MAVA Blog

Nelson Mandela Day, a day of service in honor of an international hero, sets the world stage for volunteerism on July 18th, 2010.

London’s 2008 birthday celebration for Nelson Mandela in Hyde Park attracted international attention on a large scale as musicians and performers gathered to honor the human embodiment of universal hope and change.  On this day, the former prisoner of South Africa’s apartheid government and Nobel Peace prize winning fighter for social justice and freedom for all, declared “It is time for the next generations to continue our struggle against social injustice and for the rights of humanity. It is in your hands.”

Fast forward one year later to July 18, 2009, Mandela’s 90^th birthday, a celebration in New York City for the first ever Nelson Mandela Day. As stated on the website MandelaDay.org, “Mandela Day is an annual celebration of Nelson Mandela’s life and a global call to action for people to recognize their individual ability to make an imprint and change the world around them.” What better time to get involved than now when national volunteering is at an all time high and non profits are looking to optimize their resources with new innovation? This month the World Cup is hosted on African soil for the first time in history, an incredible honor for the country of South Africa and for their most historic leader, Nelson Mandela. The opening ceremony in Johannesburg honored this man who worked to unite the country during times of significant racial oppression. The justice that Mandela fought for is now being honored on an annual basis through the creation of Nelson Mandela Day, to occur each year on his birthday.

The message of this international day of service focuses on the 67 years of service that Mandela spent fighting for equality and justice. This is meant to inspire people to spend 67 minutes of this day in serving a local charity. While it is a noble cause to honor this great hero, 67 minutes seems an insufficient amount to honor such a legendary ambassador of service. As part of the Minnesota Senior Corps, we work with exemplary volunteers in our communities on a daily basis. Individuals dedicated to serving their communities through our RSVP, Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs volunteer across a wide spectrum of service areas, impacting young children and older adults alike.

The Twin Cities are consistently ranked number one in having the most volunteer involvement when compared to other major cities in the United States. Volunteer organizations like HandsOn Twin Cities, volunteer management resources provided by leading experts at Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration and helpful search engines like VolunteerMatch.org, provide those within close distance of the Twin Cities a wide variety of easily accessible volunteer opportunities. For potential volunteers in other locations throughout Minnesota, however, these opportunities aren’t as easily identified.  

The most recent 2009 data collected on national volunteering trends from the Corporation for National and Community Service provides us with a better idea of who is volunteering, how often they are serving their communities and in what capacities. Minnesota consistently ranks in the top three for highest percentage of residents involved in volunteering with a total of 1.5 million Minnesota residents volunteering, according to data averaged from 2007-2009. This study also looks at different age groups, income, education and employment rates. States with higher unemployment rates had a lower number of volunteers and in states like Minnesota with a low unemployment rate of 7.6% when compared to the national rate of 8.5%, more residents were involved as volunteers than in states with a higher unemployment rate. States like Minnesota with higher volunteer rates, also have lower rates of heart disease.

We all know that these trends didn’t come about because we limited ourselves to one day or 67 minutes of service. In order to make an impact in our communities, individuals need to be mobilized daily to inspire change in partnership with area non profits and agencies working to help those in need. After all, isn’t that what building a healthy and thriving community is all about? The more opportunities we have to get involved in improving our neighborhoods, the more we will be empowered as local change agents. The more we are empowered and fulfilled in our local environments, the more likely we will be to actively age in place and build stronger communities together.

For older adults 55 and over, MN Senior Corps is looking to engage life experience while we partner with local organizations in serving our communities. Mobilizing individuals and utilizing their strengths and passions is the key to building a stronger and healthier Minnesota. 365 days a year.

More information about local opportunities with MN Senior Corps can be accessed through their website at mnseniorcorps.org.

Mary Jane Horton is an Americorps VISTA member assigned to Volunteers of America and their RSVP program in Carver County and also through Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration as an Outreach Coordinator for volunteer managers across the state. She can be reached by email at mhorton@voamn.org.

The Corporate Volunteerism Council–Twin Cities (CVC-TC) is a professional organization consisting of corporate and associate nonprofit members – all of whom promote volunteerism throughout the community. The council advocates, supports and grows workplace volunteerism to improve our community. 

CVC-TC is a dynamic organization that makes positive change a reality. We help strengthen our members’ volunteerism efforts by providing accessible tools and resources to enhance professional development, in order to meet the challenges ahead. Through our collaborative programming and sharing best practices among members, we bring nonprofit organizations and corporations together to improve communities. We estimate that employees of member corporations donated over 700,000 hours in 2009, valued at $13,657,000.

A recent CVC-TC workshop, titled “Successful Partnerships,” featured three unique, built-to-last partnerships that are producing real results in the community. Corporate volunteer managers are always looking for unique and sustainable opportunities to offer to their volunteer base that make a difference. There is no shortage of websites that list volunteer opportunities; however, most volunteer websites aren’t built to allow us to share the results of our experiences with others. That leaves us with trial and error to determine if an opportunity is right for our organization in the long term. Many corporations consider the following issues of fit when considering a cross-sector partnership:

• Mission Fit – Is involvement in the partnership an expression of the company’s mission or vision?  Is the project/program at the core of the mission of the nonprofit?
• Work Force Fit – Is there a fit between the company’s work force and the cause such that they have or will develop an affinity for the cause and become involved in grassroots efforts?
• Cycle Fit – Are the business cycles of the firm and the operations of the nonprofit aligned?  Do the schedules of the two organizations (and key people) coincide enough to permit collaboration on important tasks?
• Evaluation Fit – Can each party embrace and support the other’s primary measure of success?  Have mutual or joint measures of success been created for the alliance?

Some collaborative efforts between corporations and nonprofit organizations have moved beyond cause marketing and strategic philanthropy to encompass close, mutually beneficial, long-term relationships designed to accomplish goals for each partner. These types of partnerships are considered social alliances.

Excellent programming, such as the Successful Partnerships workshop, is just one of the reasons CVC-TC is recognized as a leader of corporate volunteerism councils as proven by its receipt of the 2009 Corporate Volunteerism Council of the Year Award from the Points of Light Institute. For more information on the CVC-TC, visit www.cvctc.org.

Volunteer Impact is web-based management software designed to engage volunteers and add efficiency to your program. With over 8 years of experience we provide solutions for municipalities, social service agencies, hospitals, festivals and community groups across the United States and around the world. The software’s flexibility and custom applications makes it easy for you to:

• ·         Recruit through your organization’s website and social marketing sites
• ·         Systematically assess volunteer qualifications for optimum placement
• ·         Communicate easily and personally with volunteers
• ·         Access, maintain and update records quickly
• ·         Automate schedule processes
• ·         Retail more volunteer, improve communications and establish great management processes
• ·         Create professional reports with graphics for improved program measurement

Our mission is to help you lead your volunteers, which is why we include training and support in our software package. We provide personal consultation and support 7 days a week. Whether your organization is large or small, Volunteer Impact’s flexibility can meet the needs of all types of organizations. Call us today at 800-844-1545 ext 25 to arrange  a personal demonstration  or attend one of our webinars and see for yourself how your organization can:

• ·         Recruit from your Website – When potential volunteers visit your website they can click on a link to go to a page with your opportunities listed and your organization’s banner at the top of the screen.
• ·         Customize Volunteer Profiles – Upload pictures or resumes, hidden fields, skills, trainings, drop down lists, short text and long text box answers.
• ·         Communications – Send bulk emails that are personally addressed to each volunteer. Isolate groups of volunteers and communicate with just the right ones.
• ·         Schedule creation – Volunteer roles can be scheduled (one-time or recurring) or unscheduled, set guidelines that prevent additional volunteers from signing up for a shift once it’s full, save schedule time by auto-scheduling approved and prequalified volunteers.
• ·         Logging Hours – Volunteers can log their own hours. Administrators can log and edit hours, and volunteers can use the time clock to log their hours.
• ·         Reports – Report on the number of hours and the number of volunteers by activity and activity category, create lists based on reports drawn from information stored in custom fields, qualification fields, address fields and more.

For more information, visit http://www.volunteer2.com/volunteer-impact-intro.asp

March 9, 2010

To Get More Men to Volunteer, Colleges Must Make an Extra Effort

By Sara Lipka

Chicago

College men participate in campus activities at disproportionately low rates, but deliberate efforts to recruit them can help, according to the findings of a two-year study of 14 institutions that was presented here on Tuesday at the annual conference of Naspa-- Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

"We didn't want to find out how to force men to volunteer. We wanted to find out how to get them to willingly volunteer," said Gar E. Kellom, who led the study and directs the Men's Center for Leadership and Service at Saint John's University, an all-male institution in Collegeville, Minn.

Student-affairs officers packed a room to hear initial findings from the study, which was financed by a $600,000 grant from the Lilly Endowment. A full report, "Engaging College Men: Discovering What Works and Why," including case studies from each of the 14 campuses, will be published this summer by Men's Studies Press.

Early on, the colleges participating in the study recognized the benefits of "pied pipers," or peer leaders who could help promote and run service trips and activities, Mr. Kellom said. That kind of encouragement tended to increase participation, as did personal invitations from faculty or staff members, particularly face to face or by letter, he said.

Multiple reminders via e-mail and text message right up to the time of an event also led to better male turnout, Mr. Kellom said. To attract students who would be interested in an activity if only they showed up, he suggested having peers drop by to accompany them to it.

But increasing participation goes beyond advertising and recruiting. "It's how you structure the activities," Mr. Kellom said in an interview. He recommended that colleges form men's groups to support students' reflection and incubate their broader engagement. Several colleges involved in the project focused on religious activities, and some created men's spirituality groups.

From One Team to Another

Luther College, in Iowa, turned its attention to community service. Men there were less likely to participate, maybe because they didn't see other men getting involved, said Stuart M. Johnston, a counselor at the college. One male student, he said, left an all-female meeting of Alpha Phi Omega, a coeducational service group, thinking it was only for women.

Mr. Johnston had an idea. In 2008 he and the football coach introduced summer reading for the whole team. Over the summer, each player read Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx, a best-seller about football, masculinity, and service. Later, back on the campus, they discussed it in small groups, with coaches. "It was a safe environment," Mr. Johnston said. "The guys knew the other guys."

That academic year, some football players participated in service projects together. In January 2009, about 25 athletes participated in each of three movie nights Mr. Johnston planned around the idea of vocation: career, service, and spiritual calling. Last spring several students attended campus dinners where older male speakers shared their life stories.

The football players have also become core participants in a new group called Luther Athletes Serving Others, Mr. Johnston said. He attributes their increased involvement to the team's discussions of service.

"When the coaching staff says, 'This is something that we do; this is just part of being on the team,'" he said, "it's like, 'Yeah, we just do this.'"

Putting Service on the Schedule

Hastings College, in Nebraska, used the grant to explore female and male students' reasons for pursuing service. Ronald D. Chesbrough, vice president for student affairs at Hastings, conducted a survey and series of focus groups and identified a difference between internally and externally motivating factors. Women, he said, spoke of a desire to help and an ethic of care, while men who participated in service projects were more likely to have done so because of a course requirement or scheduled team or club activity.

Mr. Chesbrough also emphasized the role of language in recruiting men. A service-learning instructor on the campus whose courses were predominantly female, he said, tried changing one of her titles from "Social Justice: A Service-Based Exploration" to "Working Toward Social Justice."

"She saw a pretty spontaneous increase in the number of men enrolled," Mr. Chesbrough said. "That plays to gender stereotypes, but those words were more likely to catch men's attention."

Involving greater proportions of college men in campus activities is an important goal, said Linda J. Sax, an associate professor of higher education at the University of California at Los Angeles and author of The Gender Gap in College: Maximizing the Developmental Potential of Women and Men (Jossey-Bass, 2008).

"All of the ways that women tend to be more involved than men," Ms. Sax said, "are the very types of college experiences that are the most beneficial." But attention to one gender should not come at the expense of the other, she said, expressing concern over branding certain activities as being "for men."

Male students need all the help they can get, said Thomas Mortenson, a senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. "The problems of boys begin long before college," he said. "It's almost too late if we wait until college to try to engage boys in learning activities."

Among men entering college, 21 percent had spent at least three hours a week volunteering during their senior year of high school, compared with 31 percent of women, according to the most recent data from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles. Men also reported having participated less in student clubs and groups, with 27 percent devoting at least three hours a week, compared with 38 percent of women.

Efforts to increase college men's engagement are scattered, Mr. Mortenson said, and national attention to the issue has been feeble. The 14-campus study is a good step, he said: "We have to start some place."

From: Tripping on the Ladder
Guest Column by Jane Stubblefield
 (c) December 10, 2009 

Whether it’s expected, or comes as a complete surprise, being separated from your job is a shock to your psyche as well as to your savings account.

I joined the ranks of the unemployed last February. After the normal cycle of blaming and raving, I realized what happened to me was truly a blessing in disguise.

Finally I could step back, evaluate my experience and decide how to reclaim my purpose in life, which was much more about creating a livelihood than it was about just having a job. Obviously I would have to devote many tedious hours to finding a full-time position, but I also wanted to make that search process creative, nourishing and outwardly focused.

After spending months networking within industries related to my diverse background, I ultimately decided to return to my passion and focus my job search on finding a position as a Director of Volunteers for a nonprofit organization. 

Working with volunteers had always brought out the best in me, both personally and professionally, so it seemed logical that the next step in my job search should be seeking an appropriate volunteer opportunity to keep me nourished and connected to the professional community. My goal was to find an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, network with the people in my industry, and gain new skills to enhance my resume (pretty ambitious for a 63-year-old grandmother who recently had retirement in her sights!)   

I soon was energized by a great opportunity! I am completing an unpaid internship at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. My assignment is to write a volunteer policy manual—a perfect fit for me right now. I’m “working” for a highly recognized and respected organization with professionals who appreciate my skills and experience. I’ll add this project to my resume, and I’m gaining valuable knowledge while conducting the research required for the assignment. By taking the initiative to pursue volunteer work while unemployed, I’m hopeful potential employers will see me as a resourceful, energetic and creative person who also takes responsibility for making a contribution to our community.

Whether you’re seeking employment in the private, public or nonprofit sector, the benefits of volunteering in these economic times are invaluable—a win/win for everyone!

Charities are experiencing unprecedented needs for skilled volunteers as requests for their services skyrocket and resources dwindle. Volunteers can provide much-needed expertise and in return, have the opportunity to freshen skills, add depth to their resumes and network with a wide variety of resources that can make valuable connections for them.

As for your psyche—volunteering turns your focus outward and helps you keep your own situation in perspective as you help those in need. 

Ready to volunteer?  I offer a few tips to help make your volunteer experience successful. 

• Explore your passions and determine what matters most to you before beginning your search.
• Target your approach. Find a position that will enhance your skills, and once in a position, seek project opportunities that showcase your talents and leadership ability.
• Be genuine and don’t over commit. Be honest about what your expectations are and make sure you understand exactly what is expected of you.
• Always be professional and do the best job you can, no matter what you are asked to do.
• Take every opportunity to learn everything you can.
• Temper your expectations. Nonprofits don’t always have the same level of resources that corporations do, so don’t complain about what the organization may be lacking.
• Always speak well of the organization. You never know who is listening!
• Be humble and helpful, and always respect the staff and their clients.
• Don’t leave the organization in the lurch! Seek short-term projects rather than long-term commitments, and if you find a job and need to leave the position before the agreed upon date, figure out a way to finish the project before you go.
• Request a letter of recommendation from your supervisor when you leave, and be prepared to make specific connections from your volunteer experience to a job interviewer.

 David McNally, international business speaker and author, suggests that “the seeds of thriving are sown through giving.” Aren’t you ready to thrive rather than just survive?  You have the time; you have the skills; now go find your passion and volunteer today!  

No matter where you live, organizations are waiting for your help. Step away from your computer and engage in a healthy activity with untold benefits. You never know where this path may lead!

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Guest columnist Jane Stubblefield is experienced in volunteer and event management and is     currently serving in a “nontraditional” internship with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She lives in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, where she sings in the church choir and enjoys spending time with her toddler grandson.

http://www.trippingontheladder.com/2009/12/how-i-did-it-a-suddenly-unemployed-grandmother-goes-back-to-work-as-an-intern-and-finds-her-professional-passion/

A few weeks ago, a volunteer coordinator at an assisted living facility received a phone call from a director of a youth music group. The director stated that her group was interested in coming to the facility to play holiday music for the residents.  After talking at length about the event, the director emphasized how excited she was to “come and volunteer at the facility because of the warm and lively residents.” However, then the director said something that surprised the volunteer coordinator -- she asked how much she paid. 

If you have received this question before, you probably had a similar reaction.  Paid?  Well, no, I’m a volunteer coordinator. In our volunteer coordinator’s case, she informed the director that she simply did not have any money in her budget to compensate her for her services. The director said she understood, but then quickly spewed out a list of other facilities that had already agreed to pay her group.

Receiving payment for volunteer services is becoming a hot topic within today’s philanthropic landscape, especially as many of our budgets are growing smaller. In most cases, the payment is considered more of stipend to cover costs related to the volunteer activity, such as transportation. In this tight economy, many volunteers simply do not have enough money to front these costs themselves. Volunteer coordinators are then faced with dilemma of parting with money or parting with their volunteers.

It is important to note that the idea of paid volunteering is anything but new; paid volunteering in the U.S. dates back to the eighteenth century with the nation’s first volunteer fire departments. Today, paid or stipend volunteering has been heightened due to President Obama’s national call to service, which increased funding for service programs throughout the U.S. As a result, volunteer programs, like AmeriCorps, are sending more stipend-based volunteers to serve within organizations than ever before. Another important category worth noting is the many recently retired individuals that are seeking positions of social good, but still require some form of income.

So, what does this mean for the volunteer coordinator today? An informal poll by MAVA indicates, mostly headaches. When a volunteer coordinator is confronted with this idea, she or he must reexamine not only their definition of volunteer, but their volunteer program. What are the priorities of your agency?

To respond to paid or stipend volunteering, some coordinators have added a new type of volunteer to their volunteer policies, called the “special case volunteer.” These volunteers may come into your organization from different venues, like a university or an employee volunteer program, and require a unique or special agreement.  

While little has been written on the topic, paid or stipend volunteerism has become a hot topic within the volunteer community. It is important for volunteer coordinators to know where their agency stands on the subject. MAVA wants to know what your thoughts on this subject are:

1)      How has paid or stipend volunteerism affected your role as volunteer coordinator?

2)      Is there a role for paid volunteers within your agency?

3)      Does your agency have a procedure in place for compensating volunteers?

September 10, 2009

NEW YORK, NY ---

UNPRECEDENTED BLOCK OF TV PROGRAMMING IS FIRST WAVE OF MULTI-YEAR "I PARTICIPATE" CAMPAIGN

From October 19-25, More Than 60 Network TV Shows To Spotlight The Power and Personal Benefits of Service

Celebrities, "Cities of Service" Founding Mayors, Volunteer Groups and Major League Baseball Players Gather in Times Square to Launch

Today in the heart of Times Square, actors and executives representing the Entertainment Industry Foundation (or EIF, the entertainment community's collective charitable organization) joined New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and 15 mayors from around the country, numerous celebrities, and key service groups to launch two new initiatives aimed at fostering a new era of volunteerism: EIF's I PARTICIPATE and the mayors' Cities of Service coalition.

EIF is mobilizing the entire entertainment community around the ground-breaking, multi-year I PARTICIPATE, which will promote a new way of thinking about service and seek to persuade millions more Americans to volunteer regularly. To jumpstart the campaign, Entertainment Industry President and CEO Lisa Paulsen, Tyler Perry and Ashton Kutcher announced its 2009 centerpiece: a week-long television event running from October 19th to the 25th, when America’s most-loved TV shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC and other broadcast networks will spotlight service through scripted programming, segments and PSAs with inspirational messages and storylines about volunteerism. Randy Jackson (FOX), Christine Baranski (CBS), Tim Daly (ABC) and Michelle Trachtenberg (NBC) also participated in the announcement.

"Most people know that volunteering can have an enormous, positive impact on their communities, but they often don’t realize how much volunteering benefits the person who does it," said Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of EIF. "We're trying to broaden the collective national conversation about service; volunteering is rewarding, but it's also energizing and fun. It can even be a great way to meet people."

"We think hearing that from the cast members and characters on shows like Mercy, American Idol, Private Practice, Ugly Betty and The Good Wife will help millions of viewers consider volunteerism," said Tony Award Winner Bernadette Peters. "I think it’s important to help people and causes that need our help. The I Participate campaign will ultimately involve all segments of the entertainment community including film studios, the recording industry, Broadway and others."

Emceeing the event in Times Square was New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who earlier in the day convened a meeting of his counterparts from around the country, including Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Dublin, OH Mayor Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher, Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, Vicksburg, MS Mayor Paul Winfield, Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, and West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, to launch a volunteerism initiative called "Cities of Service."

"Today is an exciting day for service in America," said Mayor Bloomberg. "These two distinct initiatives - bound by their common commitment to increase community service and volunteerism in America - represent a significant step in realizing the goals of the bipartisan Edward M Kennedy Serve America Act. The Entertainment Industry Foundation's I Participate Campaign will animate the public to find more ways to give back. And the Cities of Service coalition will harness that newfound energy and put it to good use."

"These two efforts complement each other superbly," said Paulsen. "Through I PARTICIPATE, the entertainment community will generate new enthusiasm about volunteering, and when people look for ways to do that in their own communities, the Cities of Service coalition will provide them."

Demonstrating the power of social media activism, Ashton Kutcher joined Mayor Bloomberg and those gathered at Times Square, sending a message to his 3.5 million Twitter followers, urging them to volunteer on September 11th as a way to honor the memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks. A giant screen in the Square projected Kutcher's request, "2Day, I activate my citizenship by participating. I Participate! Do u? www.iparticipate.org", and some of the instantaneous replies to it as they began to pour in.

Other elements of the EIF I PARTICIPATE initiative include:

1. a dedicated website IParticipate.org, designed to make it easier than ever before for millions of Americans to find volunteer opportunities in their local communities across five key areas of service: Wellness, Community Health, Financial Security, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families. The website features calendars of events, maps, digital tool kits and uses the power of social networking vehicles like Facebook, making it simple for individuals not only to volunteer, but to recruit friends to join them;
2. a series of celebrity-driven public service announcements that will reinforce the importance of volunteerism and supporting causes like Welcome Back Veterans. Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matthew McConaughey, are among the performers featured in the PSAs, which filmmaker Jesse Dylan with his agency FreeForm is directing and producing. Dylan works with Bono’s "Red" and "One" campaigns and also directed will.i.am's iconic "Yes, We Can" video.

3. grants from the Entertainment Industry Foundation to key volunteers organizations to help build capacity to accept, train and deploy volunteers.

"The ability to both entertain and inform is one of the hallmarks of a broadcast network," says Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment. "Integrating messages of volunteerism and service into America’s favorite television shows can have a powerful and lasting impact that benefits both the audience and the country at large." NBC president Angela Bromstad agrees. "The week of volunteer-themed programming in October provides an opportunity for the networks to tap the power of television," she says. The ultimate goal, says Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment is "to get people thinking about what they can do in terms of volunteering, and then to act on that." "The most satisfying result for us is when our programs entertain viewers as well as inform themundefinedand maybe even call them to action," FOX Entertainment president Kevin Reilly points out. "And that’s what we’re looking to do by supporting EIF’s initiative. We are calling on our talent poolundefinedin front and behind the cameraundefinedto get involved." The day began with ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC morning shows all broadcasting interviews from Gracie Mansion during the Cities of Service Summit.

Leading companies and organizations that have joined EIF in supporting I PARTICIPATE include AARP’s Create The Good volunteer network (www.CreateTheGood.org), Medco Health Solutions and its "Give Health a Hand" program (www.GiveHealthAHand.org), Major League Baseball and its "Welcome Back Veterans" initiative (www.WelcomeBackVeterans.orga>), and UnitedHealthcare (www.UnitedHealthGroup.com). These organizations will engage their employees all over the country in grassroots service efforts.

The rate at which Americans volunteer regularly has not increased in 40 years and has generally remained around 26%, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly half of all people who currently volunteer started because they were asked by someone they know.

Celebrities who participated in the Times Square event include: Ashton Kutcher, Tyler Perry, Randy Jackson, Christine Baranski, Fran Drescher, Sway Calloway, Kenneth Cole, Rocco DiSpirito, Kelley Menighan Hensley, Bernadette Peters, Cameron Mathison, Tim Daly, Lee Ann Womack, Constantine Maroulis, Jeff Francoeur, Al Leiter.

Service organizations who participated in the Times Square event include: HandsOn Network, NYC Civic Corps, and Service Nation.

Network shows that will feature volunteerism in some way during the week of Oct 19th include:

ABC
All My Children, America's Funniest Home Videos, Brothers and Sisters, Castle, Cougar Town, Dancing With The Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Flash Forward, General Hospital, Good Morning America, Grey's Anatomy, Hank, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Modern Family, One Life To Live, Private Practice, The Forgotten, The Middle, The View, Ugly Betty

CBS
Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs

FOX
America's Most Wanted, Bones, Brothers, COPS, So You Think You Can Dance, Til Death

NBC
30 Rock, Access Hollywood, Community, Days of Our Lives, Heroes, Parks and Recreation, The Biggest Loser, The Office, Today Show

# # #

About Entertainment Industry Foundation
The Entertainment Industry Foundation is the leading charitable organization of entertianment industry, and has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.

About Cities of Service
Cities of Service is a bi-partisan coalition of large and small city mayors from across the country who will work to engage millions more Americans in a new era of service. Founded in New York City on September 10, the coalition and its member cities will respond to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act's historic call to action by finding new and innovative ways to harness the power of volunteers to help solve pressing local challenges. Additional information about the coalition can be found at www.citiesofservice.org

# # #

Media Contacts
Tom Chiodo
Rubenstein Communications for EIF/I Participate
212-843-8289
tchiodo@rubenstein.com

Jim Anderson
City Hall
212-788-3245
janderson@cityhall.nyc.gov

At the late August MAVA Strategic Directions Committee meeting, the topic came up of about what leaders of volunteers should be focusing on related to the potential heavy flu season this winter.  Two areas for consideration came up:

1. Is your organization including volunteers in flu contingency plans? One committee member indicated her organization was doing extensive contingency planning for delivery of service if staff are ill, but had not considered the vital roles that count on volunteers until she raised the question.
2. Do you have guidelines or criteria in place for when volunteers should stay at home?  In some setting, especially heath care, volunteers are given criteria for health symptom that are indicators not to come to volunteer, especially for position in contact with people vulnerable to illness.

At this point in time, no one knows what will happen with the flu season, but many organizations are working on contingency plans to minimize the spread of flu and the impact it will have.  Please post comments on guidelines your organization has for when volunteers should stay home with illness, if you organization has included volunteers in flu contingency plans, and your thoughts on how volunteers should be included in flu contingency plans.

Mary Quirk, MAVA Volunteer Resources Leadership Project Manager.

Child Labor Laws and Volunteering

By Susan J. Ellis

(The following is adapted from the chapter on legal issues in Children as Volunteers: Preparing for Community Service, by Susan J. Ellis, Anne Weisbord, and Katherine H. Noyes, © 2003, Energize, Inc., http://www.energizeinc.com/store/2-102-E-1)

Because labor laws limit or prohibit the paid employment of children under the age of 16, the question regularly surfaces whether this means volunteering is also off limits.  The short answer is no. 

Federal child labor laws are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act and regulations issued under the Act, which also deals with issues such as overtime pay. If you wish to read the child labor regulations for yourself, go to http://www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/childlbr.htm or go to the Web site http://www.youthrules.dol.gov/. 

Except for clearly-defined exceptions, all paid employment of children under the age of fourteen is considered “oppressive child labor” and is illegal. But the Fair Labor Standards Act applies only to paid employment; volunteers are not covered by the Act because they do not receive monetary compensation (see Wage and Hour Publication 1297, pages 6-7).  So there is nothing in Federal child labor laws that expressly forbids or limits children under the age of fourteen from becoming volunteers. The issue of unsalaried work by children is actually not addressed at all and, in a free society, we assume permission to do something if there is no specific law against it. 

When a school district mandates a community-service requirement, it is obvious that a governmental authority is giving authorization for children to do volunteer work.  Similarly, school-sponsored service-learning can also be presumed as a legal activity.

It is nevertheless worth noting the prohibitions of the child labor laws. It’s illegal to employ youth under the age of eighteen in “hazardous” work. Very few would disagree with the definition of “hazardous” work, since it covers such activities as operating power equipment and handling explosives or dangerous substances. In some settings, “hazardous” work also specifically includes working on ladders and large-scale cooking. (Agricultural jobs are discussed in a separate set of regulations.)  It would be wise and prudent (and downright smart!) to design assignments for young volunteers in compliance with the general restrictions of child labor laws. After all, if a situation is considered hazardous for youth over age fourteen, it certainly would also be hazardous for a younger child.

While it is not necessary for the young volunteer to obtain working papers/permits (again, these only apply to paid employment), it is appropriate and sensible to ask for parental permission to allow anyone under 16 (even 18) to volunteer – probably in writing for the record. 

As with everything else, labor laws differ from state to state (and I am not a lawyer). Check your state’s definition of “employee” and “volunteer,” age restrictions on employment, description of “hazardous” work, and requirements for working papers. But just because there are restrictions on the paid employment of children, do not automatically assume you cannot utilize youngsters as volunteers.

You need to look for supplements to and annotations of your state’s child labor laws for any relevant applications to volunteering. For example, in Pennsylvania, the State Attorney General issued a ruling that specifically permits youth under age sixteen to volunteer in conservation and parks programs. Even if you find no such clear directives, as long as nothing forbids the volunteer work, you may assume a green light.

TV Programming To Spotlight Volunteering And Service

Celebrity star power will be on hand today at the nation’s largest conference on volunteerism to detail plans for a new multi-year campaign to help make public service a national priority.

As reported exclusively on www.nptimes.com this past Tuesday (June 16), the centerpiece of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s (EIF) push will be to include national service into programming by the major television networks this fall. ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox have all agreed to write service into the fall programs, multiple sources told The NonProfit Times.

“It’s about how to amplify the president’s call to service, to get more Americans involved in service,” one source told The NonProfit Times.

This afternoon’s opening session of the National Conference for Service and Volunteering in San Francisco, where more than 4,000 service leaders are expected to attend, will include First Lady Michelle Obama, musician Jon Bon Jovi, actor Matthew McConaughey and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, among others. The first lady’s appearance will launch United We Serve, a summer initiative to encourage citizens to engage in meaningful, sustained community service. The initiative will conclude on Sept. 11, which officially was designated a national day of service in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act passed in the spring.

The television programming effort will be similar to the EIF’s push this past September for Stand Up To Cancer, an event to raise money for cancer research that involved network programming. In this case, instead of one show simulcast on the broadcast outlets, national service will be written into shows on all of the outlets. There will also be public service spots and online outreach.

Working with AARP, Points of Light Institute/Hands On Network and ServiceNation organizations, EIF plans to launch its new multi-year campaign on Oct. 19.