My program is far from done for the year. After all, 'tis the Season of Service, and within the next ten days, VSH volunteers will engage in numerous holiday parties, birthday celebrations, hot meals, food deliveries, and painting projects. But even so, I'm already starting to look back, because looking back is what will allow me to move forward in the most effective way in the coming year. So....what worked well and what didn't? What were the challenges and what were the biggest successes? Were there any activities that did not align well with the mission? Which ones were the most expensive, and were they justified? Which activities gave the most satisfaction to the volunteers, and why? Which ones earned the highest praise from staff, and why? Which ones had the best client participation, and why? If we don't ask ourselves questions like these with a genuine desire to get real answers - and then act on what we learn - our programs will not improve....and neither will we.

In her May 2012 essay, Spring Cleaning: Take a Fresh Look at Your Volunteer Program, Susan J. Ellis writes, "Volunteer programs tend to take on more and more tasks without ever stopping to consider whether 'more' makes sense without divesting from older, less useful work at the same time." If I'm honest, I have to admit that I am guilty of that, especially the "more and more" part. As a result, I feel stretched to the max, have very little quality "think" time, and have made minimal progress on goals I established for myself at the beginning of the year. And even as I resolve to start the new year with a fresh determination to do some much-needed "spring cleaning," I find myself already scheduling activities as far out as April of 2014! I suspect that there are a few of you out there who find yourselves in the same boat, despite your best intentions. It's a constant struggle and it's very hard to resist....

But resist we must! We can't look back, we can't reflect, we can't assess, we can't improve while continuing to gallop forward at a breakneck pace! So take a deep cleansing breath and repeat with me: as a leader, I owe it to myself, my program, my organization, and my profession to be thoughtful, strategic, and smart about the kinds of activities my volunteers engage in. I resolve to ask myself hard questions about my program and my performance within the next 45 days, and I vow to take 3 - 5 actions in 2014 that will help me and/or my program to improve. Action Step number one: attend GRAVA's January workshop on developing MY 2014 professional development plan!

Susan J. Ellis wrote another essay in January of 2012 that I think about a lot. In this essay, entitled "What Would the Perfect Volunteer-Involving Organization Look Like?," she describes in very specific detail several characteristics of the "perfect" program and organization. How many of these characteristics apply to your program and organization? It bothers me that not many apply to mine, and I really want 2014 to be the year in which I change some of that. But it's not going to happen by wishing or hoping or crossing my fingers. It can only happen through deep thought, honest examination, and hard work. Am I ready to do what it takes to get better? Am I ready to take it to the next level? Am I ready to be a leader in my profession? Prepare to continue this critically important conversation on January 9! 

See you in 2014!

At your service,

Jumpstart 2014!

Are you ready to make 2014 your most collaborative and productive year yet? Do you have the tools to make it happen? Attend C3-Creative Change Center Technology Night with ConnectVA to learn about free and low cost collaboration and productivity tools you can use to get the year started right!

Volunteer Match: Free webinars

January 8: Future Forecast:Four Big Shifts that will Change Volunteerism...for the Better

January 14: Creating a Comprehensive & Engaging Volunteer Training Program

January 15: Walking the Walk: Engaging Volunteers in Your Volunteer Engagement Program

Nonprofit Learning Point: Spring workshops

February 24: Recruiting & Retaining a Diverse Workforce

March 11: Volunteer Resource Management

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Do you know of a dynamic speaker who could present a future GRAVA session? Contact the Programs Chair