Slides from the "Service as a Strategy" workshop presented by Lisa Humenik, President & CEO of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, at the 2010 Arizona Summit on Volunteerism and Service Learning.

2. Service as a Strategy Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona Lisa Humenik lhumenik@volunteersoaz.org

3. Service is most effective when it is part of the program design and less so when it is an afterthought. Service as a Strategy

4. Objectives Explore the reasons why organizations involve volunteers Prioritize the components of volunteer management infrastructure Identify components needed to become a service enterprise Understand a broad spectrum of volunteerism & create a plan to strengthen volunteer involvement in your organization and/or community

5. Why Volunteers? If your organization had unlimited resources, would you still want or need volunteers?

6. First-Choice Reasons Credibility Make a difference to the recipient Insiders - outsiders Extend sphere of influence Objective policy makers Luxury of focus

7. First-Choice Reasons Private citizens Strategy for meeting service goals Freer to criticize Less pressure and stress Experiment with new ideas Extend the budget Ellis, Susan (2010). From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement, Philadelphia: Energize, Inc.

8. Other Benefits Extra hands Diversity Skills Community ownership Advocacy Loyalty Donor development Ellis, Susan (2010). From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement, Philadelphia: Energize, Inc.

9. Statement of Philosophy Expresses your organization’s point of view about volunteer involvement Establish clear relationships Recruit new volunteers Demonstrate appreciation of community involvement

10. Statement of Philosophy Our agency encourages the teamwork of employees and volunteers so that we can offer our clients the best services possible. Volunteers contribute their unique talents, skills, and knowledge of our community to provide personalized attention to clients, enable the paid staff to concentrate on the work for which they were trained, and educate the public about our organization and its cause. Ellis, Susan (2010). From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement, Philadelphia: Energize, Inc.

11. Cycle of Ineffective Volunteer Management

12. What are the elements that need to be in place in order to have a high impact volunteer program? Volunteer Management Infrastructure

13. Volunteer Management Infrastructure* Conduct an organizational needs assessment Develop volunteer program purpose statement Develop policies and procedures Create budget and secure resources for volunteer program Identify appropriate positions and develop volunteer position descriptions Create agency/volunteer agreement * In priority order as reached by consensus of the participants in the workshop

14. Volunteer Management Infrastructure* Train staff to work with volunteers Create a recruitment plan Develop outreach and marketing materials Evaluate risk and create risk management plan Create volunteer application Recruit volunteers Review applications * In priority order as reached by consensus of the participants in the workshop

15. Volunteer Management Infrastructure* Screen volunteers Check references Run appropriate criminal and/or motor vehicle background checks Place volunteers in positions Sign agency/volunteer agreement Orient and/or train volunteers * In priority order as reached by consensus of the participants in the workshop

16. Volunteer Management Infrastructure* Supervise volunteers Recognize volunteers Conduct agency/volunteer evaluation * In priority order as reached by consensus of the participants in the workshop. Note that there may be differences based on the unique characteristics of various agencies and that some steps may be repeated in cyclical pattern throughout the life of the volunteer program.

17. The Points of Light FoundationParadigm Project Published in 1993 but still relevant today

18. Traditional Volunteer Program Model The New Paradigm Volunteers serve in peripheral functions Volunteers are central to accomplishment of agency mission Changing the Paradigm

19. Traditional Volunteer Program Model The New Paradigm Volunteer program exists because of history, accident, inertia Involvement of volunteers is tied to the strategic plan for the organization Changing the Paradigm

20. Traditional Volunteer Program Model The New Paradigm Management of volunteers is centralized in the volunteer “program” Volunteer involvement & supervision is everyone’s responsibility Changing the Paradigm

21. Traditional Volunteer Program Model The New Paradigm Volunteers are second class workers Volunteers are equal partners with equal involvement Changing the Paradigm

22. Traditional Volunteer Program Model The New Paradigm Volunteers are just there to do a job Volunteers have creative ideas Changing the Paradigm

23. Traditional Volunteer Program Model The New Paradigm Volunteers are thought of as nice “add ons” Volunteers are thought of as Changing the Paradigm

24. Successful Volunteer Programs Lay the foundation through mission and vision Combine inspiring leadership with effective management Build understanding and collaboration Learn, grow, and change

25. Reimagining Service Service Nation/Be the Change Points of Light Institute United Way Experience Corps Independent Sector Volunteer Match Habitat for Humanity Case Foundation City Year Deloitte Gap, Inc. Stanford University Sagawa/Jospin Bank of America Foundation Target TCC Group

26. Reimagining Service Identify key characteristics and critical success factors of nonprofit organizations that demonstrate outstanding volunteer management practices. Illuminate behaviors and best practices other nonprofit organizations could adopt in order to improve their volunteer management programs and practices. Inform the refinement of the Service Enterprise model through interview findings with identified nonprofit organizations.

27. Reimagining Service Provide more detail and insight into the operation of nonprofit Service Enterprise organizations. Compile a final report highlighting interview findings regarding the characteristics of nonprofit Service Enterprise organizations.

28. Percent of Nonprofits Conducting “Effective” Volunteer Management Practices 30% 27% 26% 25% 21% 13% 8% 6%

29. Nearly 75% of nonprofits describe volunteers as a critical component of their business model but only 11% of organizations in the TCC Group database have over 50 volunteers and a strong volunteer management model. (Deloitte and TCC Group) Top Findings

30. Nonprofit Service Enterprise

31. Enhancing Volunteer Involvement

32. Traditional Volunteer Roles Board service Administrative tasks Fundraising

33. Maximizing the Value of Volunteers Many pairs of hands Pro bono Social capital building Extra caring Community knowledge Community ownership Leadership Consistency Up and coming talent Sagawa, Shirley (2010). The American Way to Change: How National Service & Volunteers are Transforming America, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

34. The Volunteer Involvement Framework™ CONNECTION TO SERVICE Affiliation Focus Skill Focus • Corporate days of service with work teams • Weekend house-build by a local service club • Park clean-up event or trail maintenance • Walkers, bikers, runners for annual fundraiser. • A one-time audit of an organization’s finances by a professional accountant • A sports club teaching a youth group a particular skill and hosting youth for an event • A student completing a degree requirement. • A chef preparing a meal for a fundraiser Episodic TIME FOR SERVICE • Youth mentor • Troop leader • Sunday School teacher • Environmental sustainability advocate • Hospice visitor • Park host or docent • Thrift store manager • Auxiliary member or trustee • Pro bono legal counsel • No-cost medical service by a physician, EMT, nurse, counselor, etc. • Volunteer fire fighter • Loaned executive • Board member Long Term

35. How can we most effectively manage & engage each type of volunteer? The Volunteer Involvement Framework™

36. Service Initiatives & Trends

37. Federal Support 1930’s – Civilian Conservation Corps 1960’s – Peace Corps, VISTA and RSVP 1990 – Commission on National & Community Service 1993 – Corporation for National & Community Service; AmeriCorps 1994 – MLK, Jr. holiday and Day of Service 2002 – USA Freedom Corps

38. Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act AmeriCorps State and National AmeriCorps *VISTA AmeriCorps *NCCC Senior Corps Learn & Serve America National Service Trust State Commission Admin Grants Social Innovation Fund Volunteer Generation Fund

39. Initiatives & Trends National Service Cities of Service Get HandsOn Challenge Youth Volunteerism/Service Learning

40. Strategically Addressing Community Needs Through Service Identify stakeholders Identify related needs Map assets Identify current strategies Agree on needed policies, practices, & guidelines Design opportunities for citizen involvement

41. Strengthening Volunteer Involvement in Your Organization

42. Service is most effective when it is part of the program design and less so when it is an afterthought. Service as a Strategy