Category Archives: VOLUNTEER SOLUTIONS

Retire with Purpose encourages those 50 years and older to think about how they will thrive in retirement.  We particularly want to influence deeper thinking and planning into service.

Living, working and serving to our purpose, passion and potential is a continuing theme for the Life Solutions Network.  What better time is there for this than retirement?  It’s a time when we are unleashed from the demands of work.  Research shows that people with purpose live longer and healthier.  We believe that people with purpose find ways to serve.

If you are 50 years of age or older, it’s time to start thinking about your future.  It can be a daunting or exhilarating time.  Plan it deliberately to craft your ideal life.  Retire with Purpose is a free 30-minute small group session.  We come to your location at a time convenient to you.

We all have 365 days per year and 168 hours per week to fill.  Some of us may choose work but most likely, you will choose a variety of things to fill your days.  Here is a model to think about how you will use your time:

Here are some questions for you:

• Money is important and so is your health but have you given sufficient thought as to how you’ll use your time?
• Have you ever thought about why you are here on earth or thought about your legacy?
• You will have a lot of time in retirement; it will get filled up.  Why not use it purposefully?
• We spend more time planning our vacation than our vocation.  Why not have a thoughtful and deliberate life plan?

The Volunteer NKY Speakers’ Bureau offers guest speakers to organizations that want to encourage service.

We have so many more volunteer opportunities in NKY that could be filled.  Our Speakers’ Bureau wants to work with you to encourage service in your organization whether it be a church, school, business or group such as Rotary.  We usually talk about “volunteering with purpose”, provide an update on Volunteer NKY and share how you can help our specific organizations.  We will adapt our message to the amount of time you have and other requirements.

There is no cost for this service.

About the Speakers.  Our speakers are volunteer leaders who work at local social service organizations.  They are personally passionate about service and provide direct leadership of volunteer programs in NKY.

How to arrange a speaker?  Contact Laura Gordon at laura@mentoringplus.org.

This page introduces the idea of developing a Volunteer Leaders Dashboard.  This is a tool to provide focus on priorities and simplify communications with key customers.

What is a Dashboard:  Think about the dashboard on your car.  It tells you your speed and the condition of your car, e.g. high beams are on or there is an engine problem.  Similarly, a Volunteer Leaders Dashboard tells you if you are moving toward your Vision and goals.

Principles:

• Keep it simple.
• It fits with your organizations Vision and Goals.
• Include mandated metrics – those that UW and your Board care about.
• Include everything that is important to success in your role.

Here is the framework we are using to create dashboards in NKY.

Contact us if you want to develop one and need support.

This page outlines a process to link skilled volunteers with the need of the social service community.  This is a pilot project of the Life Solutions Network and Volunteer NKY.

Background:

• The current main process to leverage skilled volunteers is a pull-type process. In this model an organization communicates a need and shares it, e.g. through Volunteer Match or United Way via Board Bank.
• Many volunteers are unclear on how to serve to their potential using their talents.  Some want to demonstrate a “resume-building volunteer experience”.

Our Plan:  Create a push-based process to enable individuals to make an offer on how they want to use their talents in Northern Kentucky.

Proposed Process:

• Help individuals understand the push/pull options and their goals.
• The potential volunteer submits a proposal using the template (see separate document, available upon request).
• A sponsor is assigned. Initially this is Tony Aloise but others will be sponsors as the program grows.
• The sponsor makes a few direct connections (with Friends of the Life Solutions Network).
• If after two weeks, nothing is defined then communicate broadly to the Safety Net Alliance of NKY (via a SNA alert, eventually, we need to create a web page to post the offers).
• Maintain bi-weekly communication with the potential volunteer until an assignment is agreed-upon.

What skills? There can be hundreds of skills.  The idea is to leverage special skills acquired through education or long-term work experience.  The above model provides a framework.  Here is an example of a “proposal” if you are an HR Leader:

• Design a process for ongoing hiring of staff (or volunteers).
• Evaluate and improve or implement a personal development process.
• Provide training to staff on how to screen and interview volunteers.

We will work with you to develop your proposal.

Next Steps:

• Begin some limited pilots to further learn and define the process and the need.  Contact us if you want to participate in this pilot.
• Further engage United Way and others to avoid overlap with existing processes.

We host 1-2 hour workshops on specific topics throughout the year.  Once per year we host a half-day Retreat.  The objectives are similar:

• Enhance the capability of volunteer leaders.
• Elevate the profession of volunteer management.
• Spread the word and create further engagement for Volunteer NKY.

We held the first Volunteer NKY “Retreat” for Volunteer Leaders on May 9, 2017 at the Life Learning Center.  Thirty-five volunteer coordinators, Directors and Executive Directors and lead volunteers from 21 organizations joined us for the event.  Our agenda was as follows:

• Breakfast and Networking
• Welcome including Vol NKY overview – Tony Aloise (Founder, Life Solutions Network)
• Keynote Speaker – Alecia Webb-Edgington (President, Life Learning Center)
• Volunteer Visioning – Kelly Rose (Development Director, Welcome House)
• Best practices assessment tool – Tony Aloise
• Local best practices sharing – Mitch Haralson (Life Learning Center), Shana Tucker (Women’s Crisis Center), Jenelen Dulemba (St Elizabeth Healthcare)

In 2017, we hosted a Workshop on Metrics and Dashboards.

Click the file below to see and download our flyer.

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Click the file below to see the slides used at the 2017 Retreat.

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This page introduces and shares a Volunteer Management Best Practices template.  The intent is to provide a framework for planning, operating and improving a volunteer program.

What is a Best Practice:  A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to any alternatives because it produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing things, e.g., a standard way of complying with legal or ethical requirements.  Source:  Wikipedia.

Background:  This work originated with the Volunteer NKY initiative, one of our “Solutions”.  This tool was developed by a team of Volunteer Coordinators across NKY.  These professionals offered their time and experience to enable volunteerism to be elevated beyond their organizations.  The starting point for our work was the Canada Volunteerism Initiative.  Click here for their extensive and excellent documentation.  One of our goals was to simplify this long document into a 1-2 page action planning document.  In 2019 we integrated the work of Mentoring.org to better reflect the specific needs of volunteer mentoring programs.

Why This Was Developed:  Volunteer coordinators “come and go” to their roles.  The big organizations have experienced professionals but the smaller ones typically add volunteer coordination to another role.  The tool is intended to help organizations implement sustainable systems and procedures.

Best Practices Framework:

Organizational Readiness:

The following are things you typically do once per year.  They may be led by the Volunteer Coordinator but many people in the organization are probably involved.  Use the Volunteer Management Best Practices Tool to do an assessment and identify priority activities.

• General planning, including organization design, volunteer vision development or renewal and goal setting.
• Recognize the need for and value the role of volunteers including board and staff readiness and resource allocation (money, facility).
• Define rules and expectations including developing policies and processes and associated record keeping.
• Establish effective volunteer management including staffing of a volunteer coordinator with a personal development plan.
• Create clear assignments including developing position descriptions, develop a Volunteer Model.
• Reduce risk (client and program) including completion of a risk assessment.

The following are key operational processes and are probably in motion throughout the year.  Consider developing Process Summaries for each.

Generate Awareness, Recruit & Screen:

• Develop a recruiting strategy, create awareness in the community through speaking events and media, review prospective volunteer’s application, conduct interviews, complete an assessment and necessary background check and drug test, align skills and interest with needs, and approve or decline the prospect’s application.

Orient, Train and Develop:

• Develop volunteers by providing an overall orientation to the organization and providing initial training and ongoing training. Consider developing a Mentor Development Roadmap.

Provide Supervision & Coaching:

• Help volunteers be their best by supervising, scheduling, mentor/mentee matching, coaching, monitoring and closing of mentor/mentee relationships.

Make Volunteers Feel They Belong and Recognizing Contributions:

• Retain volunteers by communicating through e-mail and newsletters, encourage participation in planning, appreciate contribution through informal and formal “thank you’s” (and release poor performing volunteers).

Additional Resource & Reading:  This Best Practices Tool was based on the work of a Canadian volunteerism initiative.

Accessing the Tool:  Contact Tony Aloise to arrange for a facilitated assessment. You can download the Excel version of this file at this link.  There are instructions on how to use the tool on the “Instructions” tab of the Excel file.

Other Resources:

• CAVA. If you are a volunteer coordinator at a local organization in the NKY/Cincinnati area, we highly recommend that you become a member of the Cincinnati Association of Volunteer Administrators (CAVA).
• Mentoring.org. The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) is the unifying champion for expanding quality youth mentoring relationships in the United States.
• Kentucky Non-Profit Network. Their best practices focus on the total non-profit organization but there is an excellent section on volunteer management.  Consider becoming a member.

This page shares ideas and “solutions” that might be useful to professional volunteer coordinators. Contact Tony Aloise if you want to discuss any of these topics or have a volunteer problem to solve.

We want to work with both organizations that need volunteers (customer) and those that encourage volunteerism (supplier) such as churches, businesses and school.

Framework

• Find new volunteers (create new capacity in the community)
  • “Keep our eyes open”.
  • Volunteer NKY…leverage Facebook and blog for ongoing cultivation.
  • Proactive ambassadorship.
  • Presentations.
  • Proactive awareness…Church bulletin announcements.
  • Engage “outreach ministers” or people who encourage volunteerism.

• Support and grow volunteers and service professionals (energized, purposeful, serving to potential)
  • Mentoring…Volunteer Assessment Tool, Life Purpose worksheet.
  • Introduce “brokering” services such as Volunteer Match, ESSC…Links on Member and Public site.
  • Introduce to member agencies via informal networking/mentoring-based matching.
  • Development plan…see Volunteer Development Playbook or Career Plan Template.
  • Leverage StrengthsFinder.
  • Offer classes…see Monthly Workshops list
  • Support “Big Thinkers”.
  • Coach people seeking reemployment to develop resume-building volunteer proposal.
  • Career coaching for agency staff (see Career Planning Worksheet).

• Identify and address organization (customer) requirements (remove barriers to accepting skilled volunteers)
  • Develop generic position descriptions: grant writer, data manager, facility manager, research, volunteer coordinator, awareness (to match with high-level volunteers).
  • Engage in agency client volunteer encouragement, e.g. Candidates at LLC.
  • Develop a process whereby Corporations can propose a group (team) volunteer experience.

Toolbox Summary:

• Life Skills including Leadership.  See the Life Skills Wiki.
• Organization design…framework, example, PACE (template, training).
• Program management…best practices framework, program plan.
• Process documentation…process masterplan, process documentation, training for your staff.
• Org specific examples…St Joe’s Outreach proposal, LLC Member Engagement.
• Ambassadorship…process, training, informal, leverage LSN
• Volunteer NKY… Vision, Connect, Solutions, Facebook.
• Presentations…Purposeful Living, Working, Volunteering.
• Volunteer development playbook…assessment tool for “fit, interview prep, development.
• Mentoring…of volunteers, of volunteer coordinators.
• Volunteer “dashboard”…template, LSN example.
• Benchmarking…KNN, network synergy.
• Role descriptions…examples, what makes a good description.

The Volunteer NKY initiative calls each of us to “serve to our purpose and potential”.  We believe that the resulting passion enables us to make our community a better place in our own unique way and to personally grow.  We believe in “people helping people”.

People Helping People

What is Ambassadorship?  An ambassador is a person who acts as a promoter of a specified activity.  For Volunteer NKY, it is an influencing of a person or organization to which you have a connection to pursue volunteerism at a deeper level.

• Example 1: You are a member of a local church and know the pastor.  The church already encourages internal ministry but you talk to the pastor about expanding outreach to a local social service agency.  Your role is primarily to start the ball rolling.
• Example 2: You are an employee of a local small business.  You set up a meeting with the owner to discuss the importance of encouraging volunteerism because you know that volunteers make better employees.  After discussing options on how to proceed, you agree to involve someone from the Volunteer NKY Planning Team to develop a Volunteer Vision.

The depth of the ambassadorship role varies by the specific needs, interests and skills of the person.  You could be a:

• Connector…someone outside of the organization that seeks the “insider”, almost anyone can be a connector.
• Key Contact…someone in the organization that knows LSN that’s willing to share a message if asked
• Ambassador…someone in the organization that proactively engages regularly because they are passionate about our mission.

Types of Organizations:  Ambassadors are needed for many types of organizations:

• Social service…to influence a deeper use of volunteers.
• Businesses…to encourage employees to serve.
• Schools…to encourage service learning.
• Churches…to encourage outreach.
• Cities…to encourage civic engagement.
• Support organizations, e.g. Rotary, United Way.

Local Northern Kentucky social service organizations are our primary beneficiary.  Businesses, schools, churches and cities will be the source of new volunteers.  Of course, individuals and families are the real source.

Desired Outcomes:  We recognize that cultivation precedes action.  Ambassadors will make a difference in small and big ways.  Here are some examples:

• “Like” and “share” our Volunteer NKY Facebook page.  This is a way to drive further 2-way awareness and keep posted on events and volunteerism “news”.
• Subscribe to the LSN Newsletter.  This monthly publication features life skills and volunteer solutions.
• Participate in the Volunteer Fairs (what we call Connect events).  Read more at this link.
• Participate in the Vision.  Read more at this link.
• Anything that encourages deeper volunteerism.  I am sure you will create ideas we haven’t thought of yet.

We believe that ambassadorship is best accomplished when done in a personal way.  E-mail is OK, a phone call is better, talking in person is best.  Make a specific “ask”, e.g. “like” the Volunteer NKY Facebook page or communicate to your organization.  Be specific, direct and respectful.  Listen and share feedback with the Planning Team.  Follow-up if necessary.

Things You Need to Know:

• As an Ambassador you will work with someone on the Volunteer NKY Planning Team for coaching and support.  You don’t have to know or do everything.  We will help link you to tools and resources.
• The Life Solutions Network is the sponsor of Volunteer NKY.  We have a passion for deep social service volunteerism, particularly if capability-building is an outcome.  The entire LSN web site is built to support “service to our purpose and potential”.

The Volunteer Solutions toolbox is intended to share ideas and tools for individual volunteers and volunteer leaders.

Background:  This toolbox resulted from the Volunteer NKY initiative from 2014-18.  We worked with volunteer leaders from NKY to document various tools that have broad application to all non-profits.  These ideas and tools are freely available to LSN Members.  Just contact us.

Objective:  The general goals are to:

• Find new volunteers (create new capacity in the community).
• Support and grow volunteers and service professionals (energized, purposeful, serving to potential).
• Identify and address organization requirements, e.g. remove barriers to accepting skilled volunteers.

Over time, we want to create a culture of sharing…people “deposit and borrow” from the toolbox.

Other Solutions Examples:  The LSN toolbox already contains many items.  Some of these “solutions” are not yet on-line; contact us for more information.  Everything is freely available upon request to local non-profit organizations.  Here is a partial list:

• Process documentation…process masterplanning, process design & improvement, training.
• Volunteer Vision…especially useful for Executive Directors.
• Best Practices…best practices framework, program planning.
• Volunteer development playbook…assessment tool for “fit, interview prep, development plan.
• Mentoring…of volunteers and volunteer leaders.
• Benchmarking…Kentucky Non-Profits Network (KNN), network synergy.
• Volunteer Leader “dashboard”…metrics, template and examples.
• Ambassadorship…process, training and support.
• Role descriptions…Volunteer Program Leader, Lead Volunteer.
• Process to link skilled volunteers.
• Organization-specific initiatives.

Other Discussion: 

• The Cincinnati Association of Volunteer Administrators (CAVA) is highly recommended for volunteer professionals in NKY and Cincinnati.  Please consider joining for professional development.

This page brings together various resources across this web site and beyond.  The intent is simply to enable individual volunteers to think about their role and new possibilities.

Volunteer opportunities come in many forms…formal (at an organization) or informal (help a neighbor), skill-based (build a web site) or simpler things, mental (mentor, serve on a Board) or physical (build a house), social service (help the homeless) or other (environment, politics, etc.).  Whatever you choose, know that even small efforts can make the world a better place.  Choose to serve to your purpose and potential.

Why Volunteer?  The reasons to volunteer is as unique as we are.  Do it to satisfy your desires of heart, mind, body and soul.  Do it to live a life of purpose.  Do it because you know you are blessed with gifts of time and talent.

Learning Map:

• Develop a personal Vision.  Make a list for 3-5 things that represent what your perfect volunteer assignment would look like.
• Understand your personal Life Purpose and align your passions and potential.
• Develop personal Goals.
• Try new experiences.  Learn what you like about each one.  Leverage LSN in your journey.
• Just do it!  Know that even small contributions can have an impact.

Life Skills Wiki:

• Skill-based Volunteerism.  There are many ways to volunteer to your potential.  One is to use your strengths and uncommon skills.

Tools:

• Volunteer Development Playbook.  Use these worksheets to assess your plans, prepare for an interview, deliver results and grow into new roles.
• Blogs:  There are a number of significant LSN blogs to read.
• Volunteer Goals.
• Volunteer Strategically.
• Reflecting on My Volunteer Work.
• A Different Volunteer Model.
• Volunteerism is Selfless Service.
• Build Capability.

On-line Resources:

• Cincinnati Cares. Discover and connect with ways you can make a difference.
• Volunteer Match.  This site allows you to search opportunities in your “cause” and in your location.  You can get ideas delivered right to your e-mail inbox.
• United Way of Cincinnati Volunteer Connection.