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National Council on Citizenship reports Civic Depression

January 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Although this study was released in August 2009, the information gleaned from this survey is as relevant as ever.

A study released in August 2009 by the National Council on Citizenship (NCOC) indicates that Americans began reducing their volunteer hours when the unemployment rate hit 9 to 10 percent.

According to David B. Smith, NCOC executive director, “Prior recessions have prompted an increase in volunteerism, but only to the point that the unemployment rate reaches a “threshold.”  Smith said, “People have moved from saying, ‘this is the time to rise up and help my community,’ to ‘times are really tough and I need to focus on making sure my family has what it needs to get through this hard time.’”

chartThis study is  in contrast to information reported earlier in the year by the Corporation for National and Community Service which indicated a rise in volunteerism.

Smith said, “Growing need usually encourages more engagement. But when economic pressures on individuals and organization become too great, people turn inward.”

  • 72% of individuals surveyed said that they cut back on time spent volunteering.
  • 66% said that people are responding to the current economic downturn by looking out for themselves.
  • 19% said people around them are responding to the recession by helping each other more.

The economic crisis has triggered civic foreclosure,” said Michael Weiser, NCoC Chairman, “The good heart of Americans is still very evident, though, as they refocus on basic needs.” Even though they are disproportionately affected by the economic downturn, low-income Americans are still finding ways to give back. Thirty-nine percent of individuals with an income less than $50,000 reported helping others by providing food or shelter, compared to 27% of Americans with a higher income.

Overall, 50% of Americans gave food or money to someone who was not a relative, while 17% allowed a relative to live in their home.  More than one-in-ten took in non-relatives.

Unemployment is one reason for the decline in volunteerism. The study also indicates that funding cuts in nonprofit organizations and agencies that provide opportunities for civic engagement may also be a contributing factor. Agencies are often cutting back on the very staff that coordinate volunteers.

Related Articles:

Recession Prompts Many Americans to Stop Volunteering, Study Finds, by Caroline Preston, Chronicle on Philanthropy, Aug 26,2009
Civic Health Index Finds America in the Midst of Civic Foreclosure,  EarthTimes, Aug 27, 2009
Job Lows Don’t Mean Volunteer Highs, Marketplace, National Public Media, Aug 27, 2009
A Gift of Time:  Many start giving of themselves in these tough times, Courier-Journal.com, December 29, 2009

Filed Under: Blog, Volunteer Engagement, Volunteer Management Training Tagged With: , , ,

Seventy-nine million boomers will change the world – again

November 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

People(ARA) – Changing the world is not an easy assignment – but baby boomers did it once and they’ll do it again.

They tackled civil rights and women’s rights and ushered the country into the digital age of communication and entertainment media. They demanded better health care and more efficient automobiles. They worked alone and worked together to influence both their neighbors and their political leaders. Their list of achievements over the past 60-plus years is undeniably remarkable.

The boomer generation has “never just migrated through stages of life,” says Ken Dychtwald, a specialist on aging. “They always transformed them as they went . . . boomers are not going to grow old like any generations we’ve ever seen.”

And now this cohort of baby boomers – this largest of all generations, born between 1946 and 1964 inclusively – is redefining what retirement means and is on the verge of changing the world again through active volunteerism. Sometimes referred to as the “Senior Tsunami,” this 79 million-member group will begin turning 65 in 2011 and while many now must work longer than expected, large numbers are still likely to commence rolling in waves out of the work force. This powerful tsunami will continue through 2029 and beyond.

Not content to sit on their laurels
Thankfully, the boomer generation is a generation with heart, a generation that is already stepping up, recognizing that they can leave the world a better place for their children and grandchildren. It’s a strong and healthy group with a passion for helping others. Demographers predict the boomers will live longer lives and remain in better physical condition than any predecessor generation.

So, for many, knitting afghans and raising roses will not suffice. Volunteering will become the pathway of choice for many boomers. It will provide a way for them to maintain a social network with people who express their values in similar ways. Some volunteer experiences will also offer an element of adventure – something many boomers desire – without being unsafe or disorganized.

Boomer-rich companies taking note
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a Fortune 500 financial services organization based in Minneapolis, Minn., has 2.6 million members of which approximately 40 percent are baby boomers. When Thrivent reached out to those members to determine what sorts of charitable activities the organization should support, the resounding reply was Habitat for Humanity. Many of these 45- to 60-something Thrivent members were already pounding nails on Habitat construction sites across the nation. They wanted Thrivent Financial to support those efforts.

Based on that information, the company formed a four-year $125 million alliance with Habitat for Humanity International, called Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. The alliance supported not only the work of the popular home-building nonprofit, it also provided an enhanced means for Thrivent members to become involved or stay involved in an active and meaningful way. Members were offered opportunities to help build homes in their own communities or they could travel in teams with like-minded people to help build homes in specific U.S. locations or abroad.

Thrivent’s approach to connecting with their own boomer members through this alliance was highly successful. They were correct in anticipating that hundreds of thousands of them would be attracted to such an action-packed opportunity. The tangible result is that in just four years a combined total of more than 2,000 homes were built in the United States and in over 30 other countries.

Retiring “to,” not “from”
Along with the sheer size of the boomer generation, its vision of an active retirement is what will spur the group on to changing the world once again. In essence, boomers imagine themselves retiring to a new life, rather than retiring from an old one. They want to be part of something larger than themselves, something they can believe in. The opportunity to contribute something valuable and lasting, to engage their interests, skills and resources, to make a difference in a modicum of time and to slot in a bit of adventure will become paramount.

One of the ways they will meet all those criteria is through volunteerism. The legacy of millions of learned, talented, self-sacrificing people stepping forward to help those less fortunate is thrilling to consider. Imagine a more compassionate world where millions are volunteering and benevolence is the new norm. Those boomers just might pull it off – based on sheer numbers, if nothing else.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Filed Under: Blog, Boomer Volunteer Engagement, Volunteer Management Training Tagged With: ,

Too Many Volunteers?

July 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

threepeopleby Fonda Kendrick, VolunteerHub.com

It’s a perfect storm when it comes to volunteerism in America right now, based on several factors that we’ve blogged about in the past. The baby boomers are retiring, the unemployed are looking for activities to hone their skills for resumes and simply to fill their free time, and President Obama has issued a massive call to action on the volunteer front. Based on these three streams of supply, nonprofits are currently seeing an unprecedented demand for volunteer opportunities.

In an ironic twist, many organizations that have seen a rise in their volunteer numbers have also seen a downturn in resources. Lindsay Firestone of Taproot comments, “It’s like a Greek tragedy. We’re thrilled to have all of these volunteers. But now organizations are stuck not being able to take advantage of it because they don’t have adequate funding.”

Just a few months ago, The New York Times reported a huge surge of volunteers in areas all across the country. (One hundred thousand in New York City alone!) Suddenly, many nonprofits nationwide are saying something they never thought possible: we have too many volunteers! In fact, the Times quoted one anonymous nonprofit exec as saying, “Can you make them stop calling? Everybody’s inspired by Obama,” he noted. Then he tacked on, “They also don’t have jobs.”

Others echo the executive’s sentiment. Bertina Ceccarelli of United Way in New York, states: “It’s sad but true, but the irony is that sometimes it’s almost more work to find something for a volunteer to do than to just turn them away.”

Having too many volunteers can be chaotic and counterproductive; both volunteer coordinators and volunteers can become frustrated with this situation. However, as we researched deeper into this topic, we found some tips for regulating volunteers within an organization:

  • Before recruiting new volunteers, take stock of your current needs. List the tasks you would like to assign to volunteers, how many people you will need for each task, and how many hours per week should be devoted to these assignments.
  • Write up a “wish list” focusing on a variety of areas within the organization. What have you been wanting to do/try? In particular, you may want to focus on fundraising efforts, marketing/PR/graphic design, and maybe even maintenance work such as cleaning or painting. Again, assess the hours and number of individuals needed for these tasks.
  • Create a “crowdsourcing” area on your website. Have members of your organization brainstorm on challenges that hinder them from attaining some of their goals. Ask your volunteers (or the public in general) to offer ideas for solutions, then use those suggestions, in tandem with volunteers, to put those plans into action.
  • Get creative. What new programs or teams could you start with additional volunteers, even on a shoestring?
  • Develop a list of tasks that can always be done with little direction/supervision.
  • Hold monthly informational meetings for potential volunteers to find out more about your organization and its volunteer opportunities. This will minimize time spent on this aspect of recruiting and maximize the amount of individuals reached each month.
  • Cultivate one or more volunteers to manage and/or train other volunteers.
  • Start a waiting list for volunteers. As we all know, some volunteers have a short-lived enthusiasm. If some drop out of your volunteer pool, it helps to have more ready and willing contacts at your fingertips.

Handy hint: Once you have new volunteer opportunities planned, don’t forget to use VolunteerHub’s event slot limit feature to set boundaries on the number of volunteers registering. (Make sure to use the waitlisting feature, too!)

Remember, with a surplus of volunteers, this is your time to be selective. You have the right — and the responsibility — to interview volunteers to make sure they are a good fit for both your organization and the projects you have outlined. And, by partnering with other organizations in your community, you can refer individuals that do not mesh well with your agency to other groups to which they may be better suited.

Perhaps most importantly, keep in mind that this is your chance to make a lasting impression on your volunteers. Take the time to evaluate your need for volunteers and match those willing to help with challenging, meaningful tasks. If they have a fulfilling, well-planned experience, your volunteers are likely to maintain their ties to your organization for years to come.

Fonda Kendrick works for VolunteerHub,  the latest version of a system first conceived in 1996 to facilitate volunteer registration for the University of Michigan’s campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Since its humble beginnings, the service has grown to offer a wide range of features for event, event registration, and volunteer workforce management. Today VolunteerHub connects people and purposes for a variety of nonprofit, educational, and commercial organizations.

Related article:

“From the Ranks of Jobless, A Flood of Volunteers,” by Julie Bosman, in the New York Times, March 16, 2009

Filed Under: Blog, Nonprofit Management, Volunteer Management Training Tagged With: , , , , ,

United We Serve

June 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

On June 17th, President Obama announced a new initiative to encourage service in America United We Serve and asked Americans of all ages to volunteer over the summer.

Tip“I’m calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” said President Obama in a video release. “And when I say ‘all,’ I mean everyone young and old, from every background, all across this country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.”

Click here for the entire announcement:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/United-We-Serve

Click here for Michelle Obama announcement:  http://www.allforgood.org/

Related links:

Online resource for service:  http://www.serve.gov/

Notes from 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service:  http://philanthropy.com/news/conference/

Conference blog:  http://www.casefoundation.org/blog/united-we-serve-new-rally-cry

Related article:

Jobless Professionals Yearn to Do Good, Kyle Stock, The Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2009

Filed Under: Blog, Volunteer Engagement Tagged With: , ,

Giving Is Good For Your Health

March 9, 2009 By

(ARA) – During times of economic downturn, you may have to dig a bit deeper into your pockets to make charitable contributions. However, you can still end up better off. In addition to the tax breaks giving can bring, as it turns out, giving is also good for your health.

“Several studies over the years have found links between altruistic behavior and improved physical and psychological health,” says Dr. Ann Vincent, an internal medicine physician at Mayo Clinic who researches the mind-body connection. “In general, I think altruism makes people feel better about themselves, which often translates into improved physical health. Other benefits that have been attributed to positive emotions include: enhanced creativity and ability to cope with stress and broadened cognition. In essence, thinking positively about ourselves is good for our physical and mental health.”

But the benefits of giving, whether in the form of volunteerism or making a donation, aren’t just a one-time deal. The more you give, the better you may feel, and that means finding ways to give back throughout the year. Generosity is also a wonderful survival skill to help you get through difficult times in your life.

“Recent studies have examined individuals who have survived trauma, natural disasters and being prisoners of war,” says Dr. Edward T. Creagan, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic. According to Creagan, people who seem to thrive in adversity have many characteristics in common, but especially a few:

  • A sense of connectedness. The recognition that family and community are crucial to survival.
  • A sense of altruism, somehow sharing of themselves to make the lives of others a little bit better.
  • An optimistic attitude and sense of humor.

If you have trouble motivating yourself to give time, money or goods, focus on how giving back can benefit you. “There is a ‘helper’s high’ that people sometimes say they feel in connection with altruism/philanthropy,” says Vincent. “But that initial euphoria is also sometimes followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional well-being.”

Philanthropy can also have positive effects that help people maintain or improve their physical and mental health. It often creates broader social networks, which can help people cope with stress and anxiety, and it can provide a sense of purpose and empowerment.

The emotional and physical benefits of philanthropy may be even more significant right now. Nonprofit organizations everywhere are increasingly looking for charitable individuals to partner with them in their goals for the future. Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit organization, is one of the world’s premier medical treatment and research facilities and is currently conducting a campaign to transform patient care, research and education. The gifts Mayo Clinic receives now will help people today, as well as benefit future generations of patients and medical professionals.

For more information on how giving can make a life-changing impact, visit www.mayoclinic.org/campaign.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Filed Under: Nonprofit Management Tagged With: , ,