Comments on: National Conference on Volunteering and Service

By: Sean Stannard-Stockton

Sean Stannard-Stockton — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:01:50 +0000

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I’ve used your thoughts to plan out what I intend to say and I’ll definitely be quoting from a couple of your comments.

Thanks!

By: Greg Baldwin

Greg Baldwin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:38:49 +0000

I think to get underneath the questions you need a clear vision for how government and the nonprofit sector differ? What are their unique roles in society? With that you can begin a discussion of how can they work together to identify the ideas that generate the greatest impact most efficiently and effectively.

By: Gayle Gifford

Gayle Gifford — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:03:10 +0000

I underscore Robert Egger’s comments.

I’d also like to suggest that with government involved, the definition of volunteering and service becomes way to narrow. I think of service as the full range of civic engagement activities that are vital to our communities and our democracy. I want a definition of service that includes showing up to testify at the public hearing, participating in the neighborhood association to watchdog zoning regulation enforcement, being a neighbor who routinely watches out for the elders next door, bearing silent witness, actively writing letters to protect individuals whose human rights are in danger, campaigning for your favorite candidate, volunteering in your professional association, servings as a little league coach, and all kinds of vitally needed professional expertise, professional services and management and administrative support services (from the board president or treasurer to marketing and pr support, etc).

By: robert egger

robert egger — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:52:28 +0000

Sean…there seems to be a big push for numbers (lots of volunteers) without two important discussions–”what do we want them to achieve (more painted shelter walls)?”, and “how will an already strapped nonprofit sector (CA nonprofits in particular) manage all these well intentioned volunteers, so that when they leave they feel like they had a real experience, versus…a bad one?”

Nonprofits are like migrant farm workers in this discussion. Everybody loves fresh fruit…but nobody is asking about those who ultimately have to get it to our shelves.

Without capacity support, which seems to also be missing from this dialogue, it will be VERY difficult for any group to really focus all this energy.

By: Kira Campo

Kira Campo — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:13:56 +0000

I would be interested to learn how multi-disciplinary design thinking and creative thought could be encouraged and built into the fabric of service initiatives.
Programs such as Stanford’s d.school K-12 initiative come to mind http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/k12/

Thank you.

By: Susan Detwiler

Susan Detwiler — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:02:59 +0000

Board members should keep their business heads on when making policy and providing direction, and not lose the common sense and business acumen they’ve acquired in their day jobs. The difference is that the bottom line is not profit, but mission. The rest should stay the same — strategic planning, cost/benefit analyses, hiring, investments.

By: Salerno

Salerno — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:28:01 +0000

National Service needs to do 2 things well, 1)actually deliver services (it is not just about youth/leadership training)and 2)find ways to scale high quality training to those serving and leading. I like model of technology cos in the 90’s with certification and training delivered by wide range of providers.