8 Tips for Writing the Perfect Thank You Note

From the HandsOn Network Blog

You’ve thanked the volunteers that serve with your organization, right? Thanking them when they’re serving is important, but it’s also important to show them that their service is important even when they’re not serving. A thank you note sent to a volunteer at their home is a great reminder that they’re an important part of the organization. Here are eight tips for writing personal thank you notes to your volunteers:

1) Focus on the volunteer.

Before you write the thank you note, try writing the volunteer’s address on the envelope and write it out by hand. As you’re writing their address, think about your relationship to the volunteer; think about where they’re living and how they’re serving. It will help you to write an individual message for that volunteer

2) Write the note by hand.

Unless the number of volunteers your organization has makes writing a thank you note by hand unfeasible, take the extra time to write the note out by hand. A hand written note will mean more to your volunteers and shows that you’ve taken the time to focus on each volunteer specifically.

3) Talk about the volunteer’s service directly.

When you’re thanking your volunteer for their service, include a note about something that the volunteer has done. Whether it’s figuring out a new way to do something, making sure that the people they work with are always smiling, or being the only one that can figure out how to make the copier stop squeaking, be sure to draw attention to it.

4) Talk about how the volunteer’s service is changing or improving the organization

If the new way of doing something improves the office work flow, tell the volunteer how many hours the improvement saves over the course of a year. If the volunteer helps to buoy everyone’s spirits, tell the volunteer how their presence makes everyone’s day a little easier to get through.

5) Try writing a draft before writing out a thank you card.

Your writing will get a little bit better with each draft. You can keep an early version of the thank you note in the volunteer’s file where it can serve as a reminder of the great work they’ve done for your organization.

6) Keep it simple.

Your thank you note doesn’t have to be a complicated and involved. It doesn’t have to be a Presidential address. It can be two or three lines, simply written that come from the heart. Pretty words are great when you’re trying to charm someone, but meaningful words are more important when you’re trying to thank them.

7) Think of how your organization can serve the volunteer better.

If there is something that your organization can do to make the volunteer’s work easier to do, mention that you’re trying to make those things happen. Whether it’s a brighter desk lamp, more thorough trainings, or simply involving the volunteers more in the day-to-day operation of your organization, let the volunteers know that you’re willing to support them and the work that they do as much as they support you and your organization.

8) Write a lot of thank you notes.

If you’re not used to writing thank you notes to your volunteers, write a lot of them. It will get easier, and you’ll get better at it. Remember, you can never say thank you too many times.

What are some of the ways that you’ve said thank you to the volunteers you work with? Let us know about the awesome ways of showing your volunteers that you appreciate them – whether it’s high fives in the hallways or winter wellness kits full of tissues and vitamin c. Let us know in the comments!

A Proof-Reader Looking for Something to Read

A wonderful volunteer contacted us looking for a specific opportunity. She has an eye for editing and would love to proof-read any of your marketing materials, press releases, etc. Her only request is the material be emailed to her since she doesn't have a lot of extra cash for gas. Please email Melissa if you would like to connect with this volunteer.

Money for Good Study: Sharing Information About Your Org’s Results Can Attract More Donors

From Beth Kanter's Blog

GuideStar and Hope Consulting have released the results of new study, Money for Good II (MFGII).

The findings suggest that if nonprofits are more transparent in sharing information about their results online that they could attract more donors. The research found that two-thirds of individuals do not typically research the organizations they donate to compared those that advise donors and foundation grant-makers do due dilligence on every dollar they contribute. Despite these different approaches – giving from the heart versus the head – both groups want a broad range of information on the nonprofits’ impact, financials, anad legitimacy.

The study also states that donors want to be able to obtain this information from third-party portals and 53 percent of donors survyed want to use such sites. There is a high demand for data that shows how the nonprofit has been effective and made an impact. The research also suggests that if donors had better information to make their decisions and 5% used it to donate to the most effective nonprofits, this could lead to shift of $15 billion in contributed income to be invested in high performing nonprofits.

The study states that these findings offer an opportunity for nonprofits to better connect with donors by providing more detailed information about their performance and it is also an opportunity to educate donors about the need to research before donating.

The study points out that nonprofits can increase their fundraising and improve operations through an intentional focus on measurement – that helps them determine impact, effectiveness, and efficiency. After financial information, individual donors want information about how nonprofits are getting their results. (See above).

Does your nonprofit have a measurement system in place so that you can communicate results to potential donors?

Important Update to the Partner Portal. ACTION REQUIRED!

HandsOn Connect is updating this month to improve functionality. As a part of the HandsOn training for this, we realized that there is confusion about what type of volunteer opportunity to post. As we promised in HandsOn Connect training, we will continue to teach you more as we learn more. We have updated our training manual to increase the clarity and hopefully improve your posting experience. The updated training materials are live right now in HandsOn Connect, in the Documents tab. For many of you, this means you need to login to your account and make a few changes to your active opportunities. We understand this is a hassle. We really appreciate your willingness to work with us in this new system. We also promise this extra effort will be worth it in the long run! This resource to the community becomes more popular with volunteers everyday.

The main issue we have encountered is the difference between occurrences and recurrences. Please see the edited definitions below for clarification.

A Few Tips to Optimize your "Searchability" on HandsOn Connect

Would you like to help volunteers find your organization on HandsOn Connect, HandsOn's new volunteer database? We have a few helpful tips that will ensure volunteers can find you based on interest and impact area.

1. Select Your Impact Area and Population Served. If you are the primary contact on our account, login and take a look at the My Organization tab. You will see drop down menus for both impact area and population served. If your organization would like to select more than one item from these lists, send what you would like selected to Melissa. Unfortunately, partners can only select one of each at this time. We hope that will change in the future.

2. Beef up your Organization Description. On top of ensuring volunteers know the population you serve and the impact area you work in, you can also add key works to your organizational description. This section is again under the My Organization tab. It is labeled Mission Statement in the Partner Portal but it is not labeled on the public site so you can put anything you want in there. Include common search words like literacy, environment, at risk youth, etc. This will help volunteers find you when they conduct basic searches on the database.

3. Make sure you have an active opportunity available for sign up. Like many of us, volunteers hate running into a dead end! Imagine finding an organization that fits your values and interests only for it to appear that the organization isn't currently seeking volunteers. Even if you do not have a specific need available, always have at least one general opportunity active. Remember the goal is to make it easy for volunteers to engage with you. Also, organizations who are not active on the database are sometimes hidden from searches. Don't miss out on meeting a great volunteer!

Kids of the World! Pledge it UP! Worth a 100,000 Toys!

Hey Kids! Pledge to volunteer and up to 100,000 toys will be donated through Toys for Tots!

 

Giving back during the holidays doesn't have to be complicated. Despite the hectic nature of the season, we have the perfect solution to engage the kids and teens in your life in meaningful service.

Turn the spirit of giving into action with the generationOn Holiday Gift Campaign. From Nov. 29 through Dec. 13, for each pledge made to volunteer during the holidays or in the new year, Hasbro will donate a toy to a child in need through Toys for Tots - up to 100,000 toys. 

Need ideas for projects? We've got you covered. Already have a volunteer activity planned in the new year? Great - you can pledge that, too. Each pledge to serve puts a toy in the hands of a child in need.  Double your giving and take action during the holidays at our website.

Strategies for Dealing with Unreliable Volunteers

Written by Shawn Kendrick, VolunteerHub.com

As much as we appreciate volunteers, there are always a few, however, that throw a wrench into our plans due to their unreliability. Managing Volunteers You know the ones.... The "over-scheduler" who calls at the last minute to let you know he has a conflict and won't be able to make it. Or the "amnesia victim" whose scheduled time just slipped her mind. The intentions may be good, but these unreliable helpers can really impact the effectiveness of your event or program. The question is how to deal with them. Again, the answer lies in treating volunteers similarly to the way you treat paid employees. There's very little research specific to handling troublesome volunteers, but there is a wealth of human resource data aimed at dealing with regular employees who may be problematic. This can serve as our guiding light in dealing with volunteers. When addressing problems such as unreliability, Dr. Joanne Sujansky, founder of the management consulting firm KeyGroup, suggests the following approach. (Note: where Dr. Sujansky refers to employees in her article, we modify it here to specify volunteers.)

Be specific - Don't exaggerate or make generalized statements statements like "you're never on time." Stick to exact accounts, such as "you've had to cancel the last two times you've been scheduled."

Focus on the requirements of the job - Be clear in explaining how the unreliability affects everyone. It's quite possible that your volunteers don't understand how integral their roles are. With some clarity, they may take matters more seriously.

Consider the needs of the volunteer - Always try to address the situation in the manner you think will get the best results from that volunteer. Keep in mind that some are straight shooters and would prefer you get to the point, while others may seem crushed to hear they aren't doing well. With this in mind, strongly consider how you are going to deliver the message.

Give timely feedback- Don't wait a long time to address a problem situation. Of course, if there is a highly emotional or stressful environment at the time of the poor performance, wait until it has subsided.

Make sure the volunteer understands - Don't ask a bunch of closed-ended questions. If you ask the volunteer if s/he understands, the answer is likely to be yes, whether your point came across or not. So, at the end of the discussion, it's a good idea to ask your volunteer to paraphrase what you just said. From there, you can see if s/he truly gets what you are saying.

Document - Always create a paper trail of your conversations, as well as the behaviors before and after them. The trick here is to be objective and document both good and bad. Many managers fall into the trap of only documenting problematic behavior.

As Dr. Sujansky points out, most people in positions of authority hesitate to confront individuals about poor performance. However, if you do, one of two things will probably happen:

1) the volunteer's track record will improve.

2) the individual will deselect himself/herself from your volunteer pool.

In the long run, either of these two outcomes is likely to result in a more dedicated, cohesive, and productive group of volunteers for your organization.

Tools and Tips for Interviewing

From ServiceLeader.org

An interview is a conversation with a purpose. This conversation provides a framework for you to get to know the prospective volunteer and for the volunteer to get to know you and your organization. Information garnered in the interview is invaluable as you look for service placements that fit your volunteers and as you find ways to maximize the volunteer opportunity for all concerned.

Interviews vary based on the complexity of the opportunity. As the service opportunity grows in complexity so too does the interview. As a rule of thumb, interviewing protocols for volunteers parallel those utilized for salaried positions, including securing personal and background reference checks for positions that require this level of scrutiny. Less intensive service opportunities and group projects are generally handled more informally often involving simple record keeping so that you are able to follow-up with volunteers and invite them back for additional service opportunities.

Read More and View other Helpful Resources!

How Will the Public See you on the HandsOn Website?

The new HandsOn Connect Database continues to grow in popularity with volunteers throughout the community. Have you considered what people might see when they look up your organization on the database?

Remember the content about your organization in Connect is completely controlled by you! We know that some struggle with using the site or prefer to remain less active. However, consider the message you send when volunteers hit a dead end. Even if you do not have or wish to share specific needs on HandsOn Connect please consider maintaining a general volunteer posting so people have a easy way to contact you. You could update that posting as little as once a year. You never know who you might encounter!

Be Loud! Demand Training!

Our annual partner services survey has been open and available since 8.23.11. Only 6% of our total partner agencies have completed this survey, which informs how we communicate with you and which services we provide. At this point it looks like there is not a need to offer volunteer management trainings as a series for this fiscal year. We will leave the survey open until 11.09.11 to give you an opportunity to have your voice heard if you want specific trainings to be offered. The survey is available on this link.

Volunteer Management Advocacy Kit

As a member of the Oregon state Committee on Volunteerism, the HandsOn team had the opportunity to help craft a Volunteer Management Advocacy Kit.  This kit serves to equip volunteer managers to advocate for their profession, offering strategies, tools, resources and connections.

In addition, there are great resource at Reimagining Service, a national coalition of multi-sector representatives whose aim is to convert good intentions into greater impact.

6 Tips for Recruiting Boomer Volunteers

From the HandsOn Network Blog

Why are boomers the future of volunteering? First, because of their sheer size: boomers represent about 77 million potential volunteers. They also have longevity on their side; this group has an average life expectancy of 83 years. That, coupled with higher levels of income and savings than earlier waves of retirees, suggest they have both the time and resources for volunteering.

Could you benefit from boomer volunteers? Here are some tips to help recruit them:

• Boomers may be highly resistant to a group that includes the previous generation. They may be highly resistant to words like “senior”, “older adult”, “golden years”, “mature adult”, etc. Be creative – anecdotal evidence shows that “experienced” may appeal to this demographic. “Experienced” avoids negative connotations associated with aging and highlights the fact that you value their experience and skills.
• Be highly aware of the images used in materials targeted towards boomers. According to the Boomer Project national survey, boomers see themselves as being
• at least 12 years younger than their chronological age. Images of individuals they perceive as “elderly” may be unappealing to boomers – they want to see people who reflect their own self-image.
• Consider using words other than “volunteer” which is often associated with negative images of PTA lunches or menial tasks unappealing to boomers. The Montgomery County Volunteer Center came up with the name “Pro-Bono Consultants” after several volunteers felt as if they were continuing their professional work – but in an unpaid capacity.
• According to the Harvard study, Reinventing Aging, boomers are less likely to volunteer out of a response to civic duty or obligation. For goal-oriented boomers, a message shows how they can make a difference in their community is more effective.
• Boomers may need to have a sense of “what’s in it for me?” Recent studies have shown the health benefits of volunteering, as well as the social benefits that may be important as boomers leave the workplace.
• Bear in mind that boomers may never fully “retire” – they express a strong interest in continuing part-time work or self-employment. Even a boomer who works a few hours a year may not consider themselves “retired” – tailor you messages, as well as your opportunities, accordingly.

Calling all MLK Day 2012 Projects!

I know Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2012 (January 16, 2012) seems so far away. However, it will come up fast!

HandsOn is happy to announce we will be engaging at least 500 volunteers from many groups including Willamette and Corban Universities. You all know what that means! We need your projects. Because of school schedules and the holiday break we need to send projects to groups for sign up before Thanksgiving. Please note you do not need to give us the exact details of what a group would be doing. We just need to know a general idea of what you might have them do (ex. landscaping, cleaning, sorting, etc.) and the minimum and maximum number of volunteers you can accommodate. All projects will need to take place on King Day. However,

Again we need to a rough list of projects by Thanksgiving. Please submit your ideas and needs to Melissa.

We will, of course, also highlight all projects posted on HandsOn Connect after the Thanksgiving deadline. However, if you would like to tap into an almost guaranteed group of volunteers, the sooner we know the details, the better.

Statistics: The dementors of your nonprofit’s story

From Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog, www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com

The most important advice I can give you as a storyteller for your cause is to put a single living creature - not a statistic - at the heart of your story.

To borrow an image from a very accomplished storyteller - JK Rowling of Harry Potter fame - statistics are the dementors of your nonprofit’s story. For those of you who haven’t read the books or seen the movies, dementors are the horrific monsters that suck the souls and happy emotion out of people with a deathly kiss.

If your story stars a statistic, it will suck out the soul of your cause and wring the emotion out of your story. All that will be left is a dry, depressing shell with no heartbeat.

After making this point in a speech last week, a lovely person from a DC-based nonprofit came up to me and said: “But our statistics are so convincing! A third of children in Washington live in poverty. That’s surely the best place to begin a story.”

I said something like this: That is a very sad statistic, but it’s not a story. It’s a fact looking for a person. I encouraged her to tell the story of one child they have helped. Let’s call him Peter. Paint a vivid portrait of all Peter has faced and how the organization has given him the gift of reading and a shot at a future that wasn’t possible before. Then make the point that for every group of three children in Washington, there is one Peter. People will feel that in a way they will never feel 36%.

Numbers aren’t inherently bad, but they aren’t the place to start or end your story. You have to bring forward the living beings behind the stats to forge a true connection. Tell a good story so the facts truly matter.

Holiday Volunteer Opportunities

I know what you are thinking...HandsOn is worse than department stores. It isn't even Halloween yet and we are already talking about the holidays.

Well the truth is people are already thinking about what kind of service they will do this holiday season. I can't tell you how many inquiries HandsOn received last year from people desperate to spread holiday cheer. While many volunteers call us expecting to connect with an opportunity to serve meals to those experiencing homelessness, they are not unwilling to look at other options. So please share your holiday volunteer needs with us! Post your volunteer opportunities on the database. Are you hosting a gift, food or clothing drive? Let us know! Each Holiday Season we dedicate a page on our website to opportunities like these that are wonderful deeds but aren't volunteer opportunities.

Bring Reflection to your Volunteering Programs!

Reflection is a very important aspect of service that is so often forgotten. Check out some tips for incorporating reflection into your programs from the HandsOn Network.

Reflection doesn’t have to be a structured activity – be creative in how you include reflection into service projects!

When you’re planning how to include reflection into service, be sure to remember the following:

• Allow time for reflection. Blocking out some time at the end of a service project for reflection is important. Not just because it’s including reflection in the project, but because allows volunteers to organize their thoughts about the day.
• Directly relate reflection to the service being done. When you’re guiding volunteer reflection, try to keep it focused on the work that was done on that day and the impact that the volunteers’ service had.
• Plan for reflection from the beginning. Be intentional about including reflection from the start of the project planning process.
• Reflection is about learning. The goal of reflection is to learn more about the service that volunteers did and the impact that they have. Volunteers shouldn’t be expected to share anything they’re not comfortable sharing.
• The best reflection isn’t always planned. Be flexible and be prepared to capitalize on teachable moments that may pop up during the day. Reflection doesn’t have to happen at the end of the project.

Not sure how to include reflection into your service projects? Try these easy activities:

• Evaluation: Add a few reflection questions to your written evaluation form, like “How did people respond to you?” or “How does what you did today compare with anything you’ve done in the past?” or “What advice would you give to someone doing this project for the first time?”
• Guest Book: Ask volunteers to sign your organization’s guest book before they leave. Let them know they are free to write anything they would like about their service experience.
• Contribution Cards: Prepare a small card for each volunteer that includes information on how their service contributes to the mission of the organization and how they’ve helped the community. Link their work to broader community issues.
• Lunch Break: Provide a reflection opportunity during a meal break. Provide background material on the social issues your organization addresses on the lunch tables. Provide some sample discussion questions for volunteers to discuss as they eat.

So Who is Volunteering Anyway?

The HandsOn Network has developed a fun and easy to read graphic to sum up the Corporation for National and Community Service's report, Volunteering in America.

Click here to check it out!

*Fun Fact: Did you know Salem jumped 8 spots to be 15th in the nation for volunteerism in mid-sized cities? Pretty awesome, huh?

Make a Difference-Oregon

Make a Difference Oregon

Saturday, October 22nd

HandsOn has teamed up with HandsOn Greater Portland, Volunteer Connect in Central Oregon and HandsOn Linn Benton to promote all of the great service projects offered during Make a Difference Day. Do you have a project taking place on October 22nd or the week leading up to Make a Difference Day? Be sure to post it! We are leveraging marketing resources across the state. You never know who might recruit!

HandsOn Connect Skill Options

It was brought to our attention during HandsOn Connect Training that it is very diffcult to select skills you would like to be listed on your opportunities. We have requested that the HandsOn Network make this field a drop down menu so you can choose from a list of possible options. Until that request is filled, we have attached a list of all the possible skills you can choose from. Type the skill in and then type a * at the end of the word. That should make it easier to look up options.

HandsOn Connect Volunteer Skills List

HandsOn Connect Partner Portal Assistance

The HandsOn Network has unveiled a very special website for all of you, the partners! The HandsOn Connect Partner Portal training website contains everything you would ever need or want to know about HandsOn Connect. It offers basic, easy to follow directions for everything from posting a volunteer opportunity to extracting volunteer data. The how to's cover everything from the bare bones approach to using the database to the fancy extra features for those who are ready to learn them.

As always, remember HandsOn staff is here for you if you need help using HandsOn Connect. However, take a few minutes to check out this website as well. We hope you find it helpful!

partners.handsonconnect.com

Sept. MVVMA Meeting and Training: Training Tips, Tricks and Tools.

Join MVVMA for it's September Meeting and Training.

Wednesday, September 14th at 8:15 am

Fresh Start Market

Got training for staff or other community members coming up? Are you new to the training role or has it been awhile? Uncomfortable in front of a group? Trying to recall all those “rights and wrongs” you’ve learned about training over the years? Never fret! Our experienced panel of trainers have a combined total of over 50 years training on the job, and have they got some tips for you!

Join us to discuss topics like:

1) Pre-training assessment (what to know ahead of time about your audience, the room, the day's agenda, your equipment, preparing back-up plans)

2) How to avoid delivering a speech and make training “hands-on!” (props, games, activities, methodologies for grouping and turning the room around to get your audience talking);

3) Tricks for dealing with challenging learners;

4) How to engage a larger group when learners are at obvious different levels of background/knowledge - how do you tailor the training to what they need to know? Walk away with good resource lists and a bag of tips, tricks and tools for your training toolbox!

Projects Requested!

HandsOn is managing an all-school service day for Blanchet Catholic School.


They need to select their project by 9/5, so please email Khela your ideas as soon as possible.


Project date: September 30, 2011
Project time: 9:30-noon

Location: Ideally, your projects are in the east Lancaster Neighborhood, or within 20 minutes of the school at:

4373 Market Street Northeast

Salem, OR 97301-2029

We do have access to buses, but are hoping at have many of the projects within walking distance.

HandsOn Partner Survey

It's that time of year again! Help HandsOn build decide its programs for the next year. Please take this 7 question survey. We are here to assist you! Tell us what we can do to help!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/howpartners

Did you Miss one of the HandsOn Connect Trainings?

Did you miss one of the HandsOn Connect trainings in early August? Have no fear! There are still plenty of opportunities to get the support you need as you learn the system. Below are a few options.

1. You can hop on the system and explore it on your own. The entire training manual is available under the Documents tab when you log in.
2. You can set up a one on one meeting with a HandsOn staff person. We will walk you through the basics and be there to answer questions.
3. We plan to host another training opportunity in October. If you still are struggling, come by and we will work together to figure it out! Training dates and times will be available soon.

Thank You for Attending a HandsOn Connect Training

We would like to send an extra special thank you out to everyone who attended one of the HandsOn Connect trainings. Your patience as we work out the bugs in the system is also very much appreciated.

*Remember*

1. You can access the entire training manuel under the documents tab of the partner portal. Simply log in to download it.
2. We are here for you! Give us a call if you get stuck! We are all still learning and will figure it out together.
3. We will offer another technology training opportunity for partners in October. The agenda will be much less formal. That way you can get extra help in just the sections you need it. You are also welcome to send additional staff members who might use the system as well. Dates and times will be available soon.

HandsOn is Hiring a VISTA - Please Share!

Join us for a one year AmeriCorps VISTA position. We are seeking a motivated individual who has a passion for working with youth and is enthusiastic about volunteerism. This position will begin in November and run through the end of October 2012. Our goal with this position is to increase service engagement of under-resourced youth in a low-income neighborhood, as a pilot for how we might support an asset-based approach to engagement across our region.

Interested applicants can click here to learn more and apply.

HandsOn is Paying -> Get Your Learn On!

As a part of our funding partnership with generationOn, the Ready-Set-Go! Family and Youth Engagement project, we are pleased to offer five unique webinars at no charge to you or your organization.

Each webinar has been designed to focus on a specific component of managing youth and family volunteers.  You are invited to as many as you are able to attend, but we hope to see you at all of them. These webinars are taught by experts from across the nation, and will include our peers who are also a part of this grant. 

Each webinar will run 60 minutes.  You must register for each separately by clicking on the links below and following the prompts.  Please note your time zone. 

The five topics are: 

Tips for Writing an Amazing Volunteer Position Description

Fall is a great time to recruit volunteers. Students are off to school and might have some community service requirements, empty nesters aren't used to their quiet house and everyone is adjusting to the post summer routine. Whether you are a volunteer coordinating pro or a newbie, check out some tips for writing an awesome position description courtesy of the HandsOn Network.

When you’re recruiting volunteers for a project, it’s nearly unavoidable that you’ll have to write a position description for the position you’re recruiting volunteers for. Recruiting volunteers face-to-face is great, but you might not find all of the volunteers your organization needs while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store.

The position description for the volunteer position you’re recruiting for might be the first contact a potential volunteer has with your organization, here are some tips for making it great!

August 5th HandsOn Connect Training Full!

Thanks to all of the partners who have signed up for HandsOn Connect Partner Training. The August 5th training in Salem is now full. If you have not signed up for a training yet, there are still 2 available!

August 9th at Chemeketa Community College McMinnville Campus

August 11th at Chemeketa Community College Dallas Campus

Preregistration is required to attend.

Click here to register.

9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance Projects Needed!

September 11, 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. To pay tribute to those who lost their lives that day, September 11th is now a National Day of Service and Remembrance. We have teamed up with HandsOn Affiliates across the county and MyGoodDeed to inspire millions of Americans to re-engage in civic commitments, build 9/11 into an unprecedented annual catalyst for civic engagement, and to help non profits build capacity to effectively engage volunteers.

That is where you come in! We need your projects. Let's give the community all kinds of ways to help out this year. Please come prepared to HandsOn Connect training so you can post your needs. We will link all projects close to or on 9/11 so folks have an easy way to choose from all the options.

Keep in Touch

The HandsOn team recently switched all of our email addresses. Our old emails will continue to forward, however we respectful request that you update our contact information in your records:

Motivated Volunteer Seeks a Great Service Opportunity

We were recently contacted by Cascade Career Services. They have a strong, motivated young man who would like to do any kind of physical labor work. He is looking for a volunteer position where he he could serve for about 20 hours per week for a month. The State covers Workers Compensation insurance and any other costs to you for having a volunteer worker. He is available almost any time. If you are interested in meeting with this gentleman, please email Melissa at melissa@handsonmwv.org.

generationOn mini Grants for 9/11-deadline July 22!

generationOn is excited to announce a request for proposals for 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance mini-grants. The $500 mini-grants will be awarded through a competitive process to school teachers or administrators, out-of-school time educators, youth leaders affiliated with a school or organization, and community organizations, including HandsOn Action Centers, that work directly with youth.

The goals of the grants are to directly engage young people in service and to develop creative and innovative projects for community engagement and impact around September 11.  Applications must be submitted online.  Applications are due Friday, July 22 by 5PM PST.  Click here to apply! Please contact Josh Collins with any questions.  

A Little Bit Rock and Roll

It seems we have a new volunteer orientation video! You should check it out...it has a pet rock and a floppy disk in it, so you'll probably like it...

What do you think? Thumbs up?

HandsOn Connect is Coming! Get Excited!

Mandatory training for all partner agencies on our new volunteer management database is being offered in all three counties in August. We are less than a month away from the launch of HandsOn Connect. HandsOn Connect has the capability to manage all of your organizations volunteers, recruit new volunteers and keep your volunteer statistics in one place separate from HandsOn's numbers.

Can we talk?

HandsOn recently launched All HandsOn Deck, our blog that aspires to be everything volunteering. To really inspire our community to engage we need to tell compelling stories. Your stories.

Ideas for Sharing:

1. Post your own blog to the comment section of this post and we will add it to the Volunteer Blogs that Rock section of All HandsOn Deck
2. Submit a guest blog post to HandsOn:

Ready - Set- Go! Youth and Families are ready for you. Are you ready for them?

Constant calls and emails from youth and families wanting to volunteer? Not quite sure how to engage youth and families effectively as volunteers? Need assistance understanding how your agency can engage youth and families as volunteers given limited resources? On Tuesday, May 31st, HandsOn and GenerationOn—the national youth division of the Points of Light Institute— hosted a Boot Camp with 20 partner agencies in attendance.

Service Projects Needed in August

HandsOn has the opportunity to help over 900 volunteers serve the Salem Community in August in small groups of 15. We are planning service days for the incoming students at both Willamette University (WU) and Corban College and the football team at Willamette University. 900 Volunteers. 6 hours. How will you leverage this resource?

HandsOn Connect - Volunteer Management System - Update

The new volunteer management technology, HandsOn Connect is going LIVE in JULY!

Days of Caring Update

HandsOn and United Way have put their heads together to develop a slightly different approach to Days of Caring. Traditionally Days of Caring was a week long event that mobilized hundreds of volunteers from Work Place Campaigns to serve your organizations needs. As times and needs have changed we discovered it was a burden to ask all of you to host so many volunteers within such a limited time frame. Therefore we are now offering Days of Caring opportunities to Work Place Campaigns year round.

Clare Bridge Senior Living - Volunteering Here, There, and Everywhere

This month, HandsOn would like to give a big thumbs-up to Clare Bridge Senior Living. Jillian Smith and the whole team really know how to show volunteers an amazing experience.

Neighborhood Associations Shine

Week after week our team at HandsOn gets to see first hand the wonderful work the Neighborhood Associations of Salem do. The dedicated volunteer leaders identify needs in their own neighborhoods, plan events, recruit volunteers, and work and take care of their families.

An Untapped Resource

On a cool, crisp October morning a 15 passenger van pulled around the corner to the United Way building. 12 volunteer climbed out of the van eager to get to work.

Participate in Gifts in Kind

The United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley is proud to be a redistribution partner through Good360—a partnership that allows the United Way to obtain retail goods from local businesses and redistribute to nonprofit agencies in the community.

Help Us Help You Help the World

HandsOn recently started working with the ERN program at Shangri La. ERN stands for Employment Resources Northwest. They offer job skills training to recipients of public assistance. Once individuals have graduated the program they go out into the community for a work experience to use their new skills. That is were you come in!

MYTH BUSTERS!

We are launching a new blog series themed around the Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters. The topics of this series will dispel some of the misconceptions of working with HandsOn.

Myth #1 HandsOn has volunteers stockpiled in the office waiting for deployment.
Wow! Wouldn’t that be something? Volunteers spilling out of the doors, stacked on shelves, hanging from the rafters!

Volunteer Program Assessment

A few weeks ago our office had the pleasure of attending a training with a few folks from Volunteer Los Angeles. They mentioned using a very effective volunteer program assessment with their partners. They were kind enough to share it with us and all of you.

Service-Learning Training Strikes Back

Posted below are links to handouts provided at the HandsOn Service-Learning Training, and additional handouts that might  be useful in your service-learning endeavors. Along with these are more documents for further reading, a reflection tool kit, and a bibliography of sources we used for the development of the training.

The Three F’s of Volunteer Recognition: Food, Fun, and Fame part 2 of 3

Volunteer Recognition, part 2 of 3, Fun

Guest Blog by Tibby Larson
 

In the first blog I told you about a rule for volunteer recognition that I like; the three F’s - Food, Fun & Fame. This time I’m blogging about FUN for volunteers and staff! How you define FUN for your volunteers will depend on your organization and the function of your volunteers.

The Three F’s of Volunteer Recognition: Food, Fun, and Fame

Part 1 of 3: FoodGuest blog by Tibby Larson


I am the Volunteer & Supplemental Labor Coordinator for City of Salem Parks. I’m a member of Mid-Valley Volunteer Manager’s Association, the Treasurer for the National Association of Volunteer Programs in Local Government, a certified trainer of volunteer management for Oregon Volunteers! AND an avid fan of HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley! Parks utilizes over 55,000 of volunteer hours each year.

I consider volunteer recognition one of the most essential and exciting parts of my work. I heard a rule for recognition a long time ago that I love. The three F’s - Food, Fun & Fame. Often, I’ll recognize the staff who are working with or leading volunteers at the same time and in the same way.

Food… the favorite candy bar of a volunteer makes a great birthday gift along with a little hand made or computer made card. If you’re not giving out food, talk about food… have volunteers write the description of our favorite sandwich their name on a meeting name tag. A corny play on words along with a goody can make a memorable recognition. Some of my favorites include “it is a treat working with you” written on a little computer made card, handed out with a Rice Krispy treat. Gold foil wrapped chocolate coins from the bulk food bin and the card says “you’re priceless or you’re worth your weight in gold.” Foil covered snowmen, “there’s snowbody like you.” The sillier, the better! Sprinkle candy down the middle of the table at work parties, put hot cider packets at everyone’s work station, serve cookies at meetings, have fun with it!

Now is a perfect opportunity to make sure your volunteers know how much they mean to your organization!

Guest blog by Glenis ChapinMarion County Volunteer Services Coordinator and volunteer management trainer


Do you ever ponder where to find the answer for a prickly volunteer management problem? How about wish you had a colleague handy with whom you could strategize solutions for a problem volunteer? Or want some fresh ideas for recruiting volunteers? Well, I did. Then I realized how many great volunteer management resources are on the Web, so I started compiling the ones that I found useful to my work.

Partner Resources Expanded

Check out the expanded Partner Resources section of the HandsOn website which incorporates the suggestions given to us at our Community Partner Forum.

HandsOn Honey Do List, as Determined by YOU

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Community Partner Forum and/or completed the annual partner Survey. Our team greatly appreciates all of your feedback and input! We incorporated your ideas into our staff planning retreat, influencing our strategic direction over the next three years as well as specific services we provide to you all this fiscal year.

Calander of Events

You asked for it…and you got it!
During the Community Partner Forum last month partners requested a schedule of all the regular events HandsOn needs projects for. We have created a project date cheat sheet. It contains all the National Days of Service and large scale managed events that will have project needs.