Bobbie Johnson’s Post

A quick set of questions to deepen on the concept of volunteering delivered by Abi, our volunteers coordinator. Probably the first part on a group of articles reflecting about volunteering as a learning process, so yeah! expect more of these 😁 💚 Go read it now in our blog! https://buff.ly/43Z4qv6

"Who are modern volunteers, and what do they look like? They are you and me. They are our parents, siblings, coworkers, teachers, students, and leaders of tomorrow. They are those with sincere intentions, a strong sense of community, and a deep desire to help in any way they can. Those with a unique talent or valuable experience to share with the rest of us. Those who have it all figured out, but also those who give what they can, wholeheartedly. If you are willing to be of service, ELK has an opportunity for you!" Read more about the joys of volunteering (especially with ELK), at https://lnkd.in/gpphBKa8.

Did you know that some communities in Raleigh, North Carolina are farther than a 20 minute walk from a supermarket? Not everyone has the privilege of private (or public) transportation, especially following COVID. I know all of us want to help but, like myself, struggle with the “How?” or convincing ourselves that our actions have an impact. A recent survey showed that 66% of Americans believe they cannot make a big impact in their communities. Activate Good saw the need to provide service opportunities that significantly impact our community and the need for insight into questions we all have while volunteering: How did this problem develop? How will the community benefit from my service? Activate Goods’ Learn and Serve program provides volunteer opportunities that incorporate a learning component that focuses on understanding the problem at hand and the impact behind your service, as well as ways to amplify your voice and multiply your impact. This framework has been proven to inspire a lifelong service mentality by challenging the transactional volunteering mindset. This past week, I had the pleasure of serving in one of their Learn and Serve projects with Passage Home Inc.. My service was just one step towards creating a functioning community garden in neighborhoods struggling with the rising cost of living, sometimes forcing neighbors into multiple jobs, poverty or homelessness. As a consequence, many of those individuals don’t have the finances to afford private transportation or the time to make that 20 minute walk for fresh produce. My contribution to this garden will soon impact the community by having the capacity to supply 30,000 lbs. of fresh produce each year. I’m excited to see how this program changes the mindset of community members. I’m proud to be a part of something bigger, and thankful that Emendo Inc. believes we have an obligation to leave the world better than how we found it. If you're in the Raleigh area and looking to make an impact, Activate Good welcomes you to join them for a Learn and Serve during National volunteer week. Below is a link to see the opportunities. #chainreaction #activategood #beyondemendo

🏅 Volunteering at your local sports club can help contribute to the community. 🤝 Knowing that your efforts directly benefit others and contribute to a healthier, happier community can give you a profound sense of purpose and accomplishment. ❓ Do you want to learn how to recruit volunteers for your club, support them through training, and keep them on? Find out about the benefits of micro-volunteering and how to create volunteer strategies by enrolling on our Volunteering eLearning courses. More: bit.ly/volunteering-level1

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 Volunteering allows us to make a positive impact, improve lives, and contribute to our community. It’s important for us as mentors to be sure we aren’t just showing mentees how the community can help them; we want to show them how THEY can help their community. In doing so we offer: 🌱Personal growth ✍️New skills 🌟Valuable Experiences. Volunteering brings fulfillment, meaningful connections, and a strong network. How are you getting involved as we close out 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑?

I feel like #1 is the most frequently stated reason why employees say they can’t volunteer…but it likely masks many of the other root reasons (that employees may simply not be aware of!). Make sure to check out Kelly Lynch’s excellent post about how to design programs that address all these barriers!

Discover the power of transformative volunteering versus transactional volunteering! Dive into the insightful article by Realized Worth, exploring the impact and benefits of high-impact volunteering. Read the full article here:

Below are the slides presented in class covering the work my group and I have done after volunteering at the Community Corner. I hope you all will look into the Community Corner and visit them!

As we get closer to the end of the year, P&C volunteers may start to feel exhilarated… or exhausted! To try and mitigate the stress, a successful P&C may want to start looking at succession planning now, rather than leaving it until next year. WACSSO has plenty of tips to help your P&C recruit and retain members in 2024, with a few great points below: ➡️ Emphasise the benefits of volunteering. Highlight the personal benefits of volunteering, such as developing new skills, making new friends and contributing to the community. Plus, highlight the benefits to students - helping at school has proven benefits to children's education and social outcomes. ➡️ Make your pitch short and pithy, but clear. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the committee. ➡️ Be flexible. Offer a variety of volunteer opportunities with different time commitments to accommodate different schedules and interests. Finding this helpful? We’ve also got videos, PDFs and flyers to help you learn more about attracting volunteers. To access this content, visit the link: https://buff.ly/3qqTh8E