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Book Blog | Visit the Energize Book Blog to get the latest info on volunteer management resources.
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Board
members are volunteers, too! These resources will help you recruit, orient, and
train an enthusiastic, effective board that understands the importance of
volunteer involvement in your organization.
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Resources
| Build a Strong, Effective Board
Your Guide to Youth Board Involvement and the Law Learn
how an organization-wide "youth infusion" strategy, including placing
youth in leadership roles, can benefit your organization. This e-booklet
provides you with case studies of successful youth board membership,
recommendations for making the process work well, and "Tips for Youth
Board Members from Youth Board Members." The Secrets of Successful Boards: The Best from the Nonprofit Pros Get
your members up to speed with this practical, fun-to-read "Boards
101" book. Great for trustees new to boards, leaders of all-volunteer
associations, or anyone starting a nonprofit from the ground up. Includes a
chapter by Susan J. Ellis addressing the board's role in volunteer involvement,
plus chapters on recruiting board members, fundraising, strategic planning,
running meetings, and legal issues. From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement (new
3rd edition!) Although
written for executive directors, From the Top Down also speaks to
decision-makers on the board, especially in its discussion of developing a vision for volunteer involvement, creating policies, and assessing
the impact of volunteer contributions. "How Many Hats Do Your Board Members Wear?" This
must-read e-Volunteerism article will help you prevent role confusion among governance
volunteers. As the authors state, "When roles are ambiguous, conflict ensues,
effectiveness is diminished, and effort is wasted. There's a lot to be gained
from role clarity for volunteers!" Subscribers to e-Volunteerism can access the
full text of the article here and non-subscribers can purchase the article for only $3 here.
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Book Excerpt
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People Raising: A New
Perspective on Volunteer Resources
Excerpted from chapter 9 of The Secrets of Successful Boards: The Best from the Nonprofit Pros, edited by
Carol Weisman, � 1998.
Imagine
your reaction if, as a long-time board member, you discovered a part of your
organization that you never knew existed. This component involves tens or even
hundreds of people and provides services well in excess of what you thought your
budget could cover. Besides the value of these services to the clients and the
staff, your organization also gains community ambassadors - though you have no
idea what they might be saying about you. Would you feel that this component
was worth the board's time or attention? Surprise!
You have only to look around your organization to see that you do indeed have
this invisible resource working for you right now. These are the volunteers who
contribute their energy and skills almost every day, all year long. In your
organization, you may call them "members" or "interns" or "auxilians" instead
of, or in addition to, "volunteers." Regardless of what you call them, if your board
does not involve itself in planning and supporting their work, you are
missing an enormous opportunity. Nonprofit
organizations are founded by volunteers, governed by volunteers, and accept the
services of millions of volunteers to support their work. But the subject of
volunteers is usually neglected in the boardroom. Much of the literature on
boardsmanship also ignores this vital area. But this chapter will show how a
little board governance goes a long way toward successful volunteer involvement...
Why Volunteers Deserve the Board's Attention
Volunteers
are a legitimate subject of concern to a board of directors because:
- It is a governance decision to discuss how central volunteers should be to the service delivery of your organization.
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As contributors to your organization, volunteers should be seen as
part of any resource development strategy.
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Volunteers are your unpaid personnel department and may even outnumber
employees.
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Volunteers have enormous potential in public relations,
fundraising, public education, legislative advocacy and other community outreach
functions.
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Volunteers are a source of valuable information for planning and
evaluation purposes, but only if someone asks for their opinions.
________
Permission is
granted for organizations to reprint this excerpt. Reprints must provide full
acknowledgment of the source, as cited here: Excerpted
from chapter 9 of The Secrets of Successful Boards: The Best
from the Nonprofit Pros, edited by Carol Weisman, � 1998. Found in the Energize, Inc.
Online Bookstore at http://www.energizeinc.com/store/1-174-E-1
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Energize, Inc. 5450 Wissahickon Ave., C-13 Philadelphia, PA 19144 [email protected] www.energizeinc.com
Energize empowers and inspires leaders of volunteers worldwide. Our specialty is creating and selecting the most relevant, innovative resources in volunteer management. We're advocates for the power of volunteers and for the recognition of the leaders who unleash it. About Us |
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