currently the case. At the moment there is much more discretion on the part of employers and volunteer involvers.

Volunteers who apply to be involved in certain activities (see below) will need to be registered members of the VBS. Once within the scheme instant online checks by organisations will indicate whether or not there is any (current) known reason why the volunteer may or may not work with children or vulnerable adults. It will be an offence for a non-VBS checked adult to volunteer in certain activities with children and/or vulnerable adults, which means that volunteers must be checked before they can volunteer. The volunteer can also be tracked and if information about the volunteer does come to light, your organisation may be notified if a volunteer’s VBS status changes….

Clearly this is an extremely formal procedure with far-reaching ramifications. It should be interesting to watch both reaction to the released document andthe effect of the implementation.

23 Sep: Special note from Susan: Some of you may know that I am presently traveling and conducting training in the Pacific. While in Brisbane, Australia, I learned of an interesting corporate "cause-related marketing" idea specifically to support volunteering here. A coffee shop company with stores throughout Australia, called bb's cafe, has printed thousands of 10% discount cards for organizations to give to volunteers. The cards say:

Volunteers dare to make a difference. bb's cafe are national supporters of volunteer effort and we want to thank you for helping the community we live in. Enjoy a 10% discount off your total bill at all bb's stores every time you visit.

Of course this will increase sales for the chain, but it's still an interesting idea. It was developed with Volunteering Queensland, which describes the project at http://www.volunteeringqueensland.org.au/services/bbs_community_futures.shtml. It is one aspect of much broader "Community Futures" project.

16 Sep: Helping Out: A National Survey of Volunteering and Charitable Giving is a new household survey of 2,700 adults (aged 16 and over, and including 549 people from ethnic minority groups) in England which asks for details of people's views and experiences of participation in voluntary activity and charitable giving. The survey, produced by the Cabinet Office of the Third Sector, explores how and why people engage in formal volunteering, and what they think of their experiences; and how and why they give money to charity. It also looks at what stops people from giving to charity or volunteering. It builds on the Institute for Volunteering Research's National Survey of Volunteering, and provides insights into changes over the last ten years.

The survey can be accessed at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/research_statistics/helping_out.asp. It provides a wealth of data that will enable the Office of the Third Sector, practitioners and funders to target and manage programs in support of volunteering and giving, and to help overcome the barriers people face in taking part, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Among the key findings:

The most common reasons for getting involved in volunteering were in order to improve things or help people (53% of volunteers), because the cause was important to the volunteer (41%) or because the volunteer had spare time (41%).
Regular volunteers were generally positive about their volunteering experiences. Nearly all of them said that their efforts were appreciated (95%) and 9 in 10 agreed that they were given the chance to engage in activities that they liked (91%).
31% of regular volunteers said their volunteering could be better organized, and 28% said there was too much bureaucracy.

9 Sep: In order to raise awareness and spread the practice of service-learning in the United States, the Corporation for National and Community Service is experimenting with a week-long campaign called the “National Learn & Serve Challenge.”

By 2010, the Corporation wants to reach the goals of 5 million college students serving and 50% of America’s K-12 schools incorporating service-learning into their curricula. To that end, the National Learn & Serve Challenge is sponsored by the National Service-Learning Partnership and is being supported by a coalition of service-learning and youth service organizations. Through a concentrated week of special events and activities, supporters hope to spotlight service-learning successes around the country in order to build awareness of students’ contributions to their communities; spread effective service-learning practices; and inspire other schools and communities to launch their own programs and projects. More information and project ideas are at www.learnandservechallenge.org.

The campaign’s theme is “Be a Solution” and there are tee-shirts and other products available for young people with the slogan “I Am a Solution.”

2 Sep: The International Herald Tribune reported on August 17th that a 2,000-year-old Etruscan tomb was found in Cadenvole, a remote corner of Tuscany. (www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/17/europe/tuscany.php)

Anything found underground in Italy belongs to the state and the dig required a permit. An archeological student and a small group of volunteers from the amateur archeological association, Odysseus, made the discovery after both paying for and doing the work involved. Volunteering is vital to preserving Italy’s past.

If it weren't for amateur groups like Odysseus, archeology experts agree, much of Italy's ancient heritage would be even more at risk than it already is to random plundering by unscrupulous tomb robbers.

Gabriella Barbieri, the state official in charge of protecting the area's archeological heritage, who granted permission for the excavation, said local volunteer groups were very important when it came to safeguarding the territory from tomb robbers and vandalism.

"The more citizens are concerned, the more they can help us," she said. "The state can't be everywhere at once."

The article concludes:

"There are always archeological emergencies in Italy, and this system helps the state keep up," said Marcocci, who funded most of the dig along with the other volunteers. Fortunately, "there are a lot of passionate people."

26 Aug: A new research study by VolunteerMatch released last month takes a closer look at boomers and civic engagement to find that nearly two-thirds of older, non-volunteering boomers are interested in getting involved, yet many aren't sure where to find the right opportunity. Great Expectations: Boomers and the Future of Volunteering seeks to provide useful insights for nonprofits interested in expanding their capacity to attract and engage this talented population (click on the link to download a PDF or order a printed copy).

Great Expectations explores both the nonprofit and the volunteer perspective, but focuses on identifying the evolving motivations, attitudes, skills and expectations of volunteers as they mature. The study also underscores the growing use of the Internet among older Americans and illustrates its usefulness as a tool for connecting volunteers with local nonprofit organizations.

To help put the report’s findings into action, VolunteerMatch is collaborating with the federal Corporation for National and Community Service to launch a new, cutting-edge volunteer search engine aimed at attracting more Baby Boomers and 55+ volunteers. Combining the Corporation’s experience in recruiting older adults with VolunteerMatch’s expertise in online recruitment, the new 55+ channel at www.getinvolved.gov will help connect more Boomers with American nonprofits that need their skills and expertise.

19 Aug: Action Without Borders/Idealist.org is excited to announce the launch of the Volunteer Management Resource Center - www.idealist.org/vmrc - a free, comprehensive online source for new tools and existing resources to support volunteer management professionals in nonprofit, for-profit, and government organizations.

In the Volunteer Management Resource Center, funded by a Volunteer IMPACT Fund grant from The UPS Foundation and the National Human Services Assembly, you can locate geographic or service-specific networks and professional development opportunities as well as access best practices and resources on topics like:

Accessibility, Diversity, and Barriers to Volunteering
Board Service and Skilled Volunteerism
Communications and Conflict Resolution
Developing a Volunteer Program
Disaster Response Volunteering
Engaging Generations of Volunteers (i.e., Baby Boomers, Older Volunteers, Youth Volunteers)
Episodic, Informal, Mandated, and Residential Volunteering
Finding, Screening, Training, Supervising, and Recognizing Volunteers
Risk Management, Legal Issues, and Ethics
Organizational Readiness
Research and Trends in Volunteerism
Volunteer Program Tracking and Evaluation

There is also a space dedicated to informing job seekers about the profession, including why it matters and how professionals can advocate for the field.

If you are wondering how all this relates to the Energize, Inc. site here, be assured that we knew about this as it was being developed and support it fully. The VMRC links to our resources on almost every page, crediting us as “partners” in the enterprise. We will soon add reverse links as well. Idealist.org is especially interested in materials that highlight the profession of volunteer management and career development. As the next section of this press release notes, they are already serving Human Resource Managers in nonprofit organizations in the same way.

The section titled “Volunteer Managers + Human Resource Managers = Common Ground” (http://www.idealist.org/en/vmrc/commonground/index.html) is designed to foster collaboration between human resources and volunteer management professionals by sharing information and best practices and promoting opportunities for partnership. Also see Idealist’s Nonprofit Human Resources Center for more about that profession.

The Volunteer Management Resource Center is intended to be a dynamic tool for volunteer management professionals, so if you have feedback, suggestions, or resources to add, contact Erin Barnhart Manager, Volunteer Management Program Action Without Borders / Idealist.org, 503-227-0803 x109, erinb@idealist.org. www.idealist.org/vmrc.

If your organization is not registered with Idealist.org, visit www.idealist.org and join almost 70,000 organizations in reaching over 400,000 people daily. Registration is free and easy. As a registered organization you will be able to post jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities; list events; start or find local groups of nonprofit professionals; sign up for nonprofit career fairs in your community; add representatives from your organization to the speakers database and more.

12 Aug: The countdown is on!

International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day (IVMA Day) is being celebrated for the ninth time on November 1st and so now is the time to start planning the ways that YOU are going to celebrate the day!

Why not:

Arrange to have your local volunteer network/DOVIA meet on the day?
Organize a function for all those who lead volunteers in your organization?
Coincide the launch of a new project with IVMA Day?
Approach your local paper with an article about the important work VPMs do in your town/city/neighborhood?

Not only does the day offer a terrific opportunity to celebrate the difference VPMs make, it is also an ideal opportunity to educate others about exactly what it is that we all do.

And don’t forget, once you have arranged an event be sure to register it on the IVMA Day Web site at www.ivmaday.org. You can get lots of other good ideas on this site, too.

5 Aug: The planning committee of the first conference sponsored by the new Association for Volunteer Resources Management (AVRM), to be held in Dallas, Texas on October 3 to 5, has just announced the workshops that will be offered on the program. The conference theme is “Building Bridges to Our Future.”

29 Jul: For many site visitors, this news item will seem esoteric, but it has potential to impact American volunteerism in a number of ways. Simply put, the Internal Revenue Service is revising their Form 990 for the first time in decades. This is the form that all nonprofit organizations are required to file annually in order to make their financial transactions transparent to the public as well as the government.

Because of the importance of the 990, many people are attempting to influence the content of the revised form and the IRS has opened public review for 90 days. One of the most organized attempts to solicit and craft solid review has been launched as a “wiki” by NCCS (National Center for Charitable Statistics) at http://www.nccs2.org/wiki/, titled “Form 990 Review: Let's Reason Together to Create the Best Possible Form.” Here any interested person can engage in debate about the proposed changes to the form.

In its publicity about the wiki, NCCS says:

NCCS in collaboration with Guidestar propose that we try to reason together: We have a wiki – a collaborative website like the one used by Wikipedia – that we would like to use. Its advantages over other options are several:

1. It imposes a structure on the discussion. We are building separate pages for each major issue with lists of alternatives, pros and cons, and perhaps sample sections. A user can easily see the full discussion on an issue without sorting through numerous emails or documents. One can also receive an email whenever particular pages change, so you will know when new comments have been added….

For the most part, accountants and academics will drive this discussion, but what’s important to us here is how volunteer involvement is or isn’t reported.

Today there is no requirement for an organization to report volunteer involvement. In the present 990, there is an optional line in Part III in which an organization “may” include donated services. Right now it is hard to find any place on the revised form that even gives this paltry option! So we need to get involved and give input!

If you can bear reading arcane details, this could be a very important debate and our field should be represented. The instructions for the wiki are quite good, so give it a try. Again, go to http://www.nccs2.org/wiki/.

22 Jul: In accepting the 2007 Spirit of Service Corporate Award from the Corporation for National and Community Service at the closing luncheon of the National Volunteering and Service Conference in Philadelphia on July 18th, Jeffery B. Swartz, president and CEO of Timberland, shared his own concept of corporate citizenship: “It is the business of business to create social change. Business has a role in building the beloved community. We can earn a profit and make a difference—all in a long day at the office.”

Timberland is very engaged in the community and has a complete – and impressive –Web site describing both the extensive volunteer efforts of its employees and ways that customers can get involved, too: http://www.timberland.com/timberlandserve/timberlandserve_index.jsp. Stressing that “At Timberland, our mission is to equip people to make their difference in the world,” the company provides how-to information for days of service and also offers cash grants through its Community Investment program (details of which are posted on the Web site as well). Next to the links to these PDFs, Timberland says:

Use them. Share them. Make it better.

The other 2007 corporate award winners are described in a Points of Light press release at http://www.pointsoflight.org/about/mediacenter/
releases/2007/07-18.cfm

15 Jul: Experts at the National Weather Service are projecting a 75 percent chance that the Atlantic Hurricane Season will be above-normal this year, showing the ongoing active hurricane era remains strong. And, while there are always many “spontaneous volunteers” providing important preparation, recovery and clean-up services in times of natural disasters, groups such as the Points of Light and the American Red Cross also note that

…untrained volunteers often show up at the disaster area unprepared and create a “disaster within a disaster.” They can hinder the recovery effort and put an additional strain on the limited resources available to aid the victims.

That is why HelpinDisaster.org was created. HelpinDisaster.org is the first national initiative to pre-register, affiliate and inform volunteers who would like to assist in times of disaster – allowing organizations within the disaster area to match skilled volunteers with local needs.

HelpinDisaster.org (www.HelpinDisaster.org) is part of an online, community-based volunteer network designed by and built for Volunteer Centers by the Points of Light Foundation. As well as registering themselves in advance of an emergency, volunteers can find other useful information on the site, including what not to do at the height of the crisis.

8 July: Civic Ventures has just announced the names of 15 people over the age of 60 selected as finalists for their $100,000 Purpose Prize. The award is for “entrepreneurial Boomers” who lead projects to solve a pressing social problem. The range of issues addressed by the finalists is impressive: humane treatment of farm animals, better care for foster children, saving energy for low-income home owners, and many others. And one of the finalists is 91!

The Civic Ventures Web site, ironically, seems to be down at the moment, but information about them and the Purpose Prize can ordinarily be found at www.civicventures.com and www.purposeprize.org. In the meantime, you can read about the Prize winners at the “Enterprising Ideas” blog on the PBS site, where you can also learn much more about the concept of “encore careers.”

Maybe next year you can nominate a great 60+ volunteer from your organization!

1 July: Two new developments were announced last week affecting the volunteer community in the United States.

First, after three months of negotiations, the respective boards of Hands On Network (www.handsonnetwork.org) and the Points of Light Foundation (www.pointsoflight.org) have met and voted unanimously to enter into the final stages of the merger process. In a communiqué issued jointly by Michelle Nunn (HON) and Terry Williams (POLF), the decision was announced but no further details given:

There is full agreement on the purposes and intentions of the merger and strong understanding of the principles by which the new organization would be governed. Understandably some details regarding fiscal and legal matters remain to be settled before the merger agreement can be completed.

We appreciate the considerable time, energy, and patience all of you have brought to the process. We look forward to giving you more specific details and making further announcements upon full resolution of the outstanding items in the coming weeks. We are excited about the prospects of what a merged organization can do together with the affiliate field and our mutual partners.

It is widely expected that more information about this merger will be given during the upcoming National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Philadelphia in two weeks.

Second, on June 8-10, members of the Steering Committee for the Congress of Volunteer Administrator Associations (COVAA, www.covaa.org) convened in Las Vegas for a retreat to assess progress to date and plan the next steps. Excellent progress was made and the group now has a stronger timeline and clear action steps for the creation of a national association to support leaders in volunteer management. They have issued a full report of the retreat and promise to continue posting information to the COVAA Web site.

The Steering Committee has also announced a Town Hall Meeting for Volunteer Administrator Associations, to be held as a pre-conference event at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. The Meeting will be on Sunday, July 15, 2007 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm (it is not necessary to register for the conference to add this free meeting). Members of local, state, and regional volunteer administrator associations are encouraged to participate in this important dialogue regarding the current and future needs of the profession. As stakeholders in the profession, attendees will participate in the dialogue, as well as receive a report on the outcomes of the Congress, progress of the Steering Committee, and next steps.

24 June: Andy Fryar of OzVPM (www.ozvpm.com) is reminding everyone that the deadline for submissions for the new edition of Turn Your Organisation into a Volunteer Magnet ebook is just a week away: the 30th of June. [You can still download the original edition for free at http://www.energizeinc.com/art/documents/VolunteerMagnet1.2.pdf.]

           So far we have received pledges to write from more people than
           contributed to the original edition, including people who have responded
           to recent messages to OzVPM - thank you all. This means we should have
           a healthy representation in the finished book from Oz and NZ
           contributors but there is always room for more so we're still keen to
           receive additional submissions.

           So, if you've ever felt the desire to be the JK Rowling of the
           volunteering world, or to tell everyone else just how great your
           organisation is at getting and keeping volunteers (and why!) then we'd
           love to hear from you.

To remind yourself of the original brief and what the editors are after for the revised edition, visit http://www.ozvpm.com/magnet.htm.

10 June: One judge started a movement in 1977 in Seattle with an innovative idea: training community volunteers to speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court. So successful was this program that soon judges across the country began utilizing citizen advocates. In 1990, the US Congress encouraged the expansion of CASA programs with passage of the Victims of Child Abuse Act.

Today, National CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates – more than 57,000 volunteers serve 220,000 abused and neglected children each year through 900+ local program offices nationwide. The advocates, also known as volunteer guardians ad litem in some jurisdictions, are appointed members of the court. Judges rely on the information these trusted advocates present.

Last month, National CASA became the first national organization to be certified by the Standards for Excellence Institute (www.standardsforexcellenceinstitute.org/) to receive the Standards for Excellence Certification™ Seal. The seal recognizes nonprofit organizations that operate with the highest standards of accountability and ethics.

Learn much more about CASA at www.nationalcasa.org. In addition to its important work with children, CASA has long been respected in the volunteer world for its generous sharing of volunteer management information online. Posted for its own network, the resources are available at no cost to any site visitor. Check it out at: www.casanet.org/program-management/volunteer-manage/index.htm.

3 June:

If people stop doing …
If neighbours stop helping …
Who Cares? A way-of-life wake-up call for Canada’s communities.

“Declining volunteerism and civic engagement threaten Canada’s communities at their core.” With this dire proclamation, Who Cares? – www.CanadaWhoCares.ca – was launched this week to spotlight the urgent need for action in communities across Canada, and to protect these most precious of Canadian values. With implications, of course, for the rest of the world.

The announcement states:

The value of volunteering in this country is staggeringly high but largely unnoticed. Try to think of a community organization that does not rely on voluntary contributions in one form or another – the arts, education, healthcare, the environment, sports and recreation, faith communities, neighbourhoods, service clubs, disaster response, children’s programs, family services, supports for seniors, civilian defense.

Linda L. Graff, noted author and voluntary sector specialist, and Paul B. Reed, Carleton University Professor and Senior Social Scientist, Statistics Canada, have started a national conversation about the future of our communities – the Who Cares? project. Drawing from the most comprehensive data ever assembled on this issue, Graff & Reed have produced a series of engaging audio conversations to enlighten and inspire Canadians with a way-of-life wake-up call based on compelling but troubling research findings. Local elected politicians, chambers of commerce, and other leaders in business, industry and the nonprofit sector are being urged to take action immediately.

The Graff-Reed conversations have been released on CD and as a free download to make their vital message available without cost to all Canadians – and the rest of us. To download a free copy and get much more information, go to: www.CanadaWhoCares.ca.

27 May: Investing in Volunteers (IiV, http://iiv.investinginvolunteers.org.uk/) is the UK Quality Standard for all organizations which involve volunteers in their work. The Standard enables organizations to comprehensively review their volunteer management, and also publicly demonstrates their commitment to volunteering.

IiV has just launched its new Toolkit. This interactive e-learning development tool has specifically been created for Volunteer Managers or anyone interested in implementing IiV in their volunteer-involving organization. The Toolkit, found at http://iiv.investinginvolunteers.org.uk/
newsviews/IiVToolkit/, offers advice and simple session plans on how learning “can be cascaded throughout” an organization. It makes use of a range of online activities such as case studies, assignments, quizzes, and multi-media presentations. The Toolkit has been designed as an individual and organizational Guided Discovery Learning approach to better understand the concept of quality standards in general, as well as the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard specifically.

After registering (FREE) users are required to work their way through a number of modules including “What is quality?” and “What is self assessment?” This is done at the learner’s own pace, at work or home and completed work may be accessed at any time. The online resources also include links to relevant websites, downloadable handouts and publications and e-mail-generated content.

Colleagues outside the UK may want to browse the entire IiV site to learn more about this unique concept of a Quality Standard and how it is being applied.

20 May: Recognizing that increasing global fuel prices are having a big impact on volunteers who use vehicles to do their work, BP New Zealand decided to do something to help.

BP Vouchers for Volunteers is a programme launched in 2006 that donates thousands of fuel vouchers to volunteer organizations that use vehicles to get people to essential services or bring them the provisions they need. Registered charities or volunteer organizations that rely on voluntary assistance (that use vehicles) are eligible to apply by June 3. See details at www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9015082&contentId=7027951.

To learn more about volunteering in New Zealand, see Volunteering New Zealand's Web site: www.volunteernow.org.nz/.

13 May: More than thirty years ago L’Oreal Paris coined the phrase “Because I’m Worth It” to celebrate a woman’s worth and build her self-esteem. In 1997 as an extension of this sentiment, the company partnered with The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) to raise money and awareness in the fight against ovarian cancer. As a progression of this affirmation, L’Oreal established “Women of Worth” – a grassroots awards program that recognizes, celebrates and supports American women who actively serve others by volunteering in their communities (www.womenofworth.com).

Nominate an American woman over age 18 "whose volunteer work is making a beautiful difference." L'Oréal Paris will donate $2,500 in each honoree's name to a charitable organization of her choice, and a $2,500 donation in her name to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
Nominations for the 2007 award must be received by May 24th. Full details about how to nominate someone you know (or yourself) for this honor are available at www.womenofworth.com/nominations/home.aspx.

6 May: Congratulations to our colleagues in England! John Ramsey, National Volunteer Development Manager for Age Concern England and chair of the planning team has circulated this notice: “I’m very pleased to announce that the Association of Volunteers Managers has been formally incorporated as a company limited by guarantee.” John and his team have spent 18 months connecting with volunteer program managers across England, consulting with other associations around the world, and doing the work of organizing the new AVM.

AVM will officially launch at an event on June 4th. See the invitation on the new Web site, which is also where you can follow the progress of this fledgling association: www.volunteermanagers.org.uk/.

Best wishes and good luck AVM!

29 Apr: On April 16, 2007, in a ceremony in Washington, DC, four U.S. citizens were immortalized as the newest honorees of The Extra Mile national monument (http://www.extramile.us/). In an essay on the Points of Light Web site, “Never too Late: Volunteers Immortalized in The Extra Mile,” John Johansen compares The Extra Mile to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Both utilize a sidewalk-level tribute to recognize their honorees.

Despite the similarity in design, the two monuments couldn’t be more different. The Walk of Fame recognizes people from the entertainment world whose professional and personal lives are known to us almost as well as our own. On the other hand, The Extra Mile recognizes the leaders of important volunteer movements through the course of our country’s history. Rarely do they achieve the celebrity that their achievements would suggest they are due.
The popularity of one group and the obscurity of the other are ironic and frame an interesting question. Does our culture not place greater value on those who set their self-interest aside and help others by pioneering social change than on those who use self-interest to pioneer personal fame and fortune?

As an example, while the world immediately recognizes Donald Trump (a new Hollywood Walk of Fame addition), how many people know Ida Wells Barnett, who “…jeopardized her own life to save the lives of thousands? More than anyone, Barnett is credited with ending the lynching practice in this country.” In addition to Barnett, the new Extra Mile honorees are Jane Addams, Susan B. Anthony, and Dorothea Dix. In contrast, those honored with Trump are Wink Martindale, Vanessa Williams, and Halle Berry!

Unfortunately, few visitors to Washington – and even people in the volunteer field – have heard of The Extra Mile or visited it. If you are coming to the American capital, make up for this omission. Visit the Web site at http://www.extramile.us/ for more details and exact location. And there are still more spots left on the sidewalk. Maybe you know an extraordinary volunteer to nominate?

22 Apr: The BBC reports something that demonstrates what we often fictionally muse about: What would happen if volunteers went on strike?

The April 19th article, headed “Coastguard volunteers on 'strike',” begins this way:

Volunteer coastguard teams around the UK have withdrawn from responding to call-outs following a row over compensation for injuries.

The volunteers - usually on permanent standby - say they are not fully covered by the insurance policy of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The dispute began with the case of a Pembrokeshire man injured in a cliff rescue, causing him to lose his job.

Read the whole article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6570395.stm.

15 Apr: Spark the Wave (www.sparkthewave.org) is a nonprofit organization that empowers youth through educational programs to be great volunteers and community leaders. Each year it runs “Wave Week,” a Service Leadership Camp for 7th to 11th graders. This year Wave Week is July 15-20 and the program will be located at Arcadia University in Glenside, PA. Campers live in the college dormitories and camp fees include all food and lodging.

Special note to parents planning to attend the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Philadelphia that same week: here’s a way to bring your teenager along on the trip and both of you will learn more about volunteering and leadership!

During Wave Week, teens learn skills in leadership, communication, group dynamics, project planning, and much more – and have fun, too. The curriculum runs on two tracks, one for 7th-9th graders and the other for those in 10th and 11th grades. Wave Week counselors are all alumni of past Wave Weeks and are themselves young adults.

For more information, contact Tom Coyne (Wave Week Director) at 215-262-1459 or at tom@sparkthewave.org. To get more details, see what other young people say about Wave Week, and download the application form, click here.

8 Apr: Global Youth Service Day (GYSD, www.gysd.net) is an annual global event organized by Youth Service America and the Global Youth Action Network, together with numerous international organizations and national coordinating committees. This year the dates are April 20-22. It celebrates, recognizes, and mobilizes the year-round contributions of young people to build their communities and their world through voluntary service, and the contributions made by the community (public, private, and nonprofit sectors) for empowering young people, especially through mentoring.

More than 200 organizations from more than 83 countries have registered so far for this year's Global Youth Service Day celebrations. Some examples are:

In South Africa, GYSD will be led by the National Youth Service Unit within the office of the Presidency. The agency plans to involve 20,000 youth in projects focused on agriculture, safety and security and the environment and departments at the highest level of government as well as national and multi-lateral NGOs have committed their support.
In Zambia, Bonpaul – Youth in Action is organizing a clean-up project at local elderly care facilities, and is coordinating an HIV/AIDS sensitization workshop, with the goal of making sure communities and their young citizens are more aware of the dangers of HIV/AIDS and that young people with HIV/AIDS are not stigmatized.
Alumni from the US State Dept's Global Youth Leadership and Service (GYLS) exchange student program are planning orphanage assistance and education work in Afghanistan.

All schools, faith-based groups, and youth-related organizations are encouraged to plan and highlight youth-led community service projects on Global Youth Service Day. Organizations may want to highlight existing projects to the media and surrounding community, or may choose to organize special projects and events that involve the broader community on GYSD.

The GYSD Web site provides extensive information and resources to help organizers and individuals, including the ability to search by country for an event in which to participate.

1 Apr: Mercy Corps (www.mercycorps.org), the global humanitarian agency, and NetAid (www.netaid.org), a nonprofit that works nationally to empower young people to fight global poverty, have officially merged organizations in a new effort to radically change the way that Americans – especially young Americans – learn about and respond to the challenges of global poverty. The merger represents a new model for relief and development organizations committed to aligning U.S. public engagement on global poverty with the vast and immediate needs in the poorest regions of the world.

Neal Keny-Guyer, chief executive officer of Mercy Corps, explained:

Together, we seek nothing less than to transform a generation of leaders. We aim to bring the complex issues of poverty, aid and development to young Americans, the group best positioned to make lasting changes to the world's toughest problems.

NetAid's programs will collectively become an initiative of Mercy Corps. In spring 2008, Mercy Corps will open the doors of its new hunger and poverty action center in New York's Battery Park City. The center is an unprecedented initiative to build public awareness about how assets and access to opportunity can transform the lives of families living amid poverty, disaster and conflict around the world. The new center, anticipating nearly 100,000 visitors annually, will anchor Mercy Corps' and NetAid's combined education and outreach efforts.

25 Mar: Long time in the planning stages, Volunteer England (VE) has launched a new service to provide training to volunteer program managers. Called “Excellence in Volunteer Management” or EVM (http://www.volunteering.org.uk/managingvolunteers/EVM/), it offering features e-learning opportunities, FAQs, a “Good Practice Bank,” publications and information sheets – many of which are accessible online from anywhere. The site explains this all as “bite-sized learning opportunities” all of which are tied to becoming accredited under the UK’s “Qualification in Volunteer Management.” For colleagues in England, EVM includes small group Learning Loops and the chance to hire vetted trainers to conduct on-site workshops.

EVM is still evolving and the e-learning programs are not yet available. But site visitors can already search the Good Practice Bank (http://www.volunteering.org.uk/managingvolunteers/goodpracticebank), read Volunteering Magazine online, or try the e-learning “Tasters.”

18 Mar: he UK-based charity Christian Aid is looking for volunteers to join the longest ever protest march in UK history, focused on climate justice. Beginning in Northern Ireland on the 14 July 2007, it will pass through Scotland, England and Wales and arrive in London via Bournemouth and the Labour Party conference eleven weeks later.

The 1000-mile “Cut the Carbon” march will involve hundreds of marchers for some or all of the route from Belfast to London. They will join campaigners from the developing world to protest that poor peoples’ lives are being wrecked by dangerous greenhouse gas emissions pumped into the atmosphere by the rich world.

World Volunteer Web quotes Paul Brannen, head of campaigns at Christian Aid:
Climate change is the most serious threat to the future of all of us, but the shocking truth is that it’s poor people in the developing world who are already on the frontline of climate chaos. We have a moral duty to stop this now and where better to start than at home?

11 Mar: An article in the Chicago Tribune was picked up on the wire services and reprinted in The Seattle Times on March 8, entitled “Volunteer vacations go mainstream in new Web site.” It announces the launch of a new travel site by CheapTickets.com and the United Way of America to “make it easier for spring break revelers to do volunteer work when they vacation this year.” Travel industry analysts are seeing this as the first major initiative by a leading online travel agency to tap the growing trend of "voluntourism" (see the February Hot Topic on this subject).

The article mentions several types of volunteer vacations and then notes: “But to participate in these ventures, people generally have to sign up months in advance and handle travel arrangements themselves.”

The new site developed by CheapTickets brings this process into the digital age. It incorporates search technology developed by United Way that sorts volunteer opportunities at more than 1,300 affiliates by activity type and location.

Officials expect the new site to draw well with CheapTickets' two main user groups: budget-minded young people and retirees with the time to search for bargains.

"Our target audience is people who have a lot of time and want to accomplish something meaningful during their vacation time," said Randy Punley, director of corporate partnerships with the Virginia-based United Way of America.

See the launch at: http://www.cheaptickets.com/App/PerformMDLPDealsContent?deal_id=volunteer

Interestingly, the Chicago Tribune reporter drew attention to a flaw in the system:

One drawback of the site is that it lists only charitable opportunities at groups affiliated with the United Way. That means a search will show house-building projects only at Habitat for Humanity chapters that also have signed on to the United Way. The global organization affiliated with former President Jimmy Carter isn't a member.

To which CheapTickets.com responded: “The current site is version 1.0, just going from beta testing to implementing. We would certainly be open to other partners down the road."

4 Mar: A press release distributed ten days ago by the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network is headed “Target to Sponsor 2007 National Volunteer Week.” The first sentence reads: “The nation’s premier volunteer recognition event has received a major supporter — Target. The retailer will be the exclusive sponsor of National Volunteer Week….” The entire release can be read at www.pointsoflight.org/about/mediacenter/releases/2007/02-22.cfm.

Target itself has been more low-key about announcing the relationship. At
www.sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-001820#tpolf, it includes this statement in a page of community service activities:

Target and the Points of Light Foundation are also partnering to promote National Volunteer Week, April 15–21, 2007, in recognition and thanks of the powerful contributions volunteers make to our communities.

Currently there is no further explanation of what “exclusive sponsorship” means. The documents available for download on the Points of Light site to assist organizations in planning and publicizing National Volunteer Week (www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/tools.cfm) do not yet contain any mention of the arrangement with Target.

This news is unexpected and raises some potentially disturbing questions, but we have to see what ultimately develops. Stay tuned for what this might mean at ground level!

25 Feb: Youth Service America (YSA, www.ysa.org) is a resource center that partners with thousands of organizations committed to increasing the quality and quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people, ages 5-25, to serve locally, nationally, and globally. One of its ongoing services is to announce details of a wide range of grant programs, many for small amounts of seed money given to young people for direct support of local service projects. (Most of these awards are for US projects only, but not all.) If you work with youth, bookmark www.ysa.org/awards/award_grant.cfm#nowavailable and check regularly for what’s new.

For example, right now the site is publicizing the second round of the Red, White & Green Climate Change Grant (redwhiteandgreen.org), sponsored by Youth Service America and the Civil Society Institute. This opportunity offers $500 to young people in the United States between the ages of 15-25 and to organizations that engage youth ages 15-25.

18 Feb: Now this is really news! Volunteer Center members of the Points of Light Foundation (www.pointsoflight.org) and local Hands On/City Cares affiliates of Hands On Network (www.handsonnetwork.org) all received official notification this week of some high-level negotiations.

Michelle Nunn, CEO of Hands On Network explained it this way:

As many of you know, Hands On Network has been in conversation with The Points of Light Foundation regarding possible integration. We are pleased to announce that the Board of the Points of Light Foundation has voted to approve an official 90 day assessment phase. Hands On Network's Board of Directors will meet next week to give this their full consideration. Following that meeting, we will communicate regarding next steps.

A committee of the Hands On Network Board has been integral in the conversations with The Points of Light Foundation and will continue to provide leadership moving forward. Hands On Network is committed to making this process transparent. We recognize that this strong Network is made up of organizations affiliated with one, the other or both national organizations and we look forward to receiving feedback and guidance from all of you as we continue these negotiations. We are excited about the possibilities that this consolidation could create, and the potential for revolutionizing the landscape of volunteerism in this country.

The e-mail notice from Steve Miller, Chair of the Points of Light Board of Directors further shared this news:

Pending the assessment of a potential integration with HON, the search for a new President and CEO has been put on hold. On April 1, 2007, the Vice Chair of the Foundation's Board, Terry Williams, will assume duties as interim CEO. At that time, retiring CEO Bob Goodwin will take a transitional role as a consultant to the Foundation.

So stay tuned!

11 Feb: Valentine’s Day is February 14th and, amid all the commercial hype for flowers and chocolate, the Case Foundation is promoting an article by Elaine Gast that exhorts the reader to: “Forget the wining and dining. Do something that matters.” In the article (read it all at www.casefoundation.org/spotlight/valentines), she proposes 14 ways to be charitable:

Give of yourself, your time, your heart -- to people you know, and people you don't. Share your love in small ways and big. And best of all, be generous.

The Case Foundation is not the only one thinking hearts and philanthropy. VolunteerMatch issued a press release that is being shown on the home page of several sites in the US and around the world, including Social Funds: www.socialfunds.com/news/release.cgi/7452.html. The introduction below is followed by a different 14 ways to volunteer in specific programs across the US:

Want to impress your valentine this year? Volunteer for someone or something you love. No matter what your personal passion, it's easy to find a rewarding way to make a Big Hearted difference at www.VolunteerMatch.org.

A few other examples:

In the UK, CSV is using romance time to advance their Make a Difference Day later in the year with “Cupid's arrow scores a hit with volunteers.”
Also in the UK, Trees for Life (www.treesforlife.org.uk/) is running its “I Love Pine” campaign, a special Valentine's Day initiative promoting the Scots pine, the keystone tree in the Caledonian Forest.
The Heart Association in New Zealand celebrates “Valentine’s Heart Week”: www.nhf.org.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145837296.
In Vancouver, Canada, you can even support “The People's Prom” and “revolutionize” Valentine's Day (www.cupe.bc.ca/248, scroll down to February 14)!

4 Feb: The Leader's Studio (www.leadersstudio.com) believes that leadership skills are the key differentiator among those who succeed in their job, career, and life. These leadership skills have the greatest impact when developed before someone reaches the senior suite in his or her career. They have assembled a team of internationally recognized leadership experts and created an online community to bring leadership information and training to those with “a strong desire to stand above the pack — to make a difference on and off the job.” While the Leader’s Studio primarily serves corporate employees, they are interested in engaging people from the nonprofit world as well.

Beginning this month, Leader’s Studio will be hosting a weekly webinar focused on helping emerging leaders develop the skills they’ll need as leaders. They are selling subscriptions to corporations but are also offering a limited number of seats from the webinars to nonprofit organizations at no charge.

To this end, they have posted a registration area where interested nonprofit managers can sign up for alerts when webinar space is available: www.leadersstudio.com/nonprofit.php. You can also read about the upcoming topics there and submit comments and your training interests.

28 Jan: The Commission on the Future of Volunteering (www.volcomm.org.uk/) has been established by the England Volunteering Development Council to develop a long-term vision for volunteering in England as a legacy of the Year of the Volunteer 2005. In November the Commission issued this call:

Does volunteering mean the same to everyone? Should we expect people from all cultures and backgrounds to volunteer? Are government initiatives in the sector helping or hindering? The Commission on the Future of Volunteering is calling on volunteers and non-volunteers alike to consider such questions in a wide-ranging review on the future of volunteering in England.
The consultation, which is open for public submissions until May 2007, will be focusing on the following areas for evidence:

The relationship between volunteering and government
Volunteering is for all
Developing a culture of volunteering.

The Commission wants to hear from volunteers and organisations in the voluntary, public and private sectors, in all regions of England, regardless of their background or experience.

The Web site already shares a variety of background documents and will list dates and locations of hearings to be held across England in the next few months.

21 Jan: Generocity Magazine (www.generocitymag.com) is a new venture by California publishers to “engage, entertain and empower a new generation of generous individuals who look at philanthropy not as something they do, but something they are.” With the tagline of “passion with purpose,” volunteering is one of the featured areas in the magazine. A press release explains:

Generous people give to their communities not only because it's expected, but because it's who they want to be. That's the core belief at Generocity, a new national magazine devoted to today's philanthropist. Noting that many contemporary donors and volunteers refuse to fit the mold of traditional individual giving, Generocity's publishers envision the new magazine as a chronicle of philanthropy-as-lifestyle, rather than obligation.

The focus at Generocity is individuals who are tackling global problems. Whether they work for corporations, foundations or nonprofits, each is transforming the world into a better place to live - and setting an example about how we can all be more generous in our lives.

The premier issue can be sampled at www.generocitymag.com/Pages/thisissue.html. Try out two free issues of Generocity by completing the form at www.generocitymag.com/subscribecl.html.

14 Jan: Do you mobilize and manage volunteers? Are you looking for a way to strengthen your professional credibility? If so, now is the time to consider earning the CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration) credential, originally developed by the Association for Volunteer Administration and now sponsored by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (www.cvacert.org). CCVA offers this unique program to recognize practitioners in the field of volunteer resources management who meet specified standards as measured through a testing process and peer review of a written portfolio.

Individuals with the equivalent of at least three years of experience leading and directing volunteers are eligible. The deadline for registering for the next cycle is March 1, 2007. Candidates registering for this cycle must take the exam on May 23, 2007 (at local sites), and must complete the written portfolio component by December 31, 2007.

To learn more or get started:

Visit the CCVA Web site at www.cvacert.org. Read details and testimonials, and print the 2007 Candidate Handbook and registration forms.
Contact CCVA to request the Candidate Handbook or ask questions. Call Katie Campbell at 804-794-8689 or e-mail ccva@comcast.net.

7 Jan: The “Count Me In” Calendar (/www.countmeincalendar.info/) is a UK-based Web site with the goal of connecting “people and organisations to help build a world of active citizenry…with a single convenient online resource for information on not-for-profit events.” Updated daily, over 1,000 events are highlighted each year.
The Count Me In Calendar listings, which include separate areas for UK campaigns and USA campaigns, the site wants to help the public find the very latest information on events for which they might volunteer, raise awareness, or support by attending or giving funds. Not-for-profit organizations may use the Count Me In Calendar to post listings for fundraising events and campaigns for free as long as these events are of regional, national or international significance.

One useful area of the site is a calendar of “Holy Days & Holidays” – allowing event planners to commemorate or schedule around significant religious observances of sixteen different faiths throughout the world.

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