June AL!VE Academy:
The Benefits of Utilizing Volunteers With Disabilities Presented by Shelli Beck, CVA - Lyngblomsten Friday, June 6, 3 - 4:30 pm Eastern
It is estimated that approximately 15% of the US population is living with a disability. These disabilities range from visual, ambulatory, auditory, cognitive and more. Is your volunteer program inclusive of these potential volunteers? In this session we will discuss some steps to take to help a volunteer with a disability engage in your community. This AL!VE Academy will include a short work session, engaging conversation and tips to be more inclusive.
About our Presenter:
Shelli Beck was introduced to volunteer management as a volunteer introducing volunteerism to the small private school that her children attended. Then she began an AmeriCorps position with Goodwill/Easter Seals as a Volunteer Coordinator. Over the years she has turned a very part-time Volunteer Coordinator role at Lyngblomsten into a full-time Director level position.
Shelli has been a staple of volunteer engagement in Minnesota helping deliver Service Enterprise training, having served as a Conference Chair and Board Member for MAVA, and actively connected with her local peers.
You can view past webinars on the members side of the AL!VE website. Click on 'Resources' then 'File Archive' - you will see the past AA's listed by topic (or, search for the presenter or subject in the search box) |
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President's Message - Cathy Thoma, CVA |
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| Greetings, AL!VE Members!
I want to thank Faiza Venzant, CVA and Executive Director of CCVA and Shelli Beck, AL!VE Board member, for coordinating our joint SCHMOOZE event this past April in Minneapolis. It was so wonderful to meet our AL!VE members, CVAs and local volunteer engagement professionals in person. The “schmoozing” and networking was amazing, and I feel fortunate to have been able to speak with so many smart and engaging constituents. Here is a photo of the group that attended, along with the random, and should be expected, “photobomb”!
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Our next chance to meet in person will be at the Points of Light Conference to be held in Houston, TX from June 11-14. AL!VE, Better Impact, CCVA, and Volunteer Match are co-hosting a networking event on Tuesday, June 11 from 7-10 pm. Learn more below!
Megan Vixie, MPA,CVA,PHR, SHRM-CP (and former AL!VE Board President) and I will be representing AL!VE at the Points of Light Conference this year by presenting “Career Pathways for the Volunteer Engagement Professional”. The presentation is based on the results of the national Career Pathways survey that we conducted last year and which data we will be using to advocate for our own occupation code with the Department of Labor. You will also get to meet Kayla Paulson, CVA, AL!VE’s Service Enterprise Administrator, who will be presenting “Jump Start Strategic Volunteer Engagement Through Self-Assessment and Asset Sharing to Implement Change”. I hope to see you there! Cheers, Cathy |
| Points of Light Point #1:
Look at all these AL!VE Members presenting at Points of Light Conference! Jamese Robinson Becca Hand Rosie Drumgoole Betsy McFarland
Beth Steinhorn Jennifer Bennett Faiza Venzant Megan Vixie Cathy Thoma Kayla Paulson |
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Points of Light Point #2:
AL!VE is presenting at two sessions at the conference; one is about Service Enterprise and the other will present the details about our job leveling survey held last fall. See more about the survey status here. |
| Points of Light Point #3:
Our Service Enterprise session presented by Kayla Paulson was listed as the # 1 session to watch for! Read the Blog post here: |
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Networking Event at Points of Light Conference
If you're attending the Points of Light Conference in Houston this June, or a local volunteer engagement professional, you're invited to meet your peers at a Networking event! It's a great way to start the conference off right! We're so pleased to partner with Better Impact, the Council for Certification for Volunteer Administration, and VolunteerMatch to sponsor this event.
Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Time: 7:00 - 10:00 PM Drop in anytime, leave whenever!
Location: Hearsay on the Green, 1500 Dallas St, Houston (at the Embassy Suites Hotel)
Light snacks and drinks provided. Door prizes, too! See you there! |
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| AL!VE's 2024 T-Shirt Design Contest: We Have a Winner! We are thrilled to reveal the winner of our T-Shirt Design Contest! We received many fantastic and creative submissions, and we'd like to thank everyone who participated. Your talent and enthusiasm blew us away! We are excited to announce that the winning design is:
Gina Davis with the design titled "Magical Volunteer Pro"! Their design captured the spirit of our brand/community/event perfectly. Congratulations, Gina! Your design will be featured on our exclusive T-shirt website. Check back soon for more details! *Note, t shirt color may vary |
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| 2024 Volunteer Managers Hybrid Conference October 22 or 23, 2024 'Creating Influence in Your Organization:
Thinking Beyond a Seat At The Table' The theme for the 10th anniversary of the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference is Creating Influence in Your Organization: Thinking Beyond a “Seat at the Table”
We have announced our facilitator, Rob Jackson and our first speaker, Sarah Sukhram, CVA. The other speakers will be announced over the next few weeks - watch social media and next month's newsletter for the announcements.
Registration to attend the conference as a host site or an individual opens May 28 and July 1, respectively. This event is produced and sponsored in conjunction with Better Impact and VMPC. |
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Announcing AL!VE's NEW Ambassador Program The AL!VE membership committee has developed an Ambassador Program where you can share with your peers about AL!VE and all the great resources AL!VE members enjoy in three ways: |
COMING SOON! We are reinstating the AL!VE app for iPhone and Android and will have all the form links you need to be an AL!VE Ambassador on-the-go!
Questions? Contact the membership committee. |
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For Further Reading: The Five Aspects of a Strong Leader Building a volunteer program isn’t easy, but it may be simpler than you might think. There are five key aspects of a strong volunteer program: Recruitment, Training & Onboarding, Management, Program Review and, of course, Appreciation.
Check out this great blog post from our sponsor, Better Impact, to learn more about these pillars and how you can employ them to continue improving your volunteer program. |
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ALIVE is excited to announce that Better Impact is an official Gold Sponsor of AL!VE! In addition to sponsoring AL!VE’s annual Impact Awards and partnering on the annual Hybrid conference, Better Impact is increasing their support to advance AL!VE’s mission to provide networking, professional development, mentoring, and advocacy for our peers. Learn more about AL!VE’s sponsorship opportunities here and learn more about Better Impact here.
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Attention Local Associations:
We are so excited to share that AL!VE is in the early planning stages to produce a National In Person Conference Spring 2026! We are looking for Local Associations to be the host site for the AL!VE National Conference in 2026. Your input is invaluable to us as we begin the planning process for this significant in-person event. Your input will help us in determining the feasibility and potential success of hosting the AL!VE National Conference in your area. |
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ICYMI: The 'Fast Five' Ways to Appreciate Volunteers
For Global Volunteer Month AL!VE's Service Enterprise has put together the 'Fast Five' ways to appreciate volunteers. These quick and easy ways to express gratitude are being shared throughout the month on our website. 'Take Five' and check them out today! Learn more here. |
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SEI Spotlight: Seek Out & Connect with Your Peers!
Whether you will be visiting ASC’s National Service Training, Points of Light Conference, or want to connect with peer organizations that are Service Enterprises we would be happy to assist! We have had the pleasure of helping support and empower almost 900 organizations through the Service Enterprise Program.
Organizations that focus on arts & culture, education, housing, food security, youth, healthcare, government, associations, social services, immigration & refugee, and more have benefitted from the program and achieved the national accreditation in strategic volunteer engagement.
Ways to connect with organizations “like me”: - Look for Service Enterprise Organization stickers and ribbons at conferences
- Follow #ServiceEnterprise on social media
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Contact ServiceEnterprise@volunteeralive.org and ask to be connected
To learn more about Service Enterprise attend our sessions at ASC’s and Points of Light’s conferences or check out our webpage.
CALLING ALL SERVICE ENTERPRISES! Join our ongoing National Service Enterprise Community of Practice to connect and share best practices with other high performing organizations. |
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| Board Member Spotlight: Wendy McClure, CVA (She/Her)
Pennsylvania Human Resources Specialist
Wendy has a unique combination of experience thanks to her career working in non-profit public libraries, human resources and volunteer management. She has done temporary work with the Pennsylvania Library Association as a conference assistant to prepare for their state conference.
Wendy has also led and moderated a group of library volunteer managers from across the US and Canada. She has served as a mentor and presenter at the Central Indiana Association of Volunteer Administrators Summit. She serves as the Board Secretary. Thank you Wendy! |
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| Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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Communities of Practice FacilitatorsNeeded! Please note the following updates to our COPs: - NEW!: Faith Based COP
- Coming Soon!: Disability COP
- On Pause: Mental Health COP
We are looking for new facilitator(s) for the Parks & Rec COP. Facilitators host a COP with their peers on a regular basis - monthly, every other month, or quarterly.
Interested in getting involved further? Contact Sarah for more information! |
| Upcoming Communities of Practice: May 13, 2pm - Museums & Cultural Institutions May 15, 4pm - Book Club May 16, 12pm - Parks & Rec May 20, 2:30pm - National Networks May 21, 2pm - Rural Programs June 4, 3pm - Food Banks June 12, 3pm - AmeriCorps June 12, 4pm - Book Club *All times Eastern* |
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Other Upcoming Events: June 11 & 27 - CVA Credential Information Session
June 11 - Networking Event at Points of Light Conference, Houston June 17 - AL!VE Networking Social - All are welcome! June 26 - AL!VE Member Webinar - All are welcome!
SAVE THE DATE:
10th Annual Hybrid Conference:
October 22 & 23, 2024 |
| Local Associations The next Local Associations Community of Practice is scheduled for June 26, 1-2:30pm EST. The second quarter topic will be a meeting and event planning refresher. The discussion will also include: -
Event Varieties (Breakfasts, Coffee Hours, Mid-Day, Happy Hours, Book Clubs, Professional Development Training)
- Out of the Box Ideas
- Planning Calendars
- Increased Costs
Anyone involved in leadership at your local association (DOVIA, AVA, etc.) are welcome to attend!
Upcoming 2024 Local Association COP Dates: September 25 2024 Summit: October 30 |
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Volunteer With Us!
Looking to get involved further with AL!VE? Join us as a volunteer! Volunteering is a great networking opportunity and a chance to gain new skills and areas of expertise. There are a number of areas of support needed. Most roles are designed with a time commitment of 3-5 hours per month. Training is provided and the networking and professional development is a benefit all committee members enjoy!
Technology Committee - Join our newest Committee! Do you have a knack for technology and a keen interest in assisting AL!VE in selecting the most suitable platforms for our organization's needs? Whether it's streamlining virtual folder organization, providing support for web platforms, or navigating through the digital landscape, we welcome your expertise and enthusiasm to help drive our technological initiatives forward. Join us in shaping the future of AL!VE's digital infrastructure!
Advocacy Committee - Updating Resource Pages on a regular basis
Advocacy Committee - Partnerships and Collaboration - facilitate with our local, regional, or national organizations or colleagues Programs Committee - Presenter Bootcamp Tech Support and Producer Community of Practice Facilitators (see article above) Membership Committee - Support AL!VE's member benefits, Ambassador program, and local association mentoring & professional development.
Development Committee - Members with fundraising, grant-writing, and grant-researching skills are invited to join this committee. Join the development committee and help build new funding streams for AL!VE! |
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Become a 2024
AL!VE Academy Presenter! |
AL!VE Academy provides high-quality varied educational opportunities designed to help leaders in volunteer engagement. These sessions build and strengthen leadership, management, and/or technical skills.
We are currently seeking proposals for presenters of monthly AL!VE Academy sessions for 2024, especially in the area of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). If you're a subject matter expert in DEI and volunteer engagement and are ready to share your knowledge with your peers, please consider submitting a proposal below! |
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Welcome to Our Newest Members! |
Michelle Prosser TJ Gaudelli Whitney England Mai Huizel Jeff Curwen Nancy Lander Sherrill Isenhower |
| New to AL!VE or just want to check in?
Find out what's happening or get a quick fix of networking with your peers! New members will get a brief overview of our mission, benefits, activities and committees. We also are giving away some cool door prizes too!
Upcoming Member Webinars:
June 17, 4pm - AL!VE Networking Social June 26, 3:30pm - New Member Webinar |
| Thank you to Our Renewing Members! |
Wendy McClure Kristie Johnson Amy Howard Shelli Beck Brandon Ruiz Shayna Crawford Tracie Demery Kristina Baggott Shelly McAlpin, CVA Kate Bausman, CVA Karen McDonald Nedra Cutler, CVA Jenny Hymans Richard Nguyen Meagan Patterson Allie Zimmerman Amy Pinger Donna Martin, MAET, CVA Belinda Chester Barbara Sheffer Jeannie Citerman-Kraeger Elaine Posner Faiza Venzant, CVA
Jeannine Purdy Gretchen Jordan |
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Be Sure to Whitelist our Emails! |
We send this newsletter monthly, and an additional 3-4 emails per month. If you didn’t get it in your inbox please check your junk/spam folders (if you find it there right click it and choose Junk/Spam and then select Never Block Domain). If you don’t find it that way you may want to ask your IT to whitelist volunteeralive.org. You can also try to whitelist at your email level by following the directions linked below (sometimes you may need admin permissions): Whitelisting for Gmail
Whitelisting for Office 365 Outlook Whitelisting for Outlook ios If you need more assistance or haven’t been able to access the email please email manager@volunteeralive.org so that we can follow-up and do another test email after volunteeralive.org has been whitelisted on your account. |
| We've been working on cleaning up our website and making resources more easily accessible. Check out the latest updates: - Now you can see the top five events happening this month on our home page.
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Did you know we have seven years worth of AL!VE Academy recordings? We’ve re-organized the Academies by topic! Log in to the member’s only side of our site, click on ‘Resources’ then ‘File Archive’. Lots of great professional development is there to view on your schedule (plus slide decks and handouts).
- You can now find AL!VE Academies, Better Impact & Hybrid Conference, Mentor Program, Impact Awards, and Presenter’s Bootcamp under the “Get Involved” drop down.
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All resources such as professional standards, advocacy, ethics, trends, DEAI, and general management under the “Resources” drop down.
More updates are coming soon, including a resource library where you can upload/download forms, manuals, etc. to share with your peers. |
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