as you age are well documented. Aging adults can face a number of challenges, from loneliness to failing health, which is why volunteering with senior citizens is a great way to help them engage with the community. When multiple generations come together in service, it helps bridge the age gap and everyone can come away having learned something.
Why don’t we use the term elderly?
Rather than looking at situations or people from a deficit lens that prioritizes what’s missing or what’s wrong, Points of Light prioritizes language that focuses on strength and potential, known as asset-based language.
The term
elderly
can evoke negative connotations and contribute to bias and ageism. Therefore, we use the term
seniors
or
older adults
in our communications.
1. Visit an assisted living facility
Spend some quality time with someone who might not get a lot of visitors by planning a visit (or even better, regular visits) to an assisted living facility. Not sure what to do? Bring along a board game, a care package, a movie or a home-baked treat. You can also consider this time an opportunity to listen and learn. Hearing from perspectives other than your own not only helps broaden your horizons and make you a more educated person but it also helps seniors who are sharing their knowledge to feel heard and valued.
2. Assist with housework or yard work
It’s common for people not to realize that stopping by a senior neighbor’s house to see if they need support is a form of civic engagement. Simple things like helping with mowing the lawn, vacuuming or other household chores or projects can make a world of difference. If you notice that their home needs a specific repair, you could ask them if they’re wanting that task done soon and gently suggest calling a repair person. However, be mindful not to overstep, and respect the autonomy your neighbor has over their home.
3. Teach computer and internet skills
Help seniors stay connected by teaching them how to email their friends and family, check the news and use social media. You might also take this time to give tips on how to avoid scams and viruses.
Read about how Daily Point of Light honoree Esther Chan is helping spread awareness about internet scams in senior centers.
4. Help with errands and transportation
Once seniors can no longer drive, it becomes more challenging for them to maintain social lives or feel independent. If you can provide a safe and reliable means of transportation, you take them to the grocery store, hair salon, doctor’s appointments or anywhere else your senior friend or loved one may need to go.
5. Participate in an intergenerational service project
A great way to connect with seniors is to get civically involved together. There are many projects that people of all ages and abilities can do: sending care packages to military members, donating used clothes and books, participating in a community bake sale, gathering items for a back-to-school drive – the possibilities are endless!
To search for volunteer opportunities in your community or from home, check out Points of Light Engage.
5 Ways to Encourage Employees to Volunteer
One of my proudest work memories is not of a regular day on the job but of a service project I participated in. An hour or so into painting classroom walls, my supervisor pulled me aside.
“You draw, right?” she asked.
I said yes, and before I knew it, I was sketching the school mascot on the gym floor. Four years later, I still treasure the amount of responsibility I was given that day.
Volunteering can be a life-changing experience and an important chance for employees to build new skills. Plus, it’s a great way for your company to get involved in the communities where it does business. Not only can this activism demonstrably help community members and causes, but it can help the company’s social impact goals and potentially even its bottom line.
The data support the need for civic engagement and volunteerism in the workplace. According to Points of Light’s
on civic engagement, two-thirds of Americans believe companies should be involved in social issues. And more than half the public and 67% of small business owners agreed that
should take a stand on social issues. Consumers expect companies to act directly rather than asking customers to take action, and they will gauge the selflessness of a company’s efforts by the way it treats its employees.
But how do companies encourage employees to volunteer their time? The key is to build a culture of giving. Demonstrate that civic engagement and social good are priorities for your company. Here are five excellent approaches that will further engage your staff in volunteer work.
Not everyone can afford to volunteer off the clock, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to give back to their community. Including paid time off for volunteering – or the option to volunteer on company time – in your company’s benefit packages is a great way to show your staff that you care about them and the community.
According to the
– a recognition of the 50 most community-minded companies – also offered paid time off to volunteer. It’s clear: the more socially conscious companies tend to support their employees more in their social engagement efforts.
2. Communicate about volunteer opportunities.
If your employees aren’t volunteering, it may be because they don’t know where to start. Communication is the first step. Let your staff know if you offer paid time off for volunteering, and be sure to advertise upcoming service projects.
But think beyond bulletin boards and emails because different people consume information in different ways. Make announcements during meetings. Post opportunities on social media. Show videos of past service projects to get employees excited. Make signing up easy, and discuss carpooling or other transportation options that alleviate the burden of driving.
See how Daily Point of Light Awardee Danielle Williams helps match Bank of America employees for mentorship and support.
3. Assign leadership roles.
Volunteering is a great way to build skills and take on more responsibility. Plus, extra responsibility gives employees a sense of pride and ownership over their work.
Nominating a volunteer coordinator is a good place to start, but there are also ways to give volunteers leadership roles. Determine your employees’ strengths and draw from those skills for leadership opportunities. Here are just a few examples:
Ash draws cartoons in her spare time, so you invite them to create coloring pages for the after-school program with which your company partners.
Sebastian’s kids have food allergies, so you ask him to make a list of allergy-friendly suggestions for the company food drive.
Fatimah spent several years as a camp counselor, so you make her a team leader at your annual beach cleanup.
With a little creativity, almost anything can become a leadership opportunity
“Pressure and expectation for companies to be socially responsible has never been higher. Points of Light’s research offers some insights into those expectations and can help business leaders identify where to start as they align employee engagement and retention with CSR and talent development programs.”
— Katie Stearns, chief global corporate solutions officer at Points of Light
4. Offer a variety of options.
If all your company’s volunteer efforts focus on physical labor like painting or gardening, some workers are sure to be unable to take part. From reading with kids to coding websites, there’s a volunteer option for everyone. Employees can even partake in skills-based volunteering, using their accounting or translation skills to help a nonprofit organization or specific cause.
As you put together volunteer opportunities, it’s also important to consider employees’ different schedules. When planning volunteer events, include a balanced mix of daytime, evening and weekend events. And consider volunteer projects that can be completed in a day or over the course of several months. This approach can help your employees feel accomplished and motivated.
Check out
to search hundreds of thousands of in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities around the globe.
5. Record and reward good deeds.
Don’t let your staff’s hard work go unrecognized. Tracking and rewarding volunteer hours is a great way to make volunteers feel appreciated and encourage other employees to join in.
Financial compensation is an obvious reward if your company has the means. Taking volunteerism into account when awarding raises, promotions and bonus pay will really demonstrate your company’s commitment to the community. You can also reward top volunteers by making a donation in their names to the nonprofits of their choice.
“We all know that what is celebrated is replicated, which is exactly why recognizing and celebrating your volunteers is key to inspiring other employees to get involved. A volunteer recognition strategy is a path to communicating impact, boosting participation, shining a spotlight on causes, and reinforcing your company’s commitment to community.”
— Katie Stearns, chief global corporate solutions officer at Points of Light
Personal thanks: Handwritten thank-you cards or personalized emails with photos taken of them while volunteering can boost volunteer morale.
Public recognition: Designate a Volunteer of the Month spotlight or highlight your top volunteers’ accomplishments in the company newsletter or social media.
Special meals or outings: Host a special banquet, picnic or activity night for employees who volunteer.
Volunteer appreciation day: Dedicate a day to honoring the volunteers at your company. Set aside time to publicly award certificates or plaques to your top volunteers.
Encouraging employees to volunteer may take some concerted effort, but the benefits to your company, staff and community are well worth it. Once you establish a culture of giving at your company, volunteering will become second nature to your employees, and your collective impact will support your community’s ability to flourish.
This post was originally written in 2016 by
Sarah Landrum, founder of
Punched Clocks
, a site dedicated to sharing advice on navigating the work world, and has been updated by Points of Light to include new research and resources.
Empower Employees to Exercise their Purchase Power
At Points of Light, we believe that the most powerful driver of positive change is the individual. One person’s actions, no matter how small, can have an impact and change a life. And, together, our collective actions become a force that transforms the world.
We believe that we are at the dawn of a new era, one we are calling the “
.” When future generations look back on this time, they will see an era of sustained, meaningful civic engagement, fueled by a global community of people ready and willing to do good.
However, doing good comes in many forms. Today’s engaged person may express their desire to do good through the purchases they make, what they share on social media, where and how they choose to work, and which nonprofit organizations to support as a volunteer or donor.
Those different forms of doing good – an individual’s civic “superpowers” or the ways they positively engage in their community – are not left behind when they show up at work. In fact, a person’s employer may offer them the first opportunity to exercise their superpowers through a company’s social impact programs. As a corporate social responsibility leader, you play an integral role in empowering employees to realize and tap into their civic superpowers.
CIVIC SUPERPOWER: PURCHASE POWER
Purchase power represents an individual’s ability and influence when they make decisions around spending or consumption of goods or services. These purchasing decisions may reflect their values or advance a social cause or issue. Buyers may deliberately purchase or avoid purchasing a product or service based on a company’s policies, social causes, size and scale, environmental footprint and more.
As a social impact professional working for a brand that might sell goods or services – either B2B or B2C – you understand the correlation between corporate profits and corporate social responsibility. It continues to be proven that companies that do good also do well.
The consumers making socially responsible purchasing decisions are your neighbors and your fellow employees, and it’s imperative to educate them on the concept and provide them with opportunities to learn, act and grow. But, as leaders focused on just a few of the traditional forms of doing good like volunteering and donating over the last half century, how do we begin educating employees on the rest?
We’ve developed a few idea starters to help you enable fellow employees to understand the responsibility behind their purchasing choices and how they can make informed decisions, which in turn can have a positive impact on their neighborhood, on their community and the world.
Drive awareness and discussion to Empower Employees:
Read all about it! Points of Light published “Civic Life Today,” a digital magazine with a series of nine issues, each highlighting an individual’s civic superpowers and how they can activate them in their own life. We encourage you to review the issue on Purchase Power to better understand the concept and nuances related to purchase power and share it with colleagues.
Develop a Lunch & Learn webinar series around an individual’s civic superpowers that leads to learning and dialogue. Help employees connect their behaviors and purchasing choices to the bigger issues of climate action, diversity and equity, and economic empowerment. Begin by providing a basic primer for all of the ways an individual might engage in civic life. Then, transition to a segment or full webinar on purchase power. Discuss important topics like conscious consumerism, understanding the lifecycle of your purchase, and limiting purchasing through upcycling and recycling, or even bartering. Connect each webinar in the series to a grantee or a volunteer opportunity that reinforces these concepts. Remember the Points of Light team is also here to help, so reach out to us to see how we can partner.
Publish an interview with senior leaders from your procurement team to illustrate how the company approaches purchasing decisions. The formal habits of the company can give employees a framework for their own actions and demonstrate how decisions can play out at a macro level.
Spotlight the vendors, suppliers and business partners that your company has chosen to work with and how their values align with your corporate values through a blog or video series.
Invite an owner of a minority-owned business to share their story (at a virtual event, via company blog, etc.). Use this opportunity to remind employees why supporting small and minority-owned businesses is critical to the success of local communities.
Partner with your employee resource groups or affinity networks who may be hosting “courageous conversations” around issues of social justice, equity and inclusion. Encourage them to incorporate purchase power, privilege and equal access to wealth creation into their discussions. In the same vein, partner with your “green team” or sustainability champions to offer similar conversations on being eco-friendly.
Create a short video explaining the role of purchase power in communities and how employees can take action. Add this to leadership training or the volunteering/corporate citizenship or “empathy/purpose” curriculum in your company’s learning management system.
Send monthly communications or publish a series in your employee newsletter about becoming cause-driven consumers – especially as we march toward end-of-year holidays. These messages can align with themes throughout the year and provide resources for getting started. Remind employees that one of the most powerful things people can do at any income level is to be intentional about their purchases.
Provide resources:
Create guides that encourage informed purchasing decisions. These guides can be shared in alignment with events or campaigns throughout the year. For example, you can develop a guide that highlights companies or nonprofits that sell products or services that support your company’s impact areas, which could accompany announcements around your holiday giving activities. Another could highlight small or minority-owned businesses, which would be great assets to distribute during Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Veterans Day, or Small Business Saturday. Use corporate social media to promote local businesses that tie-in to that theme. Lastly, an Earth Day guide could focus on ways to shop for recycled, upcycled or donated goods, include local shopping choices with smaller footprints, and provide ways to find locations to donate or recycle.
Set up an employee-generated list on a shared server so employees from around the world can contribute to showcasing small, local or minority-owned businesses that align with your company’s values. When employees nominate a business, enter them into a raffle for prizes that emphasize exercising their purchase power responsibly. Remind employees to look for certification symbols while shopping like the Fairtrade mark or Forest Stewardship Council label.
Consider providing microloan lending platforms as another way to engage employees – or possibly customers – in your company’s social impact strategy. Investing in social entrepreneurs and small businesses around the world provides a pathway to their economic success.
Develop an informal employee “swap board” for those with personal goods or services they want to trade or recycle. Enlist a passionate environmental champion to lead this effort.
Showcase organizational values in action:
Highlight employee volunteer opportunities that support nonprofits that offer purchases with purpose, those that support the economic empowerment of minorities or those that provide small business consulting. Consider hosting a day of service that focuses solely on these things. Use Earth Day to promote environmental projects but also as a reminder to make informed purchasing decisions.
Build a skills-based mentoring program or offer community empowerment courses to help social entrepreneurs and small businesses – particularly those that are minority-owned or led – succeed. Concentrate on areas such as marketing, finance, supplier diversity or operations. Use the skills of your workforce to create the courses and encourage them to volunteer. Go a step further and offer micro loans or grants to participants.
Similarly, partner with a nonprofit that provides volunteer-led financial management training and consumer counseling to community members so they can become more financially literate and better optimize their purchase power.
The work doesn’t end here. While empowering employees to be smart consumers, it’s also imperative that your company walks the talk. How does your company determine who they are buying from for big and small purchases? Are vendors and business partners diverse, led by minorities and giving back to the communities where they operate? Are they following sound business and labor practices? Do their values align with your company’s values?
You may not be responsible for many corporate purchasing activities, but as a leader who understands and believes in social change, this might be an opportune time to influence other business leaders.
First, start with what you have control over. Where are you sourcing your volunteer t-shirts, supplies or lunches and snacks for group projects and in-person events? Are your recognition items and other branded tchotchkes purchased with sustainability in mind, or from companies who employ those that are differently abled or members of marginalized communities? Can you promote any of these vendors with aligned values through social media? Imagine the effect that would have on a much smaller business.
Then, think of your closest internal partners. When HR needs to roll out new programs and are thinking of sourcing items, remind them of the purchase power the company wields. If your company has partnerships with companies that provide employees with discounts to their goods and services, are those vendors socially responsible? Start the conversation with the team in charge. Most importantly, create case studies on successes to share with your business partners and fellow CSR leaders that demonstrate it can be done.
As you begin to weave an individual’s civic superpowers into your company’s social impact strategies, you are strengthening the social fabric of communities around the world. Your access to and leadership of hundreds of potential changemakers, possibly hundreds of thousands, gives us hope for a better tomorrow.
Bergen Volunteers Seeks to Strengthen Communities and Improve Lives
operates with innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations that serve more than 145 affiliates across 39 countries around the world. Together, we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent and resources to create positive change in their communities. We spoke with Melissa Heule from
, a Points of Light affiliate in Hackensack, N.J., to discuss volunteer retention. Bergen Volunteers provides human service and training programs to improve lives and strengthen communities. The organization provides critical services to youth, families, veterans, seniors and those who are economically disadvantaged in the community. They also connect volunteers with their own programs and those offered by the nonprofit community.
How is your organization engaging volunteers this year?
We have partnered with more than 90 local agencies in helping them amplify their efforts, promote events, connect with the right volunteers and offer support. We also have a dozen in-house programs for our community from kids’
, to financial advice, tax preparation, handiwork and errands services for seniors and those with limited means. We’re highlighting all of our programs and sharing thanks ahead of our spring campaigns.
How are you engaging with volunteers to inspire them to participate in community service activities?
We reach them through social media, newsletters, mailings, special events, corporate outreach, community outreach, long standing connections with leaders in the county and surrounding areas, business networking, press releases, schools, towns, word of mouth and youth-oriented groups.
What resources or tools are you providing to volunteers to help them get involved in their community?
We offer program training sessions, background checks, various promotions, celebrations, donated goods to give out to program participants (like books and wellness items), announcements, partnerships, corporate funds, grants for our programs and more.
What role does volunteerism play in your organization’s overall mission and objectives?
We have a small staff but support 8,000 county citizens, donate $1,000 worth of goods, collect hundreds of bags, books and supplies and also fundraise.
We offer services to those who wouldn’t have had access to many of these programs. Our volunteers also participate, often times, as clients and as multi-level volunteers addressing our daily needs and overall program goals.
Share one success story of a volunteer (or a group of volunteers) in your community who have made a significant impact.
It’s always gratifying to hear from people we’ve had the opportunity to work with. You can share our joy in some notes of appreciation we received throughout 2022 on
What are some future plans for your organization to continue promoting volunteerism and civic engagement?
We have a long-standing Bergen LEADS community civics program where area residents and workers get exclusive access to government and public agencies, have Q&A discussions with leaders and come up with an annual capstone project solving an issue in the county. They present them in a public forum, and the winning idea implements them in year two. We hope to expand social services with more volunteer offerings.
Can you share any tips or best practices for other organizations looking to recognize volunteers?
Share stories. Match skills, schedules and desires with appropriate volunteer opportunities. Stay organized, cross-promote, have a supportive staff and come up with creative ways to grow and show off all that an organization can accomplish, especially through adversity.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through volunteerism?
Don’t see limitations as an end. Learn how to take advantage of compatible programs like “Redefining Retirement.” Our volunteer, and 30+ year retired music teacher used to volunteer in the handiwork program until back issues gave him trouble. He now supports clients with scheduling and loves keeping in contact with amazing folks in our area. Many of our volunteers have extensive law, education, professional, healthcare, wellness and parenting backgrounds and that knowledge supports our programs. Many feel they get more out of the program that they give. Volunteerism is great for
Support Your Company’s NGO Partners by Investing in Volunteer Engagement
As the world closes out the first half of the year, leaders in corporate social responsibility may begin thinking about how to maximize the remainder of their company’s social impact budget. More than likely, their thoughts turn to determining how to use it in support of their employee volunteer engagement goals.
At Points of Light, we encourage these leaders to think of the many ways they rely on their grantees and nonprofit partners to provide meaningful, relevant and impactful employee volunteer programs to support their company’s social impact strategy. There is no better way to ensure that those community organizations have the right resources and infrastructure in place to create these service opportunities than by investing in volunteer engagement.
Consider the amount of effort, assets and staff time that goes into having volunteer opportunities at the ready. While many companies employ volunteer leaders who help plan and manage projects for their colleagues, there are often unseen costs to the nonprofit partner. When corporate volunteers go hand-in-hand with budget to support their work, so much more can be achieved. Funds can be used for volunteer management training, expanding the ways volunteers support an organization’s mission or even recruitment materials to welcome in community volunteers.
The Funders Guide to Investing in Volunteer Engagement, a 2017 ground-breaking resource from The Leighty Foundation, gives grantmakers and nonprofit organizations common data and common language to jointly create innovative strategies to better utilize critical volunteer energy for the good of our communities. A strategic investment in building organizational capacity to engage volunteers can leave an impact that far outlasts a one-off corporate volunteer project.
We invite everyone involved in corporate social impact and employee volunteering to read The Funders Guide for more compelling reasons to include these types of investments in grantmaking plans for the rest of this year and beyond. To access more research around this topic, check out the 2022 report, “Investing in Strategic Volunteer Engagement: A Qualitative Study” which explores the dichotomy between the need for more volunteers and adequate funding to engage and manage them.
Our thanks to The Leighty Foundation for continuing to champion and bring to light the importance of effective volunteer engagement in the nonprofit sector.
3 Ways People of All Ages Can Make the Most of International Youth Day
August 12 is International Youth Day, a United Nations effort to celebrate youth activists, combat ageism and help bridge gaps between generations working toward the same change.
No matter your age, it’s likely you’ve questioned your ability to make a difference. Our research shows that 73% of people believe that volunteering is more important than ever, yet 66% think they can’t make a big impact in their communities. Activists on the ground prove otherwise. That’s why we recognize thousands of volunteers for their contributions to their communities through t
“Points of Light’s research found that Gen Z is the most civically engaged generation to date. Our youth honorees demonstrate that people of all ages can strengthen communities and solve persistent problems,” says Diane Quest, interim CEO, Points of Light.
To inspire you to action this
International Youth Day
, we are sharing stories of youth honorees, along with three elements from the Points of Light Civic Circle®, a framework for helping people to become more civically engaged.
Volunteer
Nonprofit organizations and NGOs need volunteer power to deliver support to the communities they collaborate with. If you’re an adult wanting to facilitate youth volunteerism, consider organizing a youth-specific event or helping transport the young people in your life to an event. To find a volunteer opportunity that aligns with your interests and availability, check out
, a database with hundreds of thousands of in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities.
The power of volunteering shines when considering Daily Point of Light Award honoree Nate Buescher, a high schooler who prepares food for a local food pantry and distributes home-cooked meals to tent cities around Chicago. Buescher began fighting food insecurity at age 7 with the Honeycomb Project. Today, he mentors younger volunteers while maintaining his own service projects.
Voice
The youth voice is vital, pointing us to which concerns are most important to future world leaders and helping broaden perspectives. Use your voice to advocate for causes you care about by posting on social media, attending a rally or contacting a government leader. Adults can amplify youth voices by sharing with their networks, or organizing forums for youth to be seen and heard.
Seventeen-year-old Daily Point of Light Award honoree
used his voice when organizing a rally of fellow activists on the Washington State Capitol steps to support legislation protecting the Chinook salmon and orca populations. He also regularly addresses state legislators and travels statewide to speak to K-12 students about environmental issues.
Listen and Learn
Social justice and environmental issues are nuanced, involving many people with different perspectives shaped by their own experiences. Listening and learning is one way to honor others’ lived experiences and get a fuller scope of an issue.
Young people can commit to thoroughly researching causes they care about, talking to those working toward solutions and holding space for those impacted. Adults can connect with the young people in their lives, inviting dialogue that allows for sharing different perspectives and finding common ground.
These are the driving ideas behind the work of high schooler Kristie To, who became a leading force in Asian American racial justice when she founded
. Among the initiatives of her nonprofit is distributing Asian history and Asian American Pacific Islander civil rights curriculum to children.
“Cultural sensitivity starts with exposure, and that’s what we’re trying to do with these elementary schoolers,” says To.
To learn about other avenues for social engagement for International Youth Day and all year round, check out the Points of Light Civic Circle by visiting
“There are many formal channels for civic engagement, but simple actions make a difference too,” says Quest. “Whether it’s carrying groceries in for a neighbor or donating books to the library, the important thing is to get started when you see a need in your community.”
Key Takeaways on Education and Literacy Development from Points of Light’s Research
It’s back-to-school season in many parts of the world, it’s natural to begin thinking more about education, its place in our society, and how well it’s serving people in its current state. There is nothing quite as important in building resilient communities and future leaders as education and access to education. Education equips young individuals with literacy development, critical thinking and reasoning capacities, and so much more that will serve them throughout their lives.
But education isn’t always a straightforward cause area, and many people are concerned about policies, funding and curriculum across today’s education landscape.
As back-to-school season ramps up, we are looking at some takeaways from
Education was one of the top five issue areas of concern across all four countries surveyed by Points of Light. This is perhaps unsurprising given the particular impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education systems. At one point, 94% of children were out of school, and this will have a rippling effect for years to come. It’s no wonder that 40% of Gen Z respondents, born from 1997 to 2012, said this was an area of top concern, as they were the generation most directly impacted.
Making strides in education can mean getting involved in a variety of ways including
to support educators and advocate for school-aged children.
But if we are to make the greatest possible impact, we must take into account the early education systems as well. These are the institutions responsible for educating children in some of their most formative years providing social, emotional and cognitive skills to become lifelong learners.
See how computer science student Karnika Choudhury is passing on coding skills to youth with learning disabilities.
Interests in Education vs. Early Education
When asked about cause areas of top concern, 36% of people reported being concerned about education when compared to other issues. However, that number was cut in half when it came to early education, which only 18% of respondents cited as an area of top concern, when compared to other issues.
Learn more about retired teacher Suzanne Bergman, who spent her career working in early childhood education and now tutors under-resourced children with New Horizons of Southwestern Florida.
Gender Divides in Concern About Education
When examined further, there was a distinct gender divide in the respondents showing concern for early education vs. education in general. When it came to early education, women reported being more concerned (at 21%) than men (at 15%). However, in the more general education category, these statistics were neck-and-neck, with 37% of women and 35% of men reporting education as an area of top concern.
Generational Differences in Perspectives on Education
Gender wasn’t the only factor contributing to different responses across education. There was also a generational divide. While 36% of Baby Boomers expressed interest in the more general education category – making them the second most concerned, out of the four generations polled. However, only 13% of Baby Boomers expressed interest in early education, ranking them last for this category, and significantly lower than any other generation, despite the well-documented lifelong benefits of early childhood education.
See how book-lover Teresa Gerald is spreading access to resources and supporting literacy in her local library system.
Education stands as a cornerstone for building resilient communities and nurturing the next generation of capable leaders. The good news is, there are ways to support education by voting for supportive policies, volunteering in classrooms and after-school programs, advocating for educators, and serving on school boards. Plus, by recognizing the significance of early education, we can ensure a solid foundation for childhood development. Bridging the gender and generational gaps in concerns about education will lead to a more cohesive and impactful approach. As back-to-school season approaches, it’s a time for a renewed commitment to education and early education, empowering our communities and ensuring a brighter future for everyone. By combining elements of the Points of Light Civic Circle®, we can amplify our impact and inspire real and sustainable change.
See how self-taught student from Afghanistan Nessar Hekmatjo is helping other displaced students adjust to life in the United States.
Want to keep diving? Take a look at these topics to find out how you can leverage our research to take civic action in your own community:
The Most Effective Ways to Donate to Disaster Relief
Disasters can occur year round, ranging from hurricanes to tornadoes, tsunamis to fires, floods to earthquakes and more. While disasters are undoubtedly devastating events for individuals, communities and the environment, they offer the opportunity to bring people together in support and solidarity for those affected. But donating to disaster relief isn’t always a cut-and-dry process. In fact, if not done with the right education and direction, donations to disaster relief efforts can actually hinder progress.
Fortunately, by being educated in best practices, you can more responsibly donate to disaster relief. Here are some insights and resources to help you make better decisions about how, when and where you donate when disaster strikes in a community you care about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fZF4geMoCQ
Start With Education
It makes sense that when people hear about, read about or experience firsthand a disaster, they want to jump in right away. This is, in fact, encouraging, as it shows the willingness of individuals and groups to rally around those in need.
However, before getting involved,
is always the first step. When you start with getting educated on what happened, what is needed and who is working toward solutions, you can more effectively channel energy and resources toward the need. When disaster strikes, follow the guidance of experts and impacted communities before taking action.
“Figure out before how you’re going to help your community,” advised Chris Cameron, executive director of HandsOn New Orleans, at the 2023 Points of Light Conference. “Know what you need to do, and work to serve.”
If you’re in the United States, you can start by searching for your local disaster management municipality, officials and community leaders using the national database from
to ensure that any organization you’re donating to is tax exempt, as unfortunately, fraud becomes more prevalent during times of disaster response. Finally, an internet search for ‘How to Help [disaster name]’ will often yield results from local news media that have taken the time to aggregate the top 5-10 ways people can help. These items can range from volunteering to blood donation to feeding the survivors, to animal adoption and supplies based on the community’s changing needs.
Donate What’s Needed
In the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, first responders and response organizations need to take the lead. Also important to keep in mind: this is not a time for individuals to mobilize without the call from experts. While it’s noble and necessary to share your time and talent through volunteering, wait until response organizations have put the call out inviting that type of involvement from the public. Read more about the role of volunteers in humanitarian disasters from the International Association for Volunteer Effort. This impactful organization is helping to prepare volunteers, both mentally and physically, to lend support throughout all four disaster phases.
While in-kind donations – goods and services – may be helpful at some point, monetary donations allow the response experts to do the most good possible. In fact, there have been situations where hundreds or thousands of in-kind donations were left at disaster sites, unable to be used and requiring clean-up efforts. In some cases, due to lack of people power, these donations actually sat for months before disposal, contributing to pollution.
So remember, in the wake of a disaster, monetary donations are the best way to contribute in order for organizations to best respond to rapidly changing conditions on the ground. Disaster relief funds allow organizations to obtain the specific tools and equipment they may need, including things like personal protective equipment (PPE), emergency vehicles and fuel, medical supplies and more. A disaster response organization will be able to properly allocate these funds based on the quantity needed, rather than sorting, transporting and shipping a host of in-kind donations.
“For many of us, it’s not a question of if but when a natural disaster will impact our community. Our goal is to equip individuals and communities with the tools and information they need to build disaster resilience,” said Megan Bultman, manager of The Allstate Foundation.
It’s not just what happens after a disaster that makes an impact. Actions taken before a disaster occurs have a significant impact on how severely a natural disaster impacts a community and its people. These actions – big and small – can help build the resiliency of a community. From
that support infrastructure improvements to regularly donating blood, every action matters.
Disasters present an opportunity for solidarity and support, but responsible giving is vital. You can equip yourself with the knowledge you need to be a responsible contributor before and in the wake of a disaster by checking out resources from experts. Educate yourself on the situation, needs and expert guidance before taking action. The most effective thing you can do is to be proactive in building community resiliency, starting today.
Designing an International Employee Volunteer Program: 8 Essential Tips for CSR Leaders
Establishing an effective international employee volunteer program (EVP) is a valuable endeavor for corporate social impact leaders. With three decades of insights from working with diverse businesses, we’ve gathered several essential tips to help you navigate the complexities of building a global program. Let’s explore these recommendations, which will enable your company to engage employees around the world in making a positive impact.
Alignment and Adaptability: Decide whether to fully align your program globally under one strategy, focus area or goals or allow for total customization, considering the unique needs and cultural nuances of each country. Either way, strive for a balance between a unified mission and local adaptations. Avoid imposing American values and recognize that what works in one country may not be effective in another.
Budgets and Resources: Think through how you might implement budgets, tracking systems, and reporting tools to empower local teams but also stay knowledgeable about what’s happening should you be leading this work from the U.S. This approach enables efficient program management and encourages ownership at the grassroots level. Provide comprehensive information and training on volunteer recruitment and retention along with project management basics. Stay connected and involved by equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills and tools.
Cultural Sensitivity and Legal Knowledge: Be sensitive to individual cultures and familiarize yourself with the laws governing volunteering in each country. Respect and understand cultural differences to ensure the program’s success and compliance with local regulations. You’ll find that employees in some countries are reticent to share information about their volunteer work or prefer to volunteer independent of their employer. Check out our blog that describes some of those cultural nuances.
Executive Buy-In: Secure executive leadership buy-in and visible endorsement of the global program. When leaders demonstrate their support, employees are more likely to participate and understand that community engagement aligns with company values and is a top priority – for the business, for employees and for the communities where your company operates.
Start Small for Big Wins: Consider starting off with a pilot program in a country that shows strong potential for success. Consider factors such as language similarities, existing business relations and partnerships, organizational structures, and a history of employee volunteerism. Set realistic goals to build momentum.
Leadership and Communication: Rely on local knowledge and leadership to foster a sense of ownership and engagement. Establish a global communication structure to ensure consistent messaging and facilitate knowledge sharing among participants worldwide.
Motivation and Empowerment: Structure the EVP to motivate and empower local employees to take charge of their programs and partnerships. Implement multi-faceted recognition strategies, including awards and matching programs that can help your company tell its story of global social impact.
External Resources and Partnerships: Seek assistance from knowledgeable resources, organizations, and individuals who understand local cultures and laws. Collaborate with community leaders and select NGOs compatible with your company’s values, social impact mission, and strategic goals.
By following these essential tips, CSR leaders can create a successful international employee volunteer program that respects cultural differences, fosters local ownership, and empowers employees worldwide. Balancing global alignment with flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and effective leadership will help your organization make a meaningful difference in communities around the globe.
Start your company’s journey toward a global movement of positive change today by
operates with innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations that serve more than 145 affiliates across 39 countries around the world. Together, we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent and resources to create positive change in their communities. We spoke with Edie Falk from
, a Points of Light affiliate in Buffalo, New York, to discuss volunteer retention.
The Service Collaborative of WNY seeks to give opportunities to people who choose to dedicate time in their lives to service. Using a hands-on approach, TSCWNY addresses needs of individuals and organizations, leveraging strengths to build stronger communities. The organization’s
is a shining example of a volunteer retention effort. Read more to learn about this effort and how TSCWNY engages its volunteers.
How is your organization engaging volunteers this year?
One of the programs that TSC runs is called Beds for Buffalo. This program engages participants from our other programs, alongside community volunteers and corporate teams, to make and distribute twin-sized beds and bedding to families surviving poverty. Some of our volunteers have repeatedly worked with the project for several years. We will be highlighting their wonderful commitment to this project and honoring them across social media, as well as getting them special treats.
How are you engaging with volunteers to inspire them to participate in community service activities?
We really try to show volunteers the impact that their work has in our community. Younger children lacking beds is a larger issue than anyone would expect, and physically helping to build the furniture itself is a really inspirational act.
What resources or tools are you providing to volunteers to help them get involved in their community?
To get our volunteers involved, we teach them about woodshop safety, show them how to use certain tools for their portion of the project, and guide them through the construction process!
What role does volunteerism play in your organization’s overall mission and objectives?
All of TSCWNY’s programs involve volunteering in some capacity. Whether it’s community volunteering with Beds for Buffalo or committing to a year of national service through one of our AmeriCorps programs, we’re really a volunteer-centric organization. Without all of our members and participants who sign up to volunteer, the work that we do simply could not happen.
Share one success story of a volunteer (or a group of volunteers) in your community who have made a significant impact.
Our Beds for Buffalo program has had a really dedicated group of volunteers from HSBC since the project’s inception in 2017. We have about four volunteers who have shown up time and time again to help build beds for children in our community who desperately need them and who have come to have a deep understanding of the issue. They’ve also done an amazing job of pushing the project to other corporate volunteers that they work with.
Can you share any tips or best practices for other organizations looking to recognize and retain volunteers?
Reflecting on all of the volunteers who have assisted in getting our projects off of the ground and to where they are now has been wonderful. If you already have a dedicated volunteer base, taking the time to plan ways to really highlight their commitment is a great place to start.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through volunteerism?
Reach out to local organizations that are doing things that you’re interested in and see what opportunities they might have for you. A lot of cities and towns also have volunteer boards that post opportunities regularly.
