Afflicting the Comfortable or Staying Comfortable: What’s Your Choice?
Today’s guest post is written by Jill Friedman Fixler, speaker at our National Conference of Volunteering and Service this June. Cowling is a nationally known leader recognized for her innovative approaches to re-inventing, re-engineering, and re-vitalizing nonprofit and public sector organizations
.
As a nonprofit consultant I often joke that my role is to afflict the comfortable. I am often taken back that so many organizations are satisfied with comfort when the world is changing at such an unprecedented rate. What worked well five years ago may be only marginally working today. And somehow we are content with this. In my view, this is the definition of insanity—trying the same thing over and over again and expecting the same result.
Volunteer programs do this a lot. Virtually every volunteer program in this country was built on what traditionalist volunteers (adults born before 1946) have been willing to contribute. They represent the loyalist generation who work for and appreciate the 20 year pin, who work tirelessly for organizations doing what is asked of them, and who have carried many organizations to this point in history. As the traditionalist population ages out of the marketplace, the volunteers who are replacing them (b=Boomers, Xers, and Millennials) expect their volunteer experiences to fit their schedules to utilize their skills, and to have immediate impact.
Volunteer engagement professionals are at the epicenter of this change. So many of them tell me that they recognize they must do things differently but they are waiting for permission slips that never come. I say, “What are you waiting for?” I recommend starting somewhere in your own practice. Stop being comfortable, take some risks, and try out some new volunteer engagement strategies. Ask yourself these questions:
Am I leading the change I wish to see?
Do I engage high impact volunteers in my work? In my department? Throughout the organization?
Is our volunteer program diverse for age, ethnicity and gender?
What are the opportunities to utilize skilled volunteers in my department? What help can I use to accomplish my goals for the year, that align with organizational strategic priorities and/or can fulfill my dreams for the organization?
Who are the champions for volunteers that I work most closely with? How can I engage them in the changes I want to make?
Once I make the change, how will I know I have been successful? What are the benchmarks for success? What is replicable and sustainable outside of my department?
How will I tell my story of change? Who will I tell?
In order to make the change, you will need to see your role differently. The task moves from maintaining the status quo to leading the change you wish to see. It will take letting go of the ways you have always worked, suspending what you know in exchange for experimenting with new volunteer engagement strategies, and planning for a different outcome for your work. It is always best to start small and start in areas where you know you will be successful, as success breeds more success.
Let’s face it, we can wait for change to happen to us or we can embrace change and make it happen. I know what I would choose. How about you?
There are so many great sessions at this year’s conference and so many great things to do and see in Chicago that finding time to get it all in can be difficult. After you hit the
for a few pictures, the day is gone and you’ve forgotten to eat.
Fear not, intrepid traveler, because Chicago has some great restaurants. Chicago also has a lot of popular food trucks! Many of them don’t have a set schedule so that they can travel around the city bringing delicious food to people around the city, so if one sounds interesting reach out and let them know you’re coming!
A lot of the trucks don’t have schedules set all the way out to mid-June for conference, but I bet if we start asking them nicely, they’ll make a stop by McCormick Place to share their food with locals and conference attendees!
There’s nothing quite like food slung out of the back of a Jeep. Local ingredients, family recipes, and hard work power the Schnitzel King to his throne. While he’s no
Imagine everything you lovebout food stuffed into a flaky pastry crust. That’s right, a pot pie you can eat with your hands. They update their location on the
Where can you find the truck that brings you cupcakes? At the intersection of oohh and aahh, according to their site. If you’re a fan of traditional flavors, or something less traditional (the Curious George is a banana chocolate cupcake with a light, salted caramel Italian buttercream frosting) then this truck will be right up your alley. And if you miss the truck you can visit the
Yes, it’s a truck, but wouldn’t it be great if it were actually a rocket? Either way, if you’re looking for great Mexican food served by a guy in a Lucha Libre mask, then get on board the spaceship. They have set locations for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but they post on their
where they’ll be on Mondays. Let them know you want them to land at NCVS!
These are just a few of the food trucks we’ve heard about in Chicago. If you’re looking for something else, check out this
will host a variety of sessions focused on best practices in health and wellness. Sessions will be divided into thirteen different tracks, to allow attendees to plan accordingly.
Check out all the sessions focused on
Health and Wellness
at this year’s conference.
Getting Our Kids Moving Again: Small Steps to Fight Childhood Obesity
Monday, June 18, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Session ID: 2853
A discussion with Larry Soler, CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America and Lynne Vaughan, YMCA’s chief innovation officer, to think creatively about how youth programs, whether focused on reading, writing or rebuilding, can help kids move more.
Speaker(s):
Corporate Giving Gardens: The Ultimate Onsite Volunteer Project – Let’s Get Growing
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2409
Talk about a revolution, corporate campuses are sprouting gardens. Be inspired by Minnesota’s first-ever corporate giving garden, and learn how more than 20 Twin Cities corporations now grow more than 10,000 pounds of fresh produce annually to feed the hungry.
Speaker(s):
Changing Lives through Community and Youth Gardening
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Session ID: 3018
Thinking about building a community or youth garden? Learn to plan sustainable community and youth gardens and understand solutions to common challenges. Gain tips on organizing volunteers and teaching children about food and nutrition.
Speaker(s):
The Garden of Feedin’: Creating and Sustaining Youth Vegetable Gardens
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2835
Learn to build and sustain successful vegetable gardens in local schools and youth centers utilizing volunteers and community organizations. This session will cover funding, planning, logistics and program implementation for sustaining youth gardens.
Speaker(s):
Volunteering the Sesame Way: Mobilizing Communities to Ease the Challenges of Food Insecurity
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time: 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2513
Join Sesame Workshop in supporting food insecure families. You will learn how to utilize volunteers to create educational workshops around food insecurity and help families discover ways to eat healthy on a budget.
Speaker(s):
to join an elite group of practitioners, thought leaders and innovators in Chicago.
Business at the National Conference on Volunteer and Service
Want to know why your employee volunteer program is important to your business? Or how strategic volunteering aligns with employee leadership and development? Register for the
Corporate Volunteer Councils (CVC): Top Five Challenges to Effective CVCs
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Time: 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2666
What hot issues is your Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) dealing with right now? Join this pre-conference session to hear more about the top five challenges that CVCs are facing and how others are addressing the same issues.
A Billion + Change: Leading Service and Inspiring Change
Monday, June 18, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Session ID: 2927
Hear from A Billion + Change companies and thought leaders that have joined this national campaign to inspire pro bono and skills-based service. Join us as we celebrate new pledge companies, share best practices and move toward innovative service.
Your official welcome to the 2012 Business Track – hosted by the Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) Advisory Council. Enjoy breakfast with other Business Track attendees and CVC peers.
Generate Some Buzz: Promoting Your EVP through Traditional and Social Media
Do you struggle to explain your EVP and why it’s important? Generating attention and support for your EVP’s impact should be a core component of your communications strategy. At this session, learn how to become your own best advocate and PR expert.
Twitter:
#NCVS3008
Strategic Professional Development: Taking Careers to the Next Level through Volunteerism
Strategic volunteering aligns volunteerism with leadership and professional development goals. Learn how to implement strategic volunteer programs that engage employees in meaningful service while linking to company-driven professional development plans.
Whether you’re getting started, looking to enhance your program or have already taken it to scale, there are common experiences and challenges your peers have faced. Hear lessons and practices from different stages of skills-based volunteer program development.
Twitter: #NCVS2573
My Parents Fostered and Created My Love for Helping Others
Tiffany Korican, member of the Corporation for National and Community Service Youth Speakers Bureau.
For the past two years, I have had the amazing opportunity to attend the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. Through being a member of the Learn and Serve America Youth Speakers Bureau, I had the ability to spread the message of service and leadership to youth from around the country. I also had the ability to learn, to expand my knowledge of this amazing movement that has given people the inspiration to give back and to get involved. My service journey has only begun to flourish under the tutoring of mentors who have invested their time and energy into my future success.
In the spirit of this year’s conference, I would love to share my personal turning point, when I decided to be the change in my community. While I cannot narrow it down to a single moment, I can say with upmost certainty that my parents both fostered and created my love for helping others. Through competing in 4-H, I learned about a program that gave individuals with disabilities of all varieties the ability to learn how to ride and interact with horses. After expressing interest in helping out, my parents encouraged me to make the commitment to being a volunteer once a week. Seven years later, I continue to volunteer during my college breaks and whenever I can make the journey home. I cannot imagine a greater feeling then witnessing a rider, whom at first was deathly afraid of being near a horse, learning how to ride without assistance and with full confidence. I knew as I stood in the middle of that arena that I had made a difference to that young man and even the smallest moments can make the biggest impacts!
Throughout college I have continued to be active in my campus community. Three years ago I created an organization at Grand Valley State University known as the Grand Valley Disability Advocates; this organization is dedicated to advocating for students rights as well as educating the campus about a wide range of disability topics including etiquette. I am so honored to have the ability to present in April at the National Service Learning Conference in a workshop focused on disability/inclusion in the service world.
Every day I am inspired to keep giving, to keep working, to keep searching for ways to make a difference!! I encourage each and every one of you to get involved, to change a life, to start the changes we need in our world!
In Tiffany’s Spare time she enjoys working with youth mentoring and volunteering with local philanthropic organizations.
Concentrate on People, Not Problems at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service
Pollution, poverty, powerlessness
So much seems to stand in the way of creating the world we want.
A guy I was talking to yesterday said “There are only 13 of us in our group. How can we change the world?”
My answer is this: Let’s concentrate not on problems but on people. We should focus on the people we need to mobilize and engage in order to achieve our aims – and therefore change the world.
We want to engage more people to donate, more people to volunteer and more people to talk about ‘us’ (or our cause) with their friends and communities.
To enlist more people to support our cause, we need to answer three questions, and answer them honestly:
1. What causes are people in our community or sphere concerned about?
2. What do people really want to see happen?
3. What are people focused on when they hear about your cause/organization?
If for example in answering question one, we realize that of the many causes which can capture the attention of the community, people are not as concerned or interested in ours as we need them to be, what do we need to do to change that? For example, one agency I worked with was focused on Hepatitis C. They had difficulty recruiting volunteers because the citizens of their community did not see it as a relevant issue. Before recruiting volunteers, the organization had to demonstrate that it was indeed an important and relevant cause for all people.
With question two, many agencies undertake activities that are not actually what people want to be involved in. Many in today’s community are looking for volunteering that is easy to get involved with, easy to fit into their lives and which makes an impact quickly. How does your volunteering measure up?
Finally, many people fail to attract volunteers because of their image or reputation. When you spruik for volunteers, is it clear what you want people to focus on? One charity I worked with asked people why they did not donate or volunteer with them. The response was overwhelming. People did not understand the name of the charity and did not see it as relevant to them. They were focused on something else every time the charity was mentioned. A name change resulted in significant sponsor and volunteer growth.
Respond to the answers to each of these questions in a new way and you could enlist many people in finding innovative solutions to engaging the community in reaching our 21st century goals. I believe people can overcome powerlessness, fight poverty and stop pollution with the right tools of engagement. You just need to know what to ask.
Don’t forget to register for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service to see Cowling speak in June!
Nonprofit Capacity Building at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service
, session content is organized across a series of issue areas so that attendees can tailor their schedules to meet their learning and networking needs.
Check out all the sessions associated with
Nonprofit Capacity Building
.
Toyota Production System for Nonprofit Capacity Building
Monday, June 18, 2012
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Session ID: 3137
Do more with less. This free session demonstrates how the renowned Toyota Production System helps nonprofits increase capacity. Seminar includes hands-on training and an in-depth look at Toyota’s work with food banks. All nonprofits are welcome.
Speaker(s):
Learn innovative ways in which nonprofits are leveraging volunteers as leaders, fundraisers and to provide skills to save money, make money and increase impact. Effective practices will be shared from a new volunteer engagement report.
Learn about Collective Impact (CI), a movement that seeks to foster cross-sector and organizational collaborations to achieve sustainable social change. Through learning about emerging projects, you’ll discover if your organization is ready for CI.
Speaker(s):
Have you ever wondered how to engage skill-based volunteers to build your capacity? Or have you had a bad experience with pro bono and want to avoid those hiccups in the future? Stop by our “sweet” secrets suite to get access to tools and talent.
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS2840
Maximizing Organizational Effectiveness through Director Leadership: Principles of Nonprofit Law and Corporate Governance for Nonprofit Leaders
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2374
In addition to basic managerial skills, you’ll learn about nonprofit law, corporate governance, leadership, communication, director and officer engagement and fundraising.
Speaker(s):
Get aligned. Engage your core. Create balance. Make a choice. Move forward. Learn to apply the principles of Chi Running to your volunteer center so it runs smoothly. How’s your organizational chi? Let the chi flow and your center will grow!
Speaker(s):
How Scenario Planning Can Help Prepare for the Future in a Changing World
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2427
How can nonprofits plan for the future when the future is anything but clear? Scenario planning provides techniques that empower organizations to look to the future and plan for uncertainties. You’ll gain tools to take back to your organization today.
Speaker(s):
Sustainable Social Change: Moving Beyond Doing Good to Creating Lasting Change
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2665
This session focuses on ways organizations, partners and individuals can develop effective strategies that will result in sustainable change on social issues. Using collective impact models, participants will leave with action plans for their work.
Speaker(s):
What’s firing the trend toward skills-based/pro bono volunteering? This session explores recent research and success stories that demonstrate how nonprofits can more effectively engage skills-based volunteers to build capacity and meet mission goals.
Speaker(s):
Participants will learn how to market their nonprofit without spending any money. We will focus on social media and touch on other, more advanced, free marketing strategies for those ready to take the next step.
Speaker(s):
Organizational Culture: The Key to Employee and Volunteer Commitment
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2395
Organizational culture is a leadership responsibility, closely related to employee and volunteer commitment. We will explore the concept of culture, sharing a tool to measure it across physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions.
Speaker(s):
worked with national partner University of Phoenix to increase capacity, build infrastructure, strengthen boards and increase mentors through innovative implementation of each partner’s unique assets.
Speaker(s):
Under-investment in leadership is a roadblock to solving society’s complex challenges. Session participants will inform the goals of the Initiative for Nonprofit Talent and Leadership to help social sector leaders thrive and achieve impact.
Speaker(s):
Get Your Morning Perk Chicago Style at this Year’s NCVS
The early bird gets the worm. If you have signed up for an 8:30 a.m. conference session, chances are pretty good that you will need an energy boost to get your day started (we are not all morning people). Get perked up with a hearty breakfast from Chicago’s finest!
Although Chicago is known for their amazing pizza and hot dogs, they have some very appealing breakfast places, as well. We’ve got all your breakfast needs covered thanks to our best of Chicago breakfast guide.
There’s so much to eat that you’ll be ready and energized for your early morning sessions.
Just a mile away from the McCormick Convention center you will find
. A Chicago native since 1953, you are sure to find some great home cooking from the famous apple pancakes to the Dutch Baby (an air-filled delight baked and topped with powdered sugar, lemon and whipped cream). Our mouths are salivating just thinking about it.
Are you a vegetarian or do you just love good fresh food?
is your breakfast destination. Located in Wicker Park, the Bongo Room has been serving Chicago foodies since 1993. Whether you are looking for a good cup o’ Joe, red velvet pancakes, or a vegetarian croissant you will find all you need and more here.
You may enjoy the Bongo Room so much that you decide to go there for lunch and dinner, as well.
“chow for now” is a satisfying way to get your creative juices flowing for busy conference days. M. henry’s embraces healthy cooking methods within their kitchen to create one-of-a-kind breakfast concoctions daily. They embrace the perfect mix of healthy and rich flavor in their delightful menu items such as the Vegan Epiphany and Fannie’s Killer Fried Egg Sandwich.
Everyone can get their most important meal of the day covered at m. henry’s.
Looking to spice up your breakfast routine? Look no further than Over Easy Café. Café regulars argue it’s the best breakfast you will find due to their new specials and classic favorites. Their Sassy Eggs are sure to add a little kick to your stride. Eggs aren’t your thing? Don’t miss out on their Banana Spiked Pancakes; they are definitely a crowd pleaser.
, located in Uptown Chicago, is sure to fill your morning craving with their huge breakfast plates. Their menu has plenty to offer including french toast, their famous eggs benedict, and tofu scramble. Gluten-free? They even have a menu for you. Whether you get your food to go or take a seat in their artistic dining room, you don’t want to miss Tweet.
Finally, if you are truly in a rush and cannot make it to one of these local favorites McDonalds and Starbucks are just around the corner from the convention center.
So come get one degree closer to the best breakfast Chicago has to offer and come see us June 18-20 for the
will host a variety of sessions tailored to the interests and professions of attendees. The sessions will be divided into tracks so that attendees can plan their schedules accordingly.
Check out all the sessions tailored to
Volunteer Management
.
A Good Man Is (Not So) Hard to Find
Monday, June 18, 2012
Time: 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Session ID: 2355
There is a significant gender gap in volunteerism. Females volunteer five times more than men. Most charities are staffed predominantly by women. Join us to learn about The One Man Project and how your organization can engage more men in volunteerism.
Speaker(s):
The Scarce Resources Model for Measuring the Return on Investment of Volunteer Engagement
Monday, June 18, 2012
Time: 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Session ID: 2514
The Scarce Resources Model method of measuring volunteer ROI is a new way of determining relative priorities for the deployment of volunteers and for demonstrating in, clear and certain terms, the worth of volunteer engagement to your organization.
Speaker(s):
Maximizing the Potential of Every Volunteer: Universal Design and Volunteer Management
Monday, June 18, 2012
Time: 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Session ID: 2563
Volunteers bring skills and dedication to our organizations. This session will help you think about innovative practices for creating inclusive programs in order to maximize the potential of all volunteers, including volunteers with disabilities.
Speaker(s):
Essential Advocacy Skills for the Successful Volunteer Leader
Tuesday, June, 19, 2012
Time: 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2498
A good volunteer manager is a good advocate. Leaders in the profession from the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement will show you how to be successful advocates for your volunteers, program, position, organization and the profession.
Speaker(s):
Recruiting and Supporting Job Seekers as Volunteers
Tuesday, June, 19, 2012
Time: 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2782
Common advice to job seekers is to volunteer. This session will give advice to organizations on the latest research on volunteerism and employability, and practical tools for successfully engaging job seekers as volunteers.
Speaker(s):
Any tradesperson has a set of tools they carry with them. They are required no matter the job size or scope. What are the essential tools for creating and positioning a volunteer program? How do you get them or find them? When to throw out a tool?
Speaker(s):
Maximize Volunteer Impact: Assess Your Volunteer Program
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2617
How can you maximize the impact of your volunteers? Analyze your volunteer program with a comprehensive assessment tool. Share results and hear best practices and lessons learned from use of the tool in 2011-2012 with 19 diverse Chicago nonprofits.
Speaker(s):
Want to Do Something to Support Military Families?
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2311
This session will provide participants with outreach strategies and ways to utilize current platforms, such as Joining Forces, to design, market and develop service projects to support and engage military families in their communities.
Speaker(s):
Leading an Extreme Makeover of Your Organization’s Volunteer Engagement
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2366
Successful volunteer leaders influence their organizations to position volunteers as critical resources to impact their mission. Explore six elements needed to enhance volunteer impact and approaches to build executive and staff commitment.
Speaker(s):
The Volunteer Leader as Consultant and Change Agent
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2390
Now, more than ever before, volunteer engagement professionals have an opportunity to be change agents within their organizations. Learn how you can create and sustain innovative change and position yourself as an internal consultant and leader.
Speaker(s):
As our current work and volunteer labor forces age, youth are increasingly becoming the focus of our plans to engage a new generation of volunteers. Learn how we can set them up for success in their careers as volunteers, because youth matter.
Speaker(s):
Stepping Up: Managing vs. Leading a Volunteer Program
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Time: 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Session ID: 2752
Knowing when to manage a volunteer team or project and when to lead that work is a critical skill for the volunteer manager. We’ll explore those differences and how to bring the best of our management and leadership skills to the work at hand.
Speaker(s):
What Volunteer Managers Can Learn From the People Who Sell Soap
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time: 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2728
The process of building a volunteer program has much in common with the process of marketing consumer products. Explore how tools commonly used to sell soap and diapers can also be used to build a volunteer program and increase its effectiveness.
Speaker(s):
Telling Our Stories: Business Narratives as Advocacy Tools
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time: 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2516
Storytelling isn’t just for small children. It is also a tool for helping potential supporters understand who we are and how we serve. Converting statistics into names and faces can help build relationships and act as a critical tool for advocacy.
Speaker(s):
Volunteer Empowerment: Building Capacity through Organizational Values and Practice
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time: 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Session ID: 2437
Move away from traditional volunteer management practices and create a culture of empowerment. Identify ineffective practices and create meaningful opportunities that lead to long-term volunteer retention and organizational sustainability.
Speaker(s):
11 Networking Tips for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service
The National Conference on Volunteering and Service is not only an incredible learning experience, but a unique networking opportunity as well. Conferences can be an intimidating place to make your mark on other attendees, but you’re sure to make an impression when armed with these helpful tips.
Start networking before you even get to the conference – It’s helpful to know who your fellow attendees will be and what their specializations, business, or expertise is. In particular, look up the people who will be presenting at the conference. They are the influencers who can help you get better networked into your targeted industry, and may even be able to share ideas with you or give you a little time to talk through things that you’re working on.
Learn about the conference and the people who will be there – Take time before you go to NCVS to learn about why it’s being held, the exhibitors, the speakers, the content and the attendees. Learning about why people are there and what they hope to achieve by attending will also help you work out your own angle for approaching people and finding common ground.
Determine why you’re different from everyone else – If you’re in a conference hall with more than 4,000 people all sharing common interests, it’s good to have a reason to stand out.
Find common ground – We all have something in common whether it’s a job, passion or kids. When we find people with whom we share an interest, we share a kinship of sorts and that leads to trust and a smoother conversation.
Ask questions of people you meet – Never lead with your “elevator pitch.” People are more interested in themselves than they are in you, so ask them questions to help them get to spark conversation. Eventually what you do will come into it and if the other party is interested he or she will she’ll ask to learn more.
Utilize social media – Social media can be a valuable tool to maximize the relationships you create at Conference. Follow up with the people you meet on Twitter. Consider making a brief post about your conversation with them. Promoting other people is a great way to create value for them and build the relationship.
But, put your technology away – Do not run to your phone, BlackBerry, or laptop at every break. When you are working on electronics you send the message that you are unapproachable because you are busy. Utilize the time on breaks to converse with others.
Introduce others – When you meet cool people, be the conduit that connects them with others who might be beneficial to them. This includes others at the conference, as well as other people you might know back home. If you ask the right types of questions, you will easily spot connections that can help others. Don’t ever worry about “what’s in it for me,” but instead just be the person who helps others. You will find over time that others will help you too.
Meet a variety of people – Don’t just go for your niche. Meet people who do a variety of different jobs for a variety of different places. You all have the ability to work together or learn from each other.
Network after hours – When attending evening parties and events, be sure to get there early. That way a cluster of conversation builds up around you and you don’t face the challenge of working your way into other clusters like you do if you arrive late.
Follow-up – If you meet interesting people and you never follow-up, it makes no difference. Own the follow-up after you meet people and send them an email (or better yet, a handwritten note) telling them how much you enjoyed talking with them, and plan for future discussions.
The National Conference on Volunteer and Service takes place June 18-20. Register now to join an elite group of practitioners, thought leaders and innovators in Chicago.
Business Track Welcome Breakfast 
Learning From Your Peers: Tackling the Most Common Challenges at Different Stages of Building a Skills-Based Volunteer Program
Tiffany Korican, member of the Corporation for National and Community Service Youth Speakers Bureau. 
Learn innovative ways in which nonprofits are leveraging volunteers as leaders, fundraisers and to provide skills to save money, make money and increase impact. Effective practices will be shared from a new volunteer engagement report.
The Scarce Resources Model for Measuring the Return on Investment of Volunteer Engagement
The