2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service Reflections

Jul 5, 2012

Julie BurkToday’s post is written by Julie Burk, director of Volunteer Services at the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership.

Our time at the Conference was very inspiring. There remains a powerful and effective group of professionals working on volunteerism across the country and locally. The Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership is excited and motivated to help in the following ways:

  • We’ll be working with CaliforniaVolunteers to design and implement the Service Enterprise Initiative. Upon completion of this three-year program, we will have resources and data available to share with organizations across the country to help them better utilize skilled volunteers.
  • As one of 10 HandsOn Network affiliates selected to design and implement an Innovation Hub, we’ll be developing new strategies to engage volunteers and create cutting-edge community engagement models that can be replicated across the network.
  • The Center is piloting a new model for building leadership among volunteer managers. The Community of Practice for Volunteer Managers of Older Adults will be meeting and working throughout the year.

Center for Volunteer and Leadership RepresentativesThe present landscape of volunteering is evolving, as the Conference highlighted through its various sessions. Volunteer management practices have changed dramatically across both the social and private sectors, and representatives from both spheres interested in changing their approach to volunteer engagement have more options and support than ever. However, more work needs to be done, and the Conference played a huge role in challenging us to think differently not just  about how the future landscape of volunteer management might look but more importantly why  it’s important at all. Thank you Points of Light and all who participated for an illuminating, challenging and creative five days!


cmurphy