New Volunteerism Report means Focus Volunteer Opportunities Strategically

In recent weeks, we have spent a great deal of time sorting through the implications of the Volunteering in America report released by the Corporation for National & Community Service - only to have the newest report America's Civic Health Index: Civic Health in Hard Times released by the National Conference on Citizenship report some seemingly different statistics. Volunteering in America reports that volunteerism rates overall held steady in 2008 and into the first quarter of 2009, with significant increases in neighborhood volunteering, despite the downturn in the economy. Meanwhile, this new release on the Civic Health Index states that 72% of survey respondents in May 2009 - just a few months further into the economic downturn - said they had cut back on the time they had spent volunteering, participating in groups, and doing the other civic activities. Have things changed this much in the intervening months? Are these reports in conflict? Most important, what does this mean for you and the many others whose organizations rely on volunteers for mission-fulfilling work?

As we travel North America, working with clients, speaking at conferences, and collaborating with our strategic partners, we have seen both sides of this coin. Just last week at the national conference for the Association of Hospital Volunteer Resource Professionals (AHVRP) in Phoenix, AZ, directors of volunteer services shared with us stories that spanned this spectrum: Many volunteer offices have been inundated with new volunteers, while others have recently seen a drop in availability of volunteers as individuals reduced hours to invest time in seeking paid employment in these challenging economic times. Regarding the two studies at hand - Volunteering in America and America's Civic Health Index - how can we reconcile these two important reports as well as the seemingly contradictory reports from the field, such as we recently heard at the AHVRP conference? The America's Civic Health Index report states that 72% of respondents said they have cut back in volunteering, group participation, and other civic activities - not eliminated those activities altogether. As individuals make more careful decisions about where to spend their money, they are also carefully deciding where to spend their time. Therefore, it's incumbent upon organizations to ensure that we use our volunteers' time wisely. If an individual has reduced or is considering cutting back on time volunteering, then organizations need to make sure that they intentionally position themselves to leverage those volunteer hours for all they're worth! Here's where the information from both studies - and our experience in the field - come in, as they provide some great insights into how to most effectively do just that.

Neighborhood Engagement

Volunteering in America reports that neighborhood engagement is up 2 percentage points, or 4.5 million people.  People, especially men, are more likely than ever to engage with neighbors in "Do It Yourself" volunteer endeavors. This "DIY" attitude can be harnessed by training some of your existing volunteers to organize their neighbors in activities that also support your mission. If you or your volunteers have organized neighbors to work together, informally, to educate others, address a local problem, repair a neighborhood asset, or advocate for your cause amongst their friends and neighbors, please share the story on our comment board.

Faith-Based Communities

In a compelling twist on the statistic of 72% respondents claiming they have cut back in their engagement, upon closer examination of those individuals, the National Conference on Citizenship reports that those individuals who attend religious services frequently are actually twice as likely to have increased the amount of time spent volunteering or in other civic activities (40% of those who attend services regularly rather than 20% for those who attend less frequently). How can your organization leverage the volunteer spirit of faith-based communities to build your organizational capacity? Beyond recruiting episodic volunteers for one-time events, how can you engage some of the skilled members of congregations to share their talents and knowledge with your organization on short- or long-term bases? Again, look to your existing circles of volunteers and clients and cultivate them as ambassadors for your organization within their own faith-based communities. Share with them the needs you have for marketing strategists, HR consultants, or skilled craftspeople and support them as they organize initiatives to engage such people from their own congregations.

Young Adults & Technology

Millennials (those born in the 1980s and 1990s) are leading the way! Both studies point to young adults as the emerging leaders in volunteering. With significant increases in volunteering among young adults between 2007 and 2008, Millennials volunteer at a rate even higher than that of Baby Boomers (43% for Millennials vs. 35% for Boomers overall).  In sync with the rise in neighborhood volunteering, young adult volunteering is on the rise - yet in patterns that differ from the traditional volunteerism that characterized the last half of the 20th Century, especially due to the emergence of online social networking technologies. While the study falls explicitly short of concluding that online social networking promotes off-line civic engagement, it does show a tangible link between the two in that Millennials who actively use online sites for cause-related social networking are more likely to engage offline in their own communities. The report states, "Online platforms provide engagement opportunities for many Americans who may not belong to a formal volunteering organization."  So, have you fully exploited the online networking opportunities for your organization? Do you have social networking sites, fans, members, and ways for supporters to actively engage and spread your message even from the comfort of their own couches and home offices? If you haven't, cultivate a "Social Networking Creative Director" or "Online Strategist" from amongst your existing volunteers or their friends, colleagues, or children to take on this important challenge.

The message is clear: Just as people are being forced to be careful with their dollars and spend wisely, so are they choosing to invest their time in meaningful endeavors that are deemed a good value. The responsibility - and opportunity! - is yours to ensure that what your organization offers is a valuable investment for your existing and potential volunteers. Share your stories of success in these endeavors and subscribe to the new JFFixler blog to continue receiving the latest news and tips to help you create and support those volunteer engagement opportunities that are deemed the best investment of your community's time and talents.