Smarter Impact Starts Here
People, Participation, & Partnerships: Lessons from Service Unites
By Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, and Alison Doerfler, Senior Vice President of Capacity Building at Points of Light At last month’s Service Unites conference, some 3,000 leaders and learners committed to service and volunteerism in Points of...
Listen Up! Summer Listening List
Every summer, we post a list of “what we’re reading.” For the 2018 edition, stay tuned (as I do have a good stack of books just bursting with sticky notes and dog-eared pages that I’ve been reading the past few months and I’d love to share them). However, in honor of...
Sometimes Simplicity Rules!
This blog was originally posted in November 2015, but a client recently asked a question about how to match volunteers needing flexibility with staff members who need shot term assistance with small projects. Of course, I thought of this post. We are sharing it here....
Ask Questions Now… Save Time Later!
Interviewing volunteer candidates takes time... but that time is well spent. Investing time in interviewing candidates up front saves time in the long run. Ensuring that the position is the right fit for both the organization and the individual benefits everyone....
Demographic Trends Shaping America… and Service?
This afternoon, Pew Research Center released an article highlighting 7 demographic trends shaping the U.S. and the world in 2018 and, naturally, we couldn’t resist reading them with the following questions at the forefront of our minds: If these trends are shaping...
Why I Volunteer
This post is adapted and updated from a post originally shared on 3-24-2015 So much has been written and discussed in nonprofit circles about what motivates today’s volunteers. The chance to use or gain skills, to make a tangible difference in a community, to support...
Scholarship Opportunity for Points of Light Conference!
Professional networking is just one of the many benefits of attending the Conference on Volunteering and Service hosted by Points of Light -- Learning from expert presenters, connecting with corporate engagement professionals, and taking time away from your day-to-day...
Building Strong Staff-Volunteer Teams: From the Conference Room to the Ski Slopes
This month, I am relishing those few weeks that come only once every few years: The Olympics. I love watching, cheering, and dreaming. Although my dream of standing atop the podium to receive an Olympic medal never moved beyond a dream, the Olympics still give me lots...
Volunteer Orientations: Is the Jury Still Out?
As I am being called back next week for my civic "volunteer" duty, I am reposting this from October 6, 2015 and I can't wait to see if the orientation process has changed at all in the few years since my last experience! I volunteered yesterday morning. Here’s how my...
Finding the Fit for Remote Volunteers — A Case Study
As part of our ongoing series of Case Studies, VQ Volunteer Strategies is sharing a story from WomenOnCall, a unique, online network created to connect professional women with meaningful causes and skills-based volunteer opportunities in the Chicago area. We at VQ...
