There are some sterling examples of strong professional networks in our field, but they are sadly few and far between. Most are struggling. Why? Which came first: weak professional associations or a weak profession?
Guest author Steve McCurley offers an alternative proposal to the Corporation for National and Community Service's initiative to deploy AmeriCorps members.to build volunteer management infrastructure.
The new study,Volunteer Management Capacity in America's Charities and Congregations, is probably the strongest argument ever seen in the U.S. for the value of investment in volunteer management.
The complete absence of discussion of volunteers in most professional academic curricula means many of our colleagues are unprepared to team with volunteers successfully. What can we do about it?
The quest for “tell me what’s standard for all volunteers” emerges endlessly, but there are few universal answers. Start by examining the factors of your organization and determining what is best for you, not others.
What is it about our field that everyone thinks they know how to do or how to interpret it? Why would anyone assume that working with volunteers is simply a matter of instinct, common sense, and being nice?
Orienting and training volunteers are key elements of successful volunteer involvement. But if we focus only on training volunteers, we miss the opportunity to facilitate education for our entire organization.
What are the roles of our field’s various professional societies and resource organizations, both in relation to each other and in terms of local, state/provincial, or national levels of operation? Susan examines the options.
Susan examines one of the recurring issues in our field: the disconnect between those who are paid to be coordinators of volunteers and those who, as volunteers themselves, lead other volunteers.
Susan revisits the last 63 Hot Topics and considers which remain "hot" even now.
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