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A People Lens – 101 Ways to Move Your Organization Forward
By: Volunteer Vancouver
Order the book HERE
Introduction
The goal of A People Lens it to help volunteer organizations better engage today’s “new volunteer,” an area Volunteer Vancouver felt to be lacking in many organizations. Their talented team of volunteer writers compiled this book of helpful stories, tips and perspectives chosen to guide organizations towards a new perspective on the volunteer process. A People Lens is a great collection of pieces that will ultimately change the way you think about engaging people in your organization and future possible volunteers.
The Takeaway
Why is it when we ask people to volunteer we provide them with little or no detail? Why are we unsure about providing them with the actual hours required to complete a project?
A People Lens provides you with the opportunity to learn through the stories of other organizations, and how they entered into volunteer partnerships to take on projects which their organizations might not have entered into as quickly as they did. The book expresses how professional volunteers were able to assist with the growth of the agencies. When you review the projects you would like your organization to enter in to, have you considered a professional volunteer for assistance?
If you believe people want to assist with the development of the community they live in, then we need to ensure they are engaged in a manner which will benefit all parties. How about starting with being upfront about the amount of time the project will take, asking the new volunteer team when they would like to meet, or having them participate in the type of work they actually signed up for. It takes courage to create an accurate picture of the work ahead for a volunteer. If you are up to the challenge, volunteers will provide you with more than you expected, and ideally, help you build your volunteer base with individuals like themselves.
Another interesting thing to take away from this book is the wide range of volunteer possibilities around you. There are many people with specific skills and resources at their disposal that would love to volunteer, but do not know where to start or what the job will entail.
For example, a volunteer could be considered for the following roles:
- Interior Designer
- Information Technology Disaster Planning Expert
- Nutritionist
- Website specialist
- Guest chef
By honestly and thoroughly preparing people for volunteer positions, you will give them the positive experience they desire, and build long-term relationships in the process.
The 101 stories within A People Lens will allow you to explore the answer to “How can a professional volunteer assist your organization?”
Enjoy the read and we look forward to your comments on how you have implemented a professional volunteer partnership within your organization.
If you know of a book you feel would serve as a great Community Living resource, send us an email and we would love to review it!
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