From today’s Tennessean:

“Our local officials understood the need for that function years ago and put it in place,” Hands On Nashville Executive Director Brian Williams said. “If they hadn’t signed off on it, we would have (organized) volunteers, but it wouldn’t have had near the impact, because we would have been doing it on our own.”

In the three weeks since the flood, 15,155 people have participated in flood-related volunteer programming coordinated by Hands On Nashville. That’s nearly one-third of the organization’s total volunteer output in 2009. The group has 21,006 new Facebook followers and 3,086 new Twitter followers, which has helped recruit even more volunteers.

Locally, the arrangement with the city has brought new attention to the small organization, which was founded as a grass-roots effort in 1991 but until a month ago was still not a well-known community entity.

A story about the incredible work that Hands On Nashville is doing to coordinate the volunteer efforts in the aftermath of the May flood:

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This post is the second installment of a weekly series previewing the topics that will be discussed at CNM’s May 18th Nonprofit Conference: Bridge to Excellence. Click here to register for this exciting day long learning event featuring keynote speaker Dan Pallotta, author of Uncharitable .

Brian Williams  is Executive Director of Hands On Nashville, a recognized leader in programs, partnerships and services that maximize volunteer impact for youth, adult, corporate, and nonprofit constituencies in the greater Nashville community. Each year, Hands On Nashville refers or places 34,000 volunteers to projects in more than 300 area service agencies and schools. He will be conducting a breakout session entitled “The Successful Use of Volunteers” at the conference.

Road to the Conference: Featured Presenter, Brian Williams

Effectively Utilizing Volunteers

“Their niceness will let you recruit a volunteer

but only your competence will let you keep them.” – Anonymous

 2010 has been declared the year of the volunteer.  Interest in and a desire to “engage” in all aspects of volunteerism and service is on the rise nationally, and we are no different here in the Volunteer State.  People in our communities are seeking volunteer placements, but are we prepared?  Are we investing our resources, time, talent, and finances in a manner to support the interest?  And, are we willing to allow ourselves, our agencies and our services to be stretched to allow volunteerism into all aspects of our agencies?

While we won’t solve these issues here hopefully the following will serve as building blocks for our collective and individual volunteer utilization success.

 Assess your commitment to utilizing volunteers

 - Have you invested in a volunteer coordinator or other volunteer management resource?

When organizations invest in a volunteer coordinator or volunteer management resource like Hands On Nashville, they build their capacity to effectively utilize volunteers and improve their ability to retain volunteers.

- Have you considered different activities that volunteers can perform within your organization?

Developing “volunteer position descriptions” is one of the best practices for volunteer management. These descriptions can help you recruit the right volunteers for your organization.

When organizations provide a variety of opportunities that allow volunteers to utilize existing skills and develop new ones, they are more likely to engage individuals in rewarding volunteer

experiences.

- Do you have buy-in from your staff for incorporating volunteers into different aspects of your organization?

- Does everyone understand that volunteers can be used not only for mailings but also for IT resources, public relations, strategic planning, or any number of skilled tasks?

Continue reading ‘Road to the Conference: Featured Presenter, Brian Williams’

This column from Brian Williams of Hands On Nashville and Lewis Lavine of CNM ran in today’s Tennessean:

Last year, Hands On Nashville set an agency record by connecting 34,000 volunteers with community service agencies. In a year when more people were struggling to make ends meet, it would have been understandable to see a decline in volunteerism. Instead, Hands On Nashville saw just the opposite.

This says something profound about our community. In a year when the need was at its peak and people were struggling with the economic meltdown, Nashvillians reached out to help each other.

With the creation of new opportunities for citizens’ involvement, this year is shaping up to build on that record-breaking trend. In January, Nashville was awarded a “Cities of Service Leadership Grant” from the Rockefeller Foundation; the Mayor’s Office announced a program that allows city employees to trade work hours for service in public schools; and the Attorney General’s Office released a new “Guidebook for Tennessee Nonprofits” for board members.

Hands On Nashville and the Center for Nonprofit Management are keeping the volunteerism trend rolling by launching OnBoard, an initiative that connects prospective board members with nonprofits in need of their skills.

OnBoard gives individuals the opportunity to learn about the nonprofit sector and key topics and trends within it from the center’s expert trainers. Participants will walk away from the training session understanding the purpose and leadership responsibilities of board members, the financial practices of nonprofits, and their roles in the community as spokesmen and fundraisers. Then, Hands On Nashville will work to place them with agencies in need of their specific skills as board members.

OnBoard keeps alive the spirit of this special year of service, and it meets a community need. Area nonprofits frequently tell us that they are searching for skilled board members of all ages and backgrounds to help guide their organizations in this unique volunteer capacity. OnBoard gets individuals ready for immediate service; it complements and supplements the work of the Young Leaders Council, which prepares young adults for board service through extensive training and internships.

These volunteer programs and initiatives are all coming together because of the Middle Tennessee community’s unique spirit. Hands On Nashville, the Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Mayor’s Office all see what Nashville can become if we harness our energy to increase the community’s vibrancy. Take advantage of the myriad of opportunities to give back, and help us make 2010 the Year of the Volunteer!

From Hands On Nashville:

The Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards recognize individuals and groups who have selflessly given their time and talents to improve the lives of others in Middle Tennessee. Mary Catherine Strobel was a community volunteer known for her compassion and generosity. She helped start numerous charitable efforts in our community and led a life of service work with homeless, impoverished and those less fortunate. These annual awards were created to honor her memory and celebrate her legacy of service.

The luncheon will be held on April 6 at the Franklin Marriott Hotel Cool Springs Conference Center. Tickets for the event are just $35 per person and a table of 10 can be purchased for $350. This luncheon provides an excellent opportunity for you to show appreciation to your volunteers without having to do all the planning.

Now is the time to nominate your volunteers – individuals and/or groups for the distinguished Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards. This year we have updated several of the categories to better represent the commitment and extraordinary service of your volunteers. Also, we are pleased to announce a new category – Corporate Service Project – to recognize volunteer projects developed and/or completed by corporate business groups. Year after year, volunteers say that they feel incredibly honored just to be nominated for these awards.

Visit www.hon.org for more information about the nominating process and to download the 2010 Nomination Instructions and Form.

All nominations are due by February 10.

Awards luncheon is April 6. (Formal invitations will be mailed in March.)

If you have questions, please contact:

Ramsey Raybeck
Corporate Relations and Special Events Manager
Hands On Nashville
615.298.1108 ext. 111
ramsey@hon.org

Vote today to help Hands On Nashville win “Mark of Distinction”:

Everyday between now and August 24, Hands On Nashville needs your vote. HON is one of 10 national finalists for the Markham Mark of Distinction, a program of Markham Vineyards that provides two, $25,000 awards to outstanding programs that spark community change.

Vote here today, and select Hands On Nashville.

HON can send you a daily reminder with a direct link to the voting page. If you would like to receive this, please click here now.

If HON receives the Markham Mark of Distinction, funds will support a volunteer-driven food reclamation program at the Nashville Famers’ Market called Good Food for Good People. This project takes usable food items from the Famers’ Market to area feeding programs and compost sites.

Be the Change. Vote Hands On Nashville Everyday!

http://www.markhammarkofdistinction.com

Hands On Nashville, the Metro Public Health Department, and the Office of the Mayor have asked CNM to disseminate the following information:

In response to the increased awareness of the new H1N1 influenza strain, commonly know as “Swine Flu,” the Metro Public Health Department is providing posters that can be downloaded in Spanish and English. They illustrate everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Posters are provided in both English and Spanish and are made to print on 11″ x 17” paper. Please distribute broadly.

Beyond the distribution of the provided poster, the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management has requested no action be taken by the nonprofit community at this time.

Metro has activated a partial Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and VOAD is being represented by its president, Brian Williams. They are closely monitoring this situation.

Please check the blog daily for any new information from Metro Nashville government.

Hands On Nashville has announced their nominees for the Mary Catherine Strobel Awards. The annual event has been honoring area volunteers for the past 23 years. Click here to read the list of nominations as reported in the Tennessean.

Over the last two decades, the Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards have grown to become Middle Tennessee’s largest, annual luncheon that recognizes individuals and groups who have selflessly given their time and talent to improve their community.

This luncheon provides an excellent opportunity for you to show appreciation to your volunteers without having to do all the planning. Tickets to the luncheon are just $35 per person and a table of 10 is $350. Consider treating your star volunteers to a memorable and inspiring luncheon given in their honor. You may view the invitation and the registration card from these links, or contact Amy Maloney at 615.298.1108 ext. 110 or amy@hon.org.