Many times volunteers become leaders because they have a vision for how they can change the world, and they inspire others to join them in service. Have you ever wondered how you can lead people from impulse to action? This session explores tools to help you turn ideas for change into impactful projects that solve problems, build community, and fulfill lives.

1. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Gretchen Van der Veer, CNCS
Lori Jean Mantooth, HON

2. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Session Overview
• Welcome and Introductions
• Volunteering in America
• From Impulse to Action
• Tools You Can Use
• Personal Plans
• Reflection and Wrap-up

3. INSPIRE
EQUIP
MOBILIZE
Volunteering in America

4. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Volunteering in America 2010
Comprehensive
source of
volunteering
information
US Census Bureau
and Bureau of
Labor Statistics
50 states, 200 cities
and the District of
Columbia

5. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Volunteering in America 2010
Key Findings
– Volunteering has
increased
– Americans who are
unemployed continue
to serve
– Volunteer rates are
influenced by economic
and community factors

6. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Rates 2002-2009
The number of volunteers increased by 1.6 million in 2009.
Volunteering rates increased from 26.4% in 2008 to 26.8% in 2009
Number of Volunteers in America
100.0
90.0
Volunteers in Millions
80.0
70.0
65.4
60.0
64.5
63.8
63.4
61.8
61.2
60.8
59.8
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year

7. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Volunteering in AmericaVolunteers Served?
How Many Unemployed 2010
• 3.5 million unemployed
volunteers served in
2009
• An additional 1.3
million volunteers

8. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
VolunteeringInAmerica.gov

9. INSPIRE
EQUIP
MOBILIZE
From Impulse to Action

10. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Creating the Vision
• What issue inspires you to act?
• What do you want to do?
• Where and when can you do it?
• What supplies do you need? How will you get
them?
• What resources are available in your
community?

11. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Recruiting Others
• Identify how volunteers can be involved
• Create a recruitment message that will tap into
personal motivations to serve
• ASK!
• Get creative and use the networks available to
you (friends, family, online tools)

12. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Retention: Volunteering’s Leaky Bucket
1 out of 3 volunteers drops out of service
from year to year
Organizations need to recruit
20 million
new volunteers each year
just to replace those who will not
come back next year

13. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
The Leaky Bucket Can Be Fixed
• Volunteer management practices lead to higher
volunteer retention rates
– Screening and matching volunteers to challenging
volunteer assignments
– Providing training and professional development
opportunities for volunteers
– Recognizing volunteers for their service
• Enlisting volunteers in leadership roles
also increases retention

14. INSPIRE
EQUIP
MOBILIZE
Tools You Can Use

15. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
The Resource Center
www.nationalservice.gov/resources

16. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
What’s at the Resource Center?
• Effective practices
• Lending library
• Online learning center
• Social media networking
• Calendar of events
• Sample forms
• Reference and referral
• Technical assistance
• More
Access all resources easily and free of charge!

17. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
HandsOnNetwork.org

18. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
What’s Available?
• Resources for individuals, businesses,
nonprofits/governments
• Toolkits, guidebooks, templates
• Step-by-step project “playbooks”
• Online courses offered in partnership with
University of Phoenix

19. INSPIRE
EQUIP
MOBILIZE
Next Steps: Personal Plans

20. INSPIRE
EQUIP
MOBILIZE
Reflection and Wrap-up

21. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
Q&A
• Questions?
• Thoughts?
• Suggestions?
• Ideas?

22. INSPIRE EQUIP and MOBILIZE VOLUNTEERS
For More Information
www.HandsOnNetwork.org
or visit The Resource Center
www.NationalService.gov/resources