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Each year, the Corporation for National and Community Service releases a comprehensive report on the state of volunteering in America. This year’s Volunteering In America report is the most comprehensive set of data ever assembled – offering detailed information on volunteering trends and demographics from all 50 states including Maine over a three-year period from 2005-2007.

Maine and the Nation:
• Maine ranked second in volunteerism in New England.
• Maine ranks well above the 2007 national average, in the percentage of citizens volunteering, of 26.2 percent.
• Maine residents averaged annually more than 44 million hours of service between 2005 and 2007 totaling over $868 million of service in 2007.

National Service in Maine:
More than 9,100 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs and strengthen communities through 29 different national service projects across Maine. Serving through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve, these citizens tutor and mentor children, build homes, restore the environment, respond to disasters, and build nonprofit capacity. The Maine Commission for Community service targets more than 1 Million dollars in AmeriCorps funding annually to meet Maine’s most critical needs.

As the U.S. faces an economic downturn communities and individuals will need the support of the services volunteers provide now more than ever. Citizens can make a real difference in the community, especially during this critical time, by turning off the TV and swapping just 2 hours of TV time and volunteering instead. To read the full report on Volunteering in America please visit www.VolunteeringinAmerica.gov.

Rochelle Runge is a guest blogger and the Public Relations Representative for the Maine Commission for Community Service.

Life seems to get busier and busier. This list is a humorous reminder that we should always nurture our volunteers, understand that they too have multiple competing priorities, and thank them at every opportunity!

Some humor for your day. . .

You might have volunteer burn-out if:
• On the average there are more kids at your house daily than you have actually given birth to.
• You have a PDA to keep track of all the things you volunteer for.
• Your husband, sitting next to you, has to call you on his cell phone just to schedule some time with you.
• Whenever you hear the timer on the stove or the alarm in the morning you snarl because it reminds you of how much time you DON’T have.
• You’ve started volunteering for more projects to get out of the ones you are already committed to.
• You realize that you’re in this for life, which is funny because you no longer even have one.
• You’re away from home so much you need to be reminded where it is.
• You’re thinking of committing a petty crime so it will show up on your next background check and prevent you from volunteering.
• Your child innocently asks for dinner and you give a thirty-minute speech on how all you do is give and you’ve got nothing left to give.
• You fantasize about sending a bill for your time to those you volunteer for or wonder if your time and talent are worthy of a tax write-off.
• Every time somebody praises you for your volunteer work you eye them suspiciously, certain that they will give you more to do.
• You’ve contacted the witness relocation program to hide you from the committee chairperson.
• You’re thinking of going back to work full-time just to cut down on your workload.

Credit: www.momshack.com

Julie D. Mulkern is a Featured Blogger and the Volunteer Resources & Development Manager for Spring Harbor Hospital.

One of my most successful campaigns to recruit volunteers took place in the winter of 1991. As the Executive Director of a program called The Giving Tree, I was nearing the holidays with a shortage of a little over 120 gifts. I had sent out the annual call for volunteers that The Morning Sentinel so generously published. I had my steady stream of volunteers that returned every year. The shortage of gifts was not only a financial problem, because once we had the money to buy the gifts, we still had to shop, wrap, and deliver. This meant we needed additional volunteers to donate time, in the middle of the busiest time of the year. December. I was genuinely afraid that I would have to put my own family’s Christmas on hold as I managed to fulfill all the promises I had made. Again.
The answer that year came in a phone call from a young mother who called to ask if she could please ask for a winter jacket or a pair of shoes for a child who was walking to the bus stop with holes in her too-small sneakers and a zip-up sweatshirt for warmth. Do you remember the winter of ’91 or any Maine winter for that matter? How could I answer the question of which item to provide? It was really up to the community to answer. I called The Sentinel and explained the story. They sent over a reporter and photographer to photograph the interview. I didn’t embellish the story. I didn’t need to embellish the story. The raw facts that this young mother shared woke up the community around me. My phone didn’t stop ringing for days. My children had to weave their way through the dining room as the donated gifts reached the ceiling. I generated more interest in volunteers that year than all previous years combined and they stayed with me for the remainder of the program. The opportunity to help that young mother was so attractive; people couldn’t wait to help out.
I’ve been on many boards and served as a volunteer in many capacities, but that story has been the one that stands out in my mind as the most successful attempt at generating volunteers. The lesson isn’t new or flashy. My simple advice to non-profits who are seeking volunteers is “tell the story”.
Don’t stop asking. Don’t stop telling your story. Value the volunteers that you have and they’ll stay. When I was asked to write a blog entry on attracting and retaining volunteers through marketing, I had to draw on my own experiences. When you need volunteers for a big non-profit, tell a story that your community can own. Let them feel the success of their efforts. Let them hear the stories. The newspaper is an obvious choice but look into your community. There are so many people that want to be needed. Kiwanis and Rotary groups welcome the opportunity to hear your stories. Key clubs around the state are an obvious answer but if you know families with teens, ask them directly. I believe that the young adults in Maine are the most untapped resource in the State. Not once has a young adult failed to go beyond my expectations.
People want to be needed. Share your stories. Ask for help. But finally, never ever forget to thank your volunteers. Thanking someone for their hard work will produce more positive PR than you can afford to buy.
Thank you for reading this far. I would love to hear your success stories and welcome emails on the topic. I can be reached at maryannebeal@roadrunner.com.

Mary-Anne Beal is a guest blogger and Vice Chair of the Maine Commission for Community Service

This language has been thrown around a lot lately, and, probably like some of you, I ignored it or then tried to guess what it was. I just knew it was ‘hot’. And since I’m not, I decided I could let someone else take care of it. That is, until a recent retreat where a Social Marketing expert provided us with excellent training and introduced a website that is available to anyone. The website guides you through a process where you can create your own social marketing plan, using the templates and information provided on the website. Check it out!

Social marketing is aimed at behavior change. i.e. wearing seatbelts or quitting smoking. While most of us think of ‘marketing’ as strategies to make you buy something, social marketing seeks to identify strategies that will affect your behavior. The introduction to the online course notes that ‘marketing recognizes that communication, advertising and education can lead to awareness and knowledge, but they aren’t the only factors that affect behavior change. Social marketing looks for interaction between the factors. Social marketing depends on a deep understanding of the consumer.’

The program stresses the importance of thorough market research as a means of getting to know your customer and what really motivates them. Much of the program walks you through the process for identifying barriers to behavior change, for determining potential benefits for changing behavior, for recognizing the competition from alternatives, for isolating the factors that really influence behavior, and for understanding the exchange between choosing one alternative over another.

Other chapters deal with the traditional ‘4 p’s of marketing’—product, price, place and promotion. The goal of this model is to identify the intersection of these factors to target specifically the message that will reach the desired audience, will create behavior change, and that will succeed over time.

The stories and anecdotes in the material are primarily based on health issues, but the material applies to any effort to change behavior. Since the program was developed with federal fund through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the materials are available to anyone interested in using them. If the link above does not work, go to the website and enter Social Marketing in the search box. You will get there eventually!

Anne Schink is a featured blogger and Program Manager for Project INVEST at the Maine Commission for Community Service.

Living in this fast-paced technology-dependent society makes communication with people very easy and very fast, whether through text messaging or email. In fact, I receive more emails in a day than phone calls I receive in a week which might be nice if the emails weren’t for solving problems that I don’t have or other similar junk mail topics. The nice thing about junk mail though is that with one click I can delete it, just as if someone were to receive an email message asking them to volunteer on a project, they could quickly respond no, or not respond at all, and not give it a second thought. However, if I call a person to ask about volunteering, a person is much less likely to say no or not answer me at all and then immediately hang up the phone.

Although we live in this computer age, many people still prefer to speak with a “real person.” I myself am stuck between using email and the phone for communicating with others and although I do check my email constantly during the day, I am always prepared and happy to receive or make a phone call. Many of the volunteers I work with however are not as connected to computers. Many of my volunteers are summer people who have come up to Maine to enjoy the outdoors and spend time with their family, not spend hours on the computer, anxiously awaiting an email asking them to volunteer. In fact, some volunteers don’t even have computers nor email addresses! ~gasp!~ Just kidding.

But seriously, if there is one thing that I have learned thus far through my experience as a volunteer coordinator, it is that you need to find out from your volunteers the way they prefer to be contacted. After all, if someone is willing to donate their time to you, you should be willing to donate your time, just as equally, to them. So in conclusion, stop reading this and pick up the phone and call someone, who knows, you might find a new volunteer!

Alice Phillips is an AmeriCorps member serving with the Maine Conservation Corps at the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association in Jefferson.

A very interesting article on gas, the economy, and philanthropy. How will the changing economic times effect Maine’s volunteer sector? Check it out.

Charities Crushed Under Soaring Demand
They are serving more and more needy people while donations dry up
By Bret Schulte

I used to volunteer as a co-facilitator for a cancer support group. When I started, we immediately followed up each weekly evening session with a de-briefing by the then volunteer coordinator. The de-briefing gave us a chance to discuss things we did, we should have done, didn’t do, or did “lousily.” We also had the opportunity to process our own emotions about what had transpired during the course of the support group session. The experience was educational and supportive for those of us who co-facilitated these sessions and had a lot to do with my continuing as a co-facilitator.

Then the volunteer coordinator resigned to go back to school. She was replaced by someone whose commitment to the work appeared less than compelling and you know, when you’re volunteering, you’d like to think that the paid staff has at least the same level of commitment and enthusiasm as you do. Not the case. The post support group sessions ceased and my interest and desire to continue gradually diminished to the point where I turned in my “resignation.”

You get the lesson here.

Larry Ullian is a Director of Program Development at USM’s Muskie School of Public Service.

Guest post by Denis Howard

Volunteers perform vital tasks at many nonprofit organizations and Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) is no exception. Volunteers assist at many levels of MPBN and are responsible for many of the duties associated with fundraising. Volunteers assist from all over Maine as well as New Hampshire. These volunteers are helping during odd hours (early mornings, late nights) and oftentimes appear for multiple shifts during an event (sometimes for ten hours at a stretch). Volunteers visit MPBN in Bangor, Lewiston, and Portland and drive all over the state to aid MPBN in its goals.

As an institution with several decades of history, MPBN has learned how to create a positive environment for volunteers and retain a devoted base that returns each quarter (or year) based on individual availability. Each MPBN facility and fundraising event (radio and television membership drives, the Great TV Auction) has its own core group of volunteers although there is cross-pollination among some of those as well. Volunteers come to MPBN for many different reasons (fulfilling service hours for a school, community service for traffic violations, or as part of a larger group from work) but the primary one is a genuine love and respect for nonprofit public broadcasting.

The most important fact to remember is that volunteers are donating their time to help and need to be appreciated. MPBN attempts to greet each volunteer as they enter our facilities and requests they “sign in” so a first-name basis can be attained. Food has always been a perennial feature of MPBN events and a wide variety of offerings from area restaurants keeps the volunteers refreshed, alert, and content. MPBN also believes in thanking volunteers repeatedly for their service. Though all staff people are busy and hardworking, a simple show of gratitude for what volunteers are doing goes a long way to ensuring a positive experience for all. Engaging volunteers is yet another way to cement the bond between MPBN and its volunteer base.

MPBN also has one distinct advantage over other nonprofit organizations as we can “advertise” our need for volunteers on radio and television with little effort. There is also a very small percentage of volunteers who are drawn to the glamour and excitement of helping out behind-the-scenes at a radio or television station. Microphones, cameras, and on-air talent are all appealing to people devoting several hours of their time to MPBN.

With several regular membership drives planned for each year (and with the annual Great TV Auction happening each spring), volunteers are necessary to maintain MPBN. Whether you live in Fort Kent, Eliot, Bethel, or Lubec there is a way for you to help your statewide local broadcast network. We accept all ages and are incredibly flexible with scheduling. If you are interested in volunteering at MPBN in any capacity, please visit our website for more information.

Denis Howard is the Volunteer Coordinator at Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

Guest Post by Mimi Mills

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a three part series about Southern Maine Community Organizations Active in Disaster (SMCOAD). Part I focused on the mission and history of SMCOAD. Part II focused on the successes of SMCOAD, as well as lessons learned. Part III discusses how to get involved.

Start with just one of these suggestions to get prepared and get involved in SMCOAD!

Individual
• Volunteer! – register as an emergency volunteer at www.VolunteerMaine.org
• Attend a training to be a prepared volunteer.
• Share preparedness information with your family and neighbors
• Ask about the emergency plan at your child’s school or family member’s nursing home.
• Develop a family disaster kit and emergency plan. Remember, the first 72 (hours) are up to you!
• For information on developing a family emergency plan, go to: www.redcross.org or www.ready.gov.

Workplace
• Join a COAD group
• Start a call list for your organization.
• Network with other organizations in your area and in your field.
• Work with others in your organization to develop an internal emergency plan. For information and checklists, go to: www.redcross.org or www.ready.gov.
• Encourage employees to prepare their families and have back-up plans in place.

Community
• Learn what the needs are in the community and how your organization could help. (Can you offer meeting space? case management? food preparation/ delivery? emergency funding? generators? etc.)
• Participate in community emergency exercises.
• Start a COAD.
• Assist with community planning and response.

For Your Information:

SMCOAD meets every other month in various locations throughout York and Cumberland Counties. For more information contact:

York County:
Mimi Mills, Director of Volunteer! York County
United Way of York County

Mimi Mills has been Director of Volunteer! York County at the United Way of York County since May 2006.

by Chris Wolff

A successful volunteer placement relies so heavily on good, targeted recruitment. Of course we all could use the help of a volunteer, and having that extra set of hands is so important to help initiatives move forward. But sometimes our eagerness to get a person in place can make us forget that there are so many things that need to happen before we are able to fully utilize a volunteer resource.

Recruitment of volunteers begins with a need. This varies widely from organization to organization, and could be something as simple as having an extra set of hands for one day/month to assist with clothes sorting or a mailing to something as complex as help with the drafting of a comprehensive plan or legal language for the formation of a non-profit. Whatever the need may be, it is important to think through the project.

Drafting a solid position description is the first step toward successfully recruiting the right person to volunteer with your organization. The position description should be as detailed as possible and include the following information:
• Organization Mission, Goals and Objectives: The position description should provide a brief description of the organization, including the mission statement so the volunteer can understand the bigger picture of the organization and how their project may help achieve overall organizational goals
• Project Description: This is probably the most important part of the position description because it provides the information about what the volunteer will be working on during his/her term of service. It helps to set clear expectations during the recruitment phase. As much as possible, the position description should include a role description within each project area.
• Timeline for the Project: Is this a one-time volunteer opportunity or an ongoing long-term need? It’s important to provide a rough outline of a timeline for the volunteer so they will know if they are successfully working toward expected goals, and for them to feel a sense of achievement.
• Nature of the Work: Can the project be completed in person, or can the project be completed remotely via computer or phone
• Supervision: Someone will need to take on the role of volunteer supervisor. It is important to ensure that one person will serve as the person who will provide guidance and support for the volunteer. The supervisor will need to be available to meet on a regular basis with the volunteer. The position description should address communication strategies between the supervisor and the volunteer. In some cases, it may be helpful to create a “social advisor/supervisor” who will help orient the volunteer to the community- to make sure they meet other people outside of the organization in order to feel connected to their new community, and to make sure the volunteer gets invited to dinners and is aware of community events that may be of interest.
• Orientation Plan: how will the volunteer be oriented to the organization, co-workers, touring the facility, learning about the community?
• Recruitment Criteria: Depending on the volunteer need, you may be looking for someone with a sophisticated skill set (planning or legal experience, teaching experience, computer skills, etc.), or just someone who is physically fit enough to help out with trail construction or a beach clean-up. Whatever the need, it is important to think about the skills the volunteer should have coming into the position, and what skills may be able to be trained during the volunteer service. If you are looking for a gregarious, extroverted person to help develop fun activities for nursing home residents, you probably don’t want to recruit someone who is most comfortable sitting behind a computer or working in a research lab. You can’t train someone to extroverted.

Once a solid position description has been created, then it is time to think about recruitment. Some organizations decide to do targeted recruiting depending on the need. For example, if you are looking for someone to help with the archiving of historical or library resources, you may want to look for volunteers through universities or schools who have museum or library science degrees. Whatever the recruitment strategy, it is important to provide as much detail from your position descriptions so the potential volunteers are well-informed with the projects and their role within the projects. You don’t have to include all details, and perhaps you can link back to your website for further details. However, this is the first chance to “sell” your volunteer opportunity, and to attract the candidates that are the best fit for your opportunity.

Once you’ve received applications for your position and have picked the candidates you would like to follow-up with, it is important to decide how you will interview the candidates. If it’s important to get a feel for their personality, sense of humor, and overall fit into your organization, it may be important to think of ways you can conduct an interview that isn’t intimidating- perhaps, meeting over coffee, or starting with a tour of your organization or meeting different people. Sometimes, sitting at a conference table with 5 board members can be very intimidating, and you may not get a good impression of your candidate. Think of ways to make the interview relaxed and comfortable.

You also may want to provide contact information for past volunteers so the candidates can get the “real scoop” about the challenges and rewards of the position and the organization. It is so important to try to provide as much information about the organization, expectations, culture, and challenges up front before the volunteer commits to accepting your position. There are always going to be unforeseen challenges that arise, but volunteers will appreciate the honesty and respect demonstrated by being candid and clear about expectations before they make a long-term commitment.

Laying the groundwork of a solid position description, and communicating clear expectations during the recruitment and interviewing stage will help to ensure a solid volunteer placement. The volunteer will feel that they have a strong sense of purpose and will understand where their role fits into the overall mission and goals of the organization.

Chris Wolff is Community Development Director at the Island Institute.