Ten Reasons to Come to Dallas! Wednesday, August 22, 2007 Celeste Sauls-Marks The Association of Volunteer Resources Management (AVRM) will be holding its first national conference in Dallas October 3-5, 2007. The conference theme, Building Bridges to Our Future, brings together volunteer resources managers from across the United States for training and networking sessions. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider attending this conference. Read Full Article

The Considerations When Engaging Short Term Volunteers Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Celeste Sauls-Marks Many situations require nonprofits to place volunteers quickly or in short duration positions. Examples include during a disaster response and special events. There are many considerations when designing these types of positions so that everyone remains safe. As a volunteer resources manager, you have the responsibility to ensure the safety of the client, the other volunteers and the organization’s reputation. There are several ways to accomplish this goal. Read Full Article

Capacity Building Part 2: Creating a Tipping Point for Change Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Jill Friedman Fixler In my travels around the country working with nonprofit organizations on creating a culture of volunteer engagement, where do we start? This may seem like a basic question but.... Read Full Article

A Growth Model for Volunteer Retention Wednesday, July 11, 2007 Celeste Sauls-Marks, CVA Volunteer retention is a common topic of discussion among volunteer resources managers (VRMs). VRMs continually strive to create avenues that enhance each volunteer's experience and ensure that they will continue their volunteer service over time. There are many suggestions for achieving this goal. This article will discuss one model for a volunteer program structure that allows volunteers to grow and gain more responsibility. Read Full Article

Is a Vacation Volunteer Program for Your Organization? Wednesday, June 13, 2007 Tiffani Hill, CVA Vacation volunteering is not a new concept. According to a Christian Science Monitor issue from March, Global Volunteers started offering volunteer trips 23 years ago. This Minnesota-based nonprofit has been joined by organizations such as World Volunteer Web and Globe Aware in providing opportunities for individuals and small groups to make a difference while they travel. The Volunteer Family, based in Massachusetts, focuses on promoting volunteer vacations for the entire family. These are just a few examples that offer vacationers the opportunity to make a difference while escaping from the stresses of daily life. Read Full Article

The Many Hats We Wear Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Celeste Salus-Marks, CVA Last night, I spent a rejuvenating evening reading a book while on a patio overlooking Lake Michigan. The cool breeze and the breathtaking sunset slowly began to clear my mind and all tensions. I mentally noted that I needed to add similar quiet times to an already packed schedule. This was the perfect conclusion to my training tour of Michigan. However, it reminded me that while I may be an industrious person, we all sometimes just need to take a break, listen quietly and admire the world around us. Read Full Article

Respecting Your Time, and Others' Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Tiffani Hill "It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself." --Eleanor Roosevelt Read Full Article

The Passionate Leader Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Celeste Salus-Marks, CVA Passionate leaders move programs and organizations forward by crafting a vision that can be clearly communicated to those around them.... Read Full Article

When Volunteer Programs are Lacking Wednesday, April 11, 2007 Celeste Salus-Marks, CVA Why do volunteers leave an organization? There are a myriad of reasons but several stand out, outlined in this article. Read Full Article

From "Us and Them" to "We": Participative Organizational Culture Wednesday, March 28, 2007 Scott Martin If you want to know how the retirement of the Baby Boomers will change volunteerism, look at how Boomers changed the workplace. When leading-edge Boomers began to assume positions of leadership in America's corporations, they embraced a philosophy known as participative management. Participative management is about distributing power in an organization so that everyone can affect real change. While the "organizational men" of the Greatest Generation preferred centralized power and top-down hierarchy, Boomers brought a different vision characterized by employee empowerment, shared decision-making, self-directed teams and synergy. Read Full Article