Reading Time: 3 minutes You know the excitement when “the stars align” and things and circumstances just unexpectedly but miraculously come together in a positive and favourable way? Well, today is one such day for us here in Emmaus, when we see our two passions—volunteer partnerships and burnout prevention—come together, as we find this marvellous article about preventing and…
Read more
Reading Time: 6 minutes What happens when a volunteer presents a performance issue? As Volunteer Partnerships Professionals, we all love it when our volunteers are there for us, respond to our call to action, toe the line and dedicatedly plough along with us, as we advance our organizations’ cause and mission. But what happens when volunteers start presenting performance issues…
Read more
Reading Time: 2 minutes November 5 of every year is International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMD). On this very special day, it is apt that we remember and celebrate the work of volunteer partnerships professionals who work tirelessly to resource non-profits and impact. Celebrating Volunteer Managers & Self Care We at Emmaus celebrate the work of Volunteer Partnerships Professionals. And…
Read more
Reading Time: 3 minutes Read an excellent article by Meridian Swift titled “Top 6 Volunteer Manager Lies We Tell Ourselves“. I could really identify with them and especially with number 2 that says “When I can’t provide a volunteer, I’ve failed” and number 5 which goes “I can’t make others see how important volunteering is”. So in response,…
Read more
Reading Time: 4 minutes Risk management long has its place in the Volunteer Programme Management framework. However, if we were to critically examine the importance we place on the various components of the framework, where would we find risk management in the rank of things? How would risk management rank among all the other components such as volunteer recruitment…
Read more
Reading Time: 10 minutes If there is one skill that I would label as a “core skill” for Volunteer Partnerships Practitioners (or Volunteer Programme Managers), it would be the skill of changing mindsets and shaping cultures. It’s an Insider Job Too You see, despite the potential of the volunteer programme to resource non-profits and multiply resources, most people…
Read more
Reading Time: 12 minutes I have Changed and Who’s to be Responsible? I’m no longer who I used to be. And who or what is to be “responsible” for this change? I would have to say that it is my work as a volunteer programme manager (VPM). In response to an article I came across on http://volunteerplaintalk.com/2016/02/24/10-ways-managing-volunteers-prepare-you-for-life/, it…
Read more
Reading Time: < 1 minute Gone are the days of storing volunteers’ data on a spreadsheet. More and more charities are turning to various database system solutions to power their volunteer partnerships. The offerings and options have also increased over the years, with some companies even offering non-profits free licenses so they can harness their product for social good. But…
Read more
Reading Time: 4 minutes I chanced upon this video yesterday and used it for my sharing at the GroundUp ConneXion. But soon I realized I took home a lesson about the “power of many” myself. The event was to be an opportunity for people who care enough to start GroundUp Movements (GUMs) to gather to network, share and level…
Read more
Reading Time: 2 minutes The work of strategically engaging volunteers in a non-profit organization is a specialized one. It is an area of work which can effectively and efficiently resource an organization, build its capacity and, at the same time, multiply the work and impact of the non-profit. It is thus crucial that volunteer programmes be founded on an…
Read more
