Engaging Volunteers in a Meaningful Way

Six years ago, Scott Neeson took a five-week backpacking vacation through Asia. Today, Mr. Neeson's Cambodian Children's Fund operation is in its sixth year - and he has traded in his successful Hollywood career, 36-foot yacht and luxury lifestyle for a single room in the children's centre he operates and funds. Rather than a Porsche, he now drives a scooter, and running hot water is a thing of the past.

How does this story relate to meaningful engagement of volunteers? While on his backpacking vacation in 2003, Mr. Neeson stopped in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. He was struck by the number of street children rummaging through the city's dumps - scavenging for plastic, bits of metal - anything that could be sold for pennies or traded for food. Feeling compelled to help, Neeson sponsored a family - providing a street child clothes, food, a space in a private school and extended rent on an apartment. He was later stunned to discover his efforts were for naught. The family sold the clothes, left the apartment, and withdrew the child from school - all to collect the money.

Because Mr. Neeson had already experienced a first-hand, personal connection to the plight of these children, he did an extraordinary thing. Within one year, he had resigned his executive postion at Sony Pictures, sold his five-bedroom Hollywood home, his yacht and his Porsche and purchased a building in the heart of Phnom Penh's slums which is now the Cambodian Children's Fund facility - a centre dedicated to providing for the city's most neglected and impoverished children.

The lesson to be learned from Mr. Neeson's story is that finding ways to connect volunteers personally to your organization's service delivery, in a way that is meaningful, will generally result in long-term and truly committed engagement for your organization. For most of us, there is nothing more powerful than touching the life of another - and having them, in turn, touch our lives.

Ten Creative Ways to Support Charities this Month

With more than 8,000 registered charities in Atlantic Canada, the charitable sector makes up a significant portion of the Atlantic Canadian economy. These organizations deliver vital services in areas of education, health, and social and community service. Many, such as food banks, provide the basic essentials of life. Together, with nonprofits, charities in Atlantic Canada generate $6 billion in revenues and employ 106,000 people - and support more than 1,000,000 volunteer positions.

In tough economic times, finding creative ways to support charities is even more important. In economic downturns, charities often find themselves in the difficult position of facing increased demand for services while dealing with cuts in funding from government, corporate and foundation donors.

As individuals, most of us do not have the financial resources to make those newsworthy million-dollar gifts that transform lives, through the work of charitable organizations. But collectively, we have the power to make a real impact. With a population of more than 2,000,000 (Atlantic Canada), we have the potential to provide the charitable sector with $40,000,000 in essential funds, over the next month, if we each make it a priority to contribute $20 to a charity of our choice.

Here are some creative ways of finding an extra $20 for charity:

1. Donate the money you would normally spend on take-out coffee for the next month (sorry Tim Horton's).
2. Remember when gas was more than $1.40/l? Calculate what you were spending then for one fill-up vs. what you are spending now, and donate the difference.
3. Are you one of the lucky ones getting a tax-refund? Consider donating a portion of it to charity.
4. Does your employer match gifts? Let them know you are making a donation.Their support will double your impact.
5. It's still a little cool outside for yard sales, but if you're selling stuff on Kijiji - consider donating a portion of your sales to charity.
6. Are you able to tele-commute? Ask your employer to support your charitable efforts by encouraging employees to tele-commute for one week or more, and donate the $ saved on gas and transit fees to charity.
7. If you don't already have one, consider starting a casual-day at your workplace. Ask participating employees to donate a small amount each week ($1 or $2) to a charity fund - and ask your employer to match it at the end of the month.
8. Do employees at your workplace participate in a lottery pool? Consider donating the pool funds to charity for one month - that's one way to guarantee a win!
9. Ask your kids for ideas - they are far more creative and resourceful than us old folks.
10. Put a spare change jar on your kitchen counter and ask all family members to deposit their spare change for one month - it adds up quickly! (This is a good idea for the workplace, as well).

Is Bill Strickland Coming to Halifax?

According to a December 2008 article in Miller-McCune magazine, Halifax is on Bill Strickland's list of cities where he is planning on creating a Manchester/Bidwell-like facility. In fact, local rumour has it that Bill has already been to visit, and has been discussing his plans with some of Halifax's movers and shakers.

If there was ever a time for Halifax to put out the welcome mat, this surely must be it. If there ever was a great campaign to get behind - the "bring Bill Strickland to Halifax" campaign would be the one.

Not sure who Bill Strickland is? He's one of those quiet heroes who you don't hear enough about. Bill is the President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation and its subsidiaries, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG), and Bidwell Training Center (BTC). He is a visionary leader who provides educational and cultural opportunities to disadvantaged students and adults within an organizational culture that fosters innovation, creativity, responsibility and integrity.

Manchester Craftmen's Guild Guild began as an after-school arts program in a donated rowhouse that Bill Strickland secured while still a college student at the University of Pittsburgh. Today, Manchester Bidwell is a national model for education, culture and hope.

MCG Youth & Arts and MCG Jazz are programs of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. MCG Youth serves 3,900 youth annually through classes and workshops in ceramics, photography, digital imaging and design art. MCG Arts gives students a chance to work with visiting national and international artists through exhibitions, lectures, workshops, residencies and school visits. MCG Jazz is dedicated to preserving, promoting and presenting jazz music, and has become an anchor of Pittsburgh's cultural and community life. Bidwell Training Center provides market-driven career education created through partnerships with local industries. The center offers accredited Associates Degree and diploma programs in fields as varied as culinary arts, chemical laboratory technologies, health careers, horticulture and office technology.

Have I mentioned that these programs are all designed to serve marginalized and disadvantaged youth, single moms living on social assistance and individuals living in the cycle of poverty?

Bill Strickland hopes to persuade 200 cities around the world to replicate his arts, education and job-training program. Persuade? No city should need persuasion - we should be begging Bill to bring his innovative and collaborative model here - and to teach us how we can help.

You can read more about Bill Strickland here:
http://www.bill-strickland.org/index.html

Innovation and Collaboration at its Best

Bernie Smith, manager of the Spring Garden Area Business Association, is a very wise man.

For years, merchants in the Spring Garden Road area have struggled with finding a solution to the significant population of panhandlers who frequent the area. Attempts to rid the area of panhanders have only resulted in relocating the population to other business districts within the city.

Non-profit and charitable organizations working on behalf of persons living in poverty, street youth, homeless persons and persons living with addictions or mental health challenges have long advised that attempts by police and security personnel to encourage panhandlers to "move along" does not address the root of the problem. Criminalizing panhandling does not work either, and these efforts may, in fact, encourage petty crime.

Bernie Smith has taken it upon himself to devise an innovative and collaborative solution to a challenge that the HRM has not yet found an effective way to address. Mr.Smith has pioneered a constructive and humane program that works to address the root causes that lead people to a life of panhandling.

The business association has hired a "navigator" to work with street people. The navigator works directly with panhandlers to teach them basic life skills and direct them to social and employment agencies that will help them take steps to improve their life situation. The program helps provide services such as access to a computer to create a resume or money to buy work boots (necessary for most labour jobs). In addition to the services provided by non-profit and charitable organizations, participants in the program are given $12 a day until they get their first paycheque.

As well as being innovative, Mr. Smith's initiative is also collaborative. Three other business districts have joined the program - Quinpool Road Mainstreet District Association, Downtown Halifax Business Commission and the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission. The group has joined with Halifax Regional Municipality and the provincial Justice Department to fund the $70,000 program.

The only set-back to the program is that the navigator currently has to run back and forth between all four business districts. To increase effectiveness and efficiency, it would be ideal to have a navigator in each district.

We have all been advised over and over again not to give money to panhandlers - primarily because it can enable an addiction problem and does not provide a long-term solution. As patrons of these businesses, the best way we can help is to encourage businesses to provide coin boxes in support of those organizations which are working to help address the root issues of poverty and homelessness - and that is where we should deposit our spare change.

The full article from today's Chronicle Herald can be accessed here:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1111287.html

Charity Co-ops?

In Ontario, the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa provides a vast range of services to young people with the objective of helping youth move toward independence and self-sufficiency.

From a drop-in centre for street youth, emergency and transitional housing, and mental health services, through to long term housing and employment resources - YSB provides a continuum of services to young people in the Ottawa area to help and encourage them to become productive members of their community and attain their full personal potential.

But not all charitable organizations have the capacity - whether it be financial, physical or professional-skills related - to deliver such a broad range of services. What is often the case, is that one organization will provide emergency shelter, another will provide mental health services, and yet another will provide employment resources or job training. All are contributing vital ingredients for healthy, productive communities - and all are necessary.

But as a "client", who is helping to guide me to the many resources and through the full range of services I need so that I might achieve my own personal potential?

Is your charitable organization working co-operatively with others in order to ensure your "clients" are aware of, and have access to, the many resources available to help them move forward in life? Are you working co-operatively with other non-charitable organizations, such as business and government? Do you see these types of "partnerships" as being appealing and valuable to funders and grantors?

Collaborative partnerships and co-operative arrangements have benefits in addition to improving client service. These types of arrangements will often allow organizations to access resources, goods and services that may otherwise be out of financial reach. Most charitable organizations cannot afford to employ a full-time web development professional - but a job-sharing arrangement between several organizations can help provide a service that is quickly becoming essential for success.

Are you embracing partnerships, co-operatives, collaborations, and innovative solutions? Are you job-sharing, cost-sharing, or co-habitating? Have you formed partnerships/buying-groups with others to provide your organization with essential professional services, such as graphic design, website creation, IT support or event planning?

Humber College Fundraising Interns

Are you interested in an intern from Humber's Fundraising and Volunteer Management program?

The program provides students with the equivalent of three to five years of on-the-job fundraising experience. Interns are available full-time from June 15 to Aug. 20, 2009.

Here's how to post your opportunity online:

1. Go to http://coop.humber.ca/

2. a) If this is your first time posting an opportunity, click on and complete the Humber College Company Registration. Your User Name [your email address] and Password [initially set to humber] will appear. Please save this so you can edit or change your listing.

b) If you have registered before, fill in your User Name [your email address] and your Password.

3. Enter your User Name and Password and click on Log In.

4. Click "Post an Opportunity" (or View Old Posted Opportunities to refresh a posting from last year). Check the box "Show information above for users applying to this job opportunity," so applicants may contact you directly.

5. Check the box, "Fundraising and Volunteer Management". If your internship opportunity might be of interest to students in other listed programs, you may check those as well.

7. Position Type: Select Internship.

Fill in the fields and click “Submit Opportunity”. Your information will automatically be posted for the students to view.

After You Post Your Opportunity:
Students will review the list of opportunities and contact you to request interviews. You can select the students you wish to interview, and arrange a date and time. Interviews and internships should be outside class time, if possible (Fridays, weekends, or evenings).

Once you and the student agree on a match, please inform Humber so they can track progress.

You will be asked to provide feedback to the students and Humber at the midway point and the end of the internship.

BACKGROUND ON THE FUNDRAISING PROGRAM
The program covers annual and capital campaigns, grant writing, donor research, major individual donors, donor relationship management, planned giving, direct marketing, sponsorship, project management, financial management, volunteer coordination, The Raiser's Edge and Income Manager software, special events, ethics, charity tax law, prospect research, and just about every conceivable form of fundraising. Every year the class organizes real special events as part of the program.

You can find more about the fundraising program at
http://mediastudies.humber.ca/index.php?page=course_view&code=10381
and
www.postgraduate.humber.ca/10381

Women Still Have a Long Way to Go

Today is International Women's Day, 2009. Belinda Stronach (former MP and Chair of the Belinda Stronach Foundation) observes that in tough economic times, fear about layoffs, bankrupticies and companies shutting their doors threatens to push women's issues off the public agenda. She says that "taking stock in the state of Canadian women in 2009 means taking a hard looking at the inequalities that reman, and taking action to help eliminate them." (Readers can click the hotlinked headline of this post to read Ms. Stronach's aricle).