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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
The Volunteer Manager’s Backpack
Once upon a time, there was a volunteer who got up very early on a Saturday to help with an important project. The volunteer concentrated on the work at hand, but noticed that throughout the day all kinds of ordinary objects were flying from the volunteer manager's backpack, including:
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Tape, markers, pens, paper, cardboard, scissors, string, butterfly clips;
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A first aid kit, bandaids, aspirin, antacids, sunblock;
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A sewing kit, needles, thread, safety pins;
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Dollar bills, quarters, dimes--to make change;
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A ruler, tape measure, rubber bands;
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Clipboards with working pens attached by string;
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Antibacterial hand wipes, kleenex, paper towels;
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Paperweights (for keeping papers from flying away), flashlights, batteries;
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Chargers for cell phones;
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A watch, a timer; Bottled water and snacks;
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Cups, plates, spoons, forks, napkins;
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Signs, maps, camera;
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Sign up lists; list of participants and contact numbers, including emergency contacts.
The moral of the story: Depending on the project (i.e. indoor/outdoor, fundraising, art, beautification), the number of volunteers involved, and the weather, your list may look different from the one above, but, as part of your planning, you should create a list of essential, emergency and possibly odd items you may need. Have fun!
Sign up for our Principles & Practices course for more great volunteer management tips.
Featured Member
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
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IN THE NEWS
Homestretch finds its match with Excella “Most companies give lots of grants and spread their benevolence, but the actual relationship and impact is very minimal,” said Christopher Fay, Homestretch’s executive director. “This is revolutionizing philanthropy.”
Excella incorporated Homestretch as its primary charitable partner, doing activities throughout the year such as refurbishing its properties, tutoring students and teaching English classes to parents.
In return, managers say the partnership has developed employees’ professional skills and created memorable bonds outside the office.
The Washington Post, 01/22/2012
Governor Patrick welcomes students from across the state for MLK day of service “This is the beginning of a movement of young people making a difference,” Menino said. He called Boston “the Silicon Valley of volunteerism.”Boston Globe, 01/14/2012
Las Vegas nonprofits lifted by corporate volunteerism
"This is about us recognizing that there is a great need in the community," says Jocelyn Bluitt-Fisher, community affairs director for MGM Resorts International. "It's not about our image, it's really about recognizing the needs in our community and figuring out ways to give back to those who support us. That is ingrained in our company culture from the top down."
Las Vegas Review-Journal, 01/01/2012
Social media’s good virus of volunteerism The social media will certainly continue spreading the "virus" of volunteering, and thanks to this "infection" Thailand will hopefully continue witnessing good deeds from individuals.
From finding volunteers to fill sandbags, cook food, seek donations, make rafts of life vests, to developing informative websites and producing video clips or just cleaning up in the aftermath, the all-pervasive social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, have inarguably become champions in keeping people abreast of what's happening.
Asia One, 12/30/2011
Volunteering- A Great Way To Learn Real Executive Leadership
Having corporate programs that encourage employees to work as volunteers for organizations in their community are one way to offer an extra corporate benefit that makes employees feel pride and satisfaction, and makes them happier and more productive workers. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, promotes what he calls “the 1 per- cent solution”: 1 percent of the company’s equity, 1 percent of its profits, and 1 percent of its employees’ paid work hours are devoted to philanthropy. Software maker SAS, which has for years been among the Top 20 in Fortune’s annual list of the 100 best companies to work for, offers a volunteer initiative that lets employees use flexible schedules to take paid time off for projects in the community, or even work in teams with their managers on a volunteer effort during business hours.
Forbes.com, 12/21/2011
VIEW ALL NEWS »
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