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NYAVA provides New York Cares staff members valuable professional development opportunities and forums for sharing best practices with their peers. Our staff appreciates the opportunity to participate in NYAVA initiatives. 
GARY BAGLEY
Executive Director
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Our mission is to advance and serve the volunteer resources management profession in the New York City area.

Tip of the Month

Since Cloning Isn’t an Option...

We all have our champion volunteers whom we wish we could clone, right?  The next best thing to cloning is to use their fantastic skills and passion to help you recruit more volunteers like them. Utilizing volunteers as ambassadors for your programs is a win/win tactic.  You’ll be recognizing  your stars by “promoting” them to be the program’s face in the community; more volunteers will be recruited for your program; your plate will be less full to allow you to take on new projects and actually cross things off your to-do list.  Who doesn’t want all that? 

Think big.  Start small. Maybe there’s one person, or even two, who come to mind as the perfect spokespeople.  Let them know you thought of them specifically as promoters for your program. Provide them with the necessary training and tools and watch the amazing results.   If done right, ambassadors can table at fairs, present to groups on your programs, and may even find new opportunities for recruitment.  Just remember, these folks are the eyes and ears for your organization so make sure to prepare them as you would anyone who is speaking on your organization’s behalf.  


Many thanks to Meredith Gemeiner of RSVP for this great tip!


Sign up for our Principles & Practices course for more great volunteer management tips.

Featured Member

Kevin Blum

Kevin Blum

Kevin Blum is Co-Director of Public Education and Visitor Services at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. Part of his responsibility is to oversee volunteers at the cathedral, it’s visitor center, gift shop and out in the community it serves.
Learn more
IN THE NEWS
Cash-strapped schools turn to volunteers to fill budget gaps

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- As state and local funding for education dries up, schools around the nation are asking their communities to help them maintain their services and programming.

Many are increasing their use of volunteers, while others are boosting their fundraising efforts. Some are even turning to online auctions to boost reserves.

CNN, 09/01/2010
Sun Bank Sets Employee Volunteer Day on Oct. 11

VINELAND — Sun National Bank will host its second annual “Banking on our Communities” day on Mon., Oct. 11, from 1-5 p.m.

The bank is looking for projects at local, non-profit organizations throughout New Jersey where employees can volunteer their time and service.

Cape May County Herald, 09/01/2010
Volunteerism a way of life for squad members
WAYNE – If you're looking for experience in the medical field or possess an overwhelming desire to help people, look no further than the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, where volunteerism is a way of life.NorthJersey.com, 08/19/2010
Wells Fargo launches volunteer program
Wells Fargo & Co. has debuted its corporate volunteerism program in Charlotte, the latest sign of the San Francisco bank's merger with Charlotte-based Wachovia.Charlotte Observer, 08/19/2010
Do Celebrities Really Inspire Volunteerism?
It is hard to think about volunteerism and not to have in mind celebrities such as Angelina Jolie or other A-list movie stars. But how much do they inspire to do volunteering in general? And is it really a positive influence?

One thing is for sure – in our celebrity obsessed society many organizations see a benefit in engaging celebrities to volunteer.

DigitalMeetingCenter.com, 08/15/2010

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