Most of us understand the value and importance of community involvement, however, how can we maximize our volunteer/service experiences and help to generate a culture of service within our organizations? This presentation will share some of the reasons why we serve, the benefits volunteering/service can provide you and your organization, and studies illustrating the positive impact of volunteering/service for you and your customers.

1. Maximizing Your Volunteer
and Service Experiences
Presented By
Brian Lee Danzinger
Assistant Vice President – E-Commerce and Technology, Bank Mutual
Group Fitness, Greater Green Bay YMCA
Alderman, City of Green Bay
Lieutenant, United States Coast Guard Reserve
Adjunct Instructor, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Adjunct Instructor, Silver Lake College
Adjunct Instructor, Concordia University
Board of Directors, Brown County Junior Achievement
Board Of Trustees, St. Norbert College
bdanzinger@hotmail.com

2. Maximizing Your Volunteer
and Service Experiences
Rejected Titles:
“The Psychology of Community Service”
“Volunteering – It Makes Things Better”
“Service is not a pyramid scheme”
“Iron Man 4”

3. Volunteering – Kind of a good thing
“You must be the change
you wish to see in the
world” – M. Gandhi
- Community
- Service
- Kindness

4. Wait a Minute…I already volunteer
“Doing nothing for others is the
undoing of ourselves.

5. • Why we volunteer
• The benefits of volunteering (Both
personal and professional)
• Making the most of our volunteer
experiences
• How volunteerism benefits our
organizations/companies
• Creating a culture of service
“Those who can, do. Those who
can do more, volunteer”

6. Why Do We Serve?
• To share our skills and
talents
• To have an change/impact
on others
• Personal satisfaction of
helping others
• Because we have been
helped in the past
• Karma
• To make friends
• To be part of something
greater than yourself
• To become more aware of
social challenges
• Because of a cause or
initiative that you feel
passionate about
• Why not?
“Volunteers do not necessarily
have the time; they just have the
heart”

7. Why Do We Serve? (Random Poll)
• To set a good example for my kids/family
• To meet others with similar interests and passions
• To prove to myself that I do make a difference
• Because I enjoy it
• I met some of my best friends through volunteering,
including my wife
• Because of the ripple effect that volunteering has
“The smallest act of kindness is
worth more than the grandest
intention”

8. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Personal)
• Greater level of life satisfaction
A study the National Community Service Agency found
that those who volunteered expressed “happier” lives
and lower levels of depression versus those who did not
volunteer.
Tend to be surrounded by more positive people that has
a direct impact on mood and attitude
“Kindness is the language which
the deaf can hear and the blind can
see”

9. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Personal)
• Increase in longevity
A study by the Journal of Psychology and Aging showed
that people that volunteered are 25% less likely to
develop heart disease, stroke, or high blood pressure.
Studies also show that those who volunteer typically
demonstrate other healthy lifestyle choices. The NCSA
found State volunteer rates are strongly connected with
the physical health of the states' population
“How wonderful it is that nobody
need wait a single moment before
starting to improve the world”

10. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Personal)
• Reduced levels of Stress
A study in the Annual Review of Sociology reported that
volunteerism not only improves our ability to manage
stress, but to even reduce levels of stress through
activities that improve self worth.
One study showed an increase in dopamine levels
“Act as if what you do makes a
difference. It does”

11. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Personal)
• Improved Relationships with Others
Dr. Brown of Stony Brook University attributed
volunteerism and community service to improved social,
professional, and family relationships.
Improved interpersonal communication and self-
confidence
“Unless someone like you cares a
whole awful lot, nothing is going to
get better. It's not”

12. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Personal)
• Other health benefits
Studies now are showing positive connections between
community service and insomnia (healthier sleeping
habits), a stronger immune system (people using less
sick days), and better handling of conflict resolution.
“Unless someone like you cares a
whole awful lot, nothing is going to
get better. It's not”

13. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Better Chance of Finding a Job (Part 1)
A recent report by the Wall Street Journal and Deloitte
interviewing over 200 HR Executives says that
volunteerism makes candidates more appealing to hiring
managers
More than 80% said they would be more likely to hire a
graduate with skilled volunteer experience
“Being good is commendable, but
only when it is combined with
doing good is it useful”

14. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Better Chance of Finding a Job (Part 2)
Those who volunteer are exposed to a larger network of
job opportunities, hiring professionals, referral sources,
and organizations
Employers almost always go with a known quantity or
someone they have had experience with
“Help one another; there's no time
like the present and no present like
the time”

15. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Better Chance of Finding a Job (Part 3)
A survey of 200 HR Executives by TimeBank
 73% of employers would recruit a candidate with volunteering
experience over one without
 94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills
 94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had
benefited either by getting their first job, improving their
salary, or being promoted
“Nobody can do everything, but
everyone can do something”

16. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Opportunity to use skills
Volunteering is an outlet for hidden skills and talents
It can also be way to maintain skills and professional
abilities that you may not be using in your current work
environment. Even application of hobbies and non-
traditional expertise (Magic, Photography, Spinning
Tunes, Fishing, etc)
“The best way to find yourself is to
lose yourself in the service of
others.”

17. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Opportunity to explore other skills and
interests
A chance to do something different than your job
Other careers and job paths or supplemental skills like
language training, web programming, social media
“Service to others is the rent you
pay for your room here on earth”

18. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• An Opportunity to challenge yourself and
take risks
Some opportunities give you more latitude and freedom
to experiment with projects and ideas
Apply ideas and concepts that have never been tried
before
“You are what you do, not what
you say you'll do”

19. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Expand your leadership and management
skills
Project Management, Leading a team, or Owning an
event or initiative
Department of Labor Statistics show that volunteers tend
to make better leaders in the work place
“People of excellence go the extra
mile to do what's right”

20. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Really, volunteers make better leaders?
- Expanded Perspective
- Honed influence and people skills/interactive skills
- Opportunity to work with diverse teams and levels of
talent
- How to motivate and inspire others (in situations where
they may not be getting paid)
- Working with people who have various goals, reasons,
and levels of commitment
(All from the Department of Labor Statistics)
“Those who are happiest are those
who do the most for others”

21. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• An outlet for your creativity/use of critical
thinking skills
Some of the challenges our community face requires
intense creative and critical thinking skills
Maximize the use of limited resources. Wear multiple
hats
“The most worth-while thing is to
try to put happiness into the lives
of others”

22. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Agile Thinking
Because timelines, resources, and funding mechanisms
are changing on such a regular basis, we become more
adaptable to change/change management and project
agility
“Those who unlock your
compassion are those to whom
you've been assigned”

23. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Mentoring of Others
Many volunteer organizations rely on their members to
help with recruitment, mentoring, growth, and overall
volunteer well-being
“We are not called upon to do all
the good that is possible, but only
that which we can do”

24. Some of the Benefits of Volunteerism
(Professional)
• Exchange of Ideas
You are surrounded by talented people. Trends and
tactics
The superior "giver" and subordinate "receiver" mentality.
Volunteering is not a one-way flow of assistance, but a
mutual activity that we ALL learn and benefit from
“Volunteers do not necessarily
have the time; they just have the
heart”

25. Maximizing my Volunteer and Service
What issues or causes matter most to you?
• What kind of connection do you have to the
issue or cause?
• Why are you picking this organization?
• Does the mission and vision of the organization
align with your beliefs and values
“You make a living by what you
get. You make a life by what you
give”

26. Maximizing my Volunteer and Service
What level of participation do I wish to commit?
• Supporter of the cause
• Brand Champion and Awareness
• Resource Contributor
• Hands on volunteer (Specific or On Going)
• Leadership or Management Role
“The world is a drought when out
of love”

27. Maximizing my Volunteer and Service
What kind of Skills/Talents am I looking to share?
• What are the needs of the organization
• Start with what you can do
• What am I willing to expand to
• Soft skills
• Are the efforts and workload shared
“A sign of a celebrity is often that
his name is worth more than his
services”

28. Maximizing my Volunteer and Service
Time Management
• Is there a mutual understanding of the time
commitment
• Put in parameters
“A sign of a celebrity is often that
his name is worth more than his
services”

29. Organizational Benefits
• Benefits to the community and
environment
3.2 Billion dollars of service in 2012 (Wisconsin Labor
Stats)
Communities with higher levels of service and
volunteerism typically have higher quality workers and
better economic indicators
“Volunteers do not necessarily
have the time; they just have the
heart”

30. Organizational Benefits
• An investment to the Community
To this end, Arketype has developed an 80/20
philosophy when it comes to community investment.
Their 80/20 philosophy means roughly 80 percent of
their work time is invested in creating design and
communication solutions for their clients. The other 20
percent of their time is invested back into the community
through non-profit and pro-bono projects.
“Life is either a daring adventure
or nothing at all”

31. Organizational Benefits
• Marketing and Brand Awareness
Customers have more positive perception of
organizations that are community conscious
Exposes you to new potential customers
“To be good, and to do good, is all
we have to do”

32. Organizational Benefits
• Positive Association
People may start associating your organization with a
cause or initiative that they are passionate about
Can even help with retention (both internal and external)
Employees feel better about an organization that
supports the community
“Ask not what your country can do
for you, ask what you can do for
your country”

33. Organizational Benefits
• Employee Benefit
More positive work environment
“Wunderful” Program at Wundermax
Can be viewed as an actual employee benefit with value
(supportive of time off for service oriented activities)
Learning of skills (Employee share program)
“Three keys to more abundant
living: caring about others, daring
for others, sharing with others”

34. Creating a Culture of Service
• Who is already involved
• What causes or initiatives align with the organization
• Does the organization have a unique resource, skill, or
staff that can be shared with the community
• Are there some immediate needs
• Do programs already exist that can be tied into your
efforts (a number of agencies and organizations already
have the infrastructure and logistics)
• Why
“Do or do not. There is no try”