Smarter Impact Starts Here
Saying “No” When “No” is the Right Answer
Last week, I received this email from a volunteer coordinator whom we’ll call “Vickie the Volunteer Coordinator.” Hi Beth, I met you at the recent Points of Light conference. I am currently recruiting and interviewing for an upcoming volunteer training at our...
Spin the Wheel of Value!
How do you talk about the value of volunteering? And, with whom do you discuss it? So many professionals strive to make the case to organizational leaders to invest in engagement through financial resources, staff time, space in the facilities, and equipment or...
Peach of a Morning: Transforming Volunteers into Strategic Messengers
This post was originally published in August 2015... but I experienced it all once again this past Saturday when I picked up this year's crop of peaches from the annual Rotary Club Peach Sale. Both the peaches and and the volunteers were bountiful! Summer is waning...
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...
