Emerging Leaders Mentor Program
April - September 2024 AL!VE is dedicated to the professional growth and development of leaders in volunteer engagement. The purpose of the Emerging Leaders Mentor Program is to provide a platform for AL!VE members to connect, share best practices and position themselves as leaders in the field through ongoing professional development and skills building.
For more information about this program, commitments and requirements, etc., please visit our website and our Mentor Program FAQ. The mentorship will commence during the months of April - September 2024.
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Meet the Mentors Our seasoned, experienced AL!VE members are donating their time and talent to you! If you are interested in participating in this program, please learn a little bit about our mentors to help you determine who may be a good match for you! |
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Interested in Being a Mentee?
If interested in becoming a mentee, complete the mentee application via the link below. Applications are due by Monday, April 5th!
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IMPORTANT: Save the date for mandatory orientation that will be held on April 10th, 2024 at 12pm PST/3pm EST. Mentors and mentees will attend to learn more about one another before selecting their preferences for mentorship.
The Mentor Program Facilitators will also hold a goal-setting session on March 27th, 2024 at 12pm PST/3pm EST to help mentees better craft goals for the program.
If you have any questions or concerns about this program, please contact us . |
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President's Message - Cathy Thoma, CVA |
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Greetings AL!VE Members,
Happy March! If you are like me, you are now trying to get used to Daylight Saving time (unless you are lucky enough to live in Hawaii or Arizona), pulling out the green for St. Patrick’s Day (because everyone's Irish on St. Patrick’s Day) and putting your final touches on your Global Volunteer Month/Volunteer Appreciation week celebrations.
For my thank you card to my volunteers, I’ll be utilizing a beautiful piece of artwork created by an individual we support at Hammer & NER. It depicts a vase of flowers with the message inside that says, “Volunteers sow the seeds of kindness”. I’ll also be adding a packet of wildflower and butterfly garden seeds, just in time for spring. If you would like to share what you will be doing for volunteers in April, please scroll down to our new Hot Topic! Section and add your ideas. We will share them in next month’s newsletter.
AL!VE will also be supporting volunteer appreciation as a Points of Light Global Volunteer Month Official Program Partner. Mark your calendar to join the social surge on April 1st to kick off Global Volunteer Month. Plus, bookmark Points of Light’s social media toolkit that makes sharing the message of volunteerism as easy as the click of a button.
You will be seeing AL!VE’s social media posts using the hashtags #GlobalVolunteerMonth and #NationalVolunteerWeek. We encourage you to use the hashtags as well. Don’t forget to tag AL!VE in your posts! Cheers, Cathy |
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March AL!VE Academy:
Leading From Your Identity Presented by Jared Peer, CVA Tuesday, March 26, 2-3pm Imposter Syndrome persists in Volunteer Administration for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is because in volunteer leadership careers, WHAT we DO is inextricably linked to WHO we ARE.
We'll take a deep look at the sort of attitudes and skills leaders of volunteers can cultivate in order to be successful. Your identity, who you are, might just be the most important tool in your volunteer toolbox. |
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| About our Presenter:
Jared Peer has volunteered - and lead volunteers - all his life. He discovered leading volunteers professionally after years of exploring a variety of for-profit, nonprofit, and ministry careers. After leading volunteers at a zoo through the Covid-19 pandemic, he stepped into a role with a local social services organization. He now leads volunteers for an AmeriCorps Seniors program to meet local community needs in East Tennessee. |
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April AL!VE Academy: AI: How to Have Ethical, Accurate, Human-Centered Results Presented by Dana Litwin
Monday, April 8 - 2:00 PM Eastern, 90 minutes
This webinar follows up on the great speakers and points from the 2023 Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference to explore the practical aspects of "How, Where, and Why" for utilizing "AI" ethically in everyday work for a positive and accurate outcome. |
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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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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”
Would you like to share your story about proactively building influence withing your organization as a presenter at the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference this year?
We are looking for confident presenters who can tell a great story without reading from a script, are comfortable in front of a video camera, can travel to Hamilton, Ontario for October 21, 22, and 23, and are able to fulfill the requirements in the Speaker Agreement (view at the conference website). If that’s you, let us know when you submit your story. Registration to attend the conference as a host site or an individual opens in June and July, respectively. This event is produced and sponsored in conjunction with Better Impact. |
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Welcome Gold Sponsor - Better Impact!
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 more about Better Impact here.
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New Partnership Announcement: AAMV & AL!VE
The American Association for Museum Volunteers (AAMV) and the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE) are excited to announce a new partnership between our organizations. The missions of AL!VE and AAMV align closely, and it is with great pride that we announce this partnership.
AAMV is joining AL!VE as a member organization. AAMV Members will now receive a few of the AL!VE member benefits. Additionally, AAMV is honored to assist with hosting the Museums and Cultural Institutions COP sessions moving forward. |
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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!
We will be reaching out with more details and to begin looking for locations to co-host the conference with us. Keep an eye out for our email and further announcements in this newsletter coming soon! |
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Hot Topics: Global Volunteer Month How Are You Celebrating?
Global Volunteer Month is next month! Tell us what you are doing and let us celebrate all that you do to show appreciation of your volunteers and invest in volunteer engagement excellence. - Share the best volunteer appreciation & recognition that you have seen or done!
- Share one way you plan to celebrate volunteers this April.
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Anything else you want to share about volunteer appreciation & recognition?
- What help, guidance, or resources would you love to have?
Since AL!VE Members are some of the best Volunteer Engagement Professionals out there and we are looking to crowdsource great samples and sentiments from all of you! |
Hot Topic Follow Up: Background Checks Unfortunately, we had some technical difficulties with last month's form, so we'll revisit Background Checks in the future! |
| SEI Spotlight
Over 850 organizations in 35 states have achieved Service Enterprise accreditation, strategically leveraging volunteers throughout their organizations expanding budgets and achieving social missions. Over 80% of our Service Enterprises report an increase in both total and skills-based volunteers.
Service Enterprise engages leadership and a cross-functional team in an asset-based approach to improving organizations’ engagement of volunteers. Only 5% report not having sustained improvement in the way their leadership and non-volunteer engagement staff see and value volunteers.
Beyond impacting volunteer engagement; independent research shows that organizations which operate as a Service Enterprise are better led, managed, and operate at almost half the median budget as their peers.
Learn how your organization can begin to operate as a Service Enterprise by contacting us at ServiceEnterprise@volunteeralive.org or attending our sessions at ASC’s and Points of Light’s conferences.
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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| AL!VE's 2024 T-Shirt Design Contest:
Submissions Due April 1! |
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Calling all AL!VE Artists! In 2023, we partnered with Raygun to create official AL!VE T-Shirts! This year, we invite our members to submit concepts for a new T-Shirt design for 2024! Whether you're a graphic design enthusiast or a casual doodler, we invite you to unleash your imagination and participate in our exciting competition! Our contest theme is focusing on recognizing yourselves as leaders in volunteer engagement while recognizing your amazing volunteers. From whimsical illustrations to thought-provoking slogans, the sky's the limit!
To ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all participants, please adhere to the following guidelines: - Design must be original and unpublished.
- Submissions should be in vector format (AI, EPS, SVG) or high-resolution raster format (PNG, JPEG).
- Avoid using copyrighted material or offensive content.
- Each participant can submit one design
- AL!VE logos can be found on our website. Designs may be adjusted to accompany AL!VE Branding.
Our top 3 winners will receive recognition in our AL!VE Newsletter, and a free AL!VE T-Shirt of their choosing. Entering the contest is quick and easy! Simply follow these steps: -
Create your stunning t-shirt design based on the theme.
- Visit our website and fill out the submission form.
- Upload your design files and provide a brief description of your inspiration.
After the submission period ends, our AL!VE Board will review the submitted designs, and present our top 3 designs that will be voted on by the public through our website! Rally your friends, family, and followers to support your entry and increase your chances of winning!
Submission deadline is April 1, so don't delay—submit your entry now and take the first step toward becoming our next design champion! |
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| Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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Communities of Practice FacilitatorsNeeded! We are looking for new facilitators for the following COPs. Facilitators host a COP with their peers on a regular basis - monthly, every other month, or quarterly. -
Faith Based
- Animal Welfare
- Book Club
- Parks & Rec
Interested in getting involved further? Contact Sarah for more information! |
| Upcoming Communities of Practice: March 19, 2pm - Rural Programs March 20, 12pm - Book Club March 21, 12pm - Parks & Rec March 21, 3pm - Museums & Cultural Institutions March 25, 2:30pm - National Networks April 2, 3pm - Food Banks April 3, 1pm - Transportation April 10, 3pm - Americorps Seniors April 13, 2pm - Mental Health *All times Eastern* |
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Other Upcoming Events:
March 26 - AL!VE Academy March 27 - CVA Credential Information Session March 28 - AL!VE Networking Social - Open to all! This quarter's topic: Volunteer Recognition SAVE THE DATE:
10th Annual Hybrid Conference:
October 22 & 23, 2024 |
| Local Associations
The Local Associations Community of Practice meets again March 27, 1-2:30pm EST. The first quarter topic will be about Membership Recruitment, Increasing Participation, and AL!VE Benefits for Local Association Members, presented by a panel of your peers on these topics based on input from the 2023 Annual Local Associations Summit. The presentation will also include: - Reduced fees
- scholarships
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who are the stakeholders to contact and recruit for membership
Anyone involved in leadership at your local association (DOVIA, AVA, etc.) are welcome to attend! Upcoming 2024 Local Association COP Dates: June 26, 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 Page 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) HR & Policy Committee - Support AL!VE's internal volunteer management and association policy & procedure work.
Membership Committee - Support AL!VE's member benefits, Ambassador program, and local association mentoring & professional development. |
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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. |
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In Memoriam:
Remembering Kris Hamilton, AL!VE member, AL!VE Mentor |
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It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of AL!VE member Kris Hamilton. Kris spent the last two months bravely fighting a late-stage cancer diagnosis and passed away in late February.
Her San Diego Humane Society family will miss her terribly, including all her volunteers whom she loved so very much! As shared by her colleagues:
“Everyone who met Kris adored her playful, fun-loving, hilarious, lively antics, and those who knew her well admired her wisdom, drive, and the love she so readily shared with others. She never wanted anyone to feel left out, hence the many mandatory ‘Kris selfie’ group photo ops she's famous for. Kris made a point to celebrate her friends' best days and support them through their darkest times. She never met a stranger. It was always ‘Hey friend!!’ to all she encountered - including animals.”
Kris was a mentor not only to her fellow SDHS volunteer engagement teammates, but also served in AL!VE’s Emerging Leaders Mentor Program as a mentor since 2021. When asking her former mentees about Kris, here are some of their heartfelt responses:
“Kris radiated kindness and generosity in everything she did. Her joyful energy was truly infectious. I feel immensely grateful for the opportunity to have known her and to have learned from her during the AL!VE mentorship and after. She has left a lasting impact on me, reminding me of the important of kindness and compassion in our lives. Kris’s presence will always be cherished and deeply missed.” -Alicia Wyckoff (she/her)
“Kris was a wonderful mentor – open in sharing her wisdom and expertise, supportive and encouraging, while also helping me to grow in my understanding of advocacy and my career. Through her mentorship, I not only grew in my knowledge of volunteer engagement, but Kris pushed me to acknowledge my own existing knowledge and helped me to become more comfortable as a leader within my organization. Her guidance helped me grow professionally and I use what I learned from her all the time in my work. She was a wonderful person and mentor who will be greatly missed.”
-Kelly Gascoine, CVA (she/her)
“I can't even begin to express the gratitude I have for the time I spent with Kris. Every conversation was full of wisdom, candor, and such a level of uplift that made me feel like I was on the right track with my program. Kris was so influential, she was known by my supervisor on a first name basis. Every week I would mention something that Kris and I had discussed or something new I wanted to try that Kris was doing. I will miss her greatly and can only hope to emulate the level of positive impact she had towards all of those around her.”
-Jovany Otero (he/him/his) Kris was a source of inspiration for her mentees, colleagues and volunteers, and her legacy will continue to inspire us in the years to come. |
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Welcome to Our Newest Members! |
Kayleen Leetch Carrie Speed Kelly Burnett Cara Auda Scott Weigley Pamela Cox Kari Siverhus Grace Teofilo Rori DeFoor Allegra Marra Dev Burgoyne Londin Boots Maria Hazell Bill French Olympia Friday |
| 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:
March 28, 5pm - Member Networking - Open to ALL members! April 2, 1:30-2pm - New Member Webinar |
| Thank you to Our Renewing Members! |
Ashley Rieser Kelley Uber Sterner Cara Madsen Lisa Brinkerhoff Jennifer Weichecl, CVA Gerald Pannozzo Heather Cowles Stacey Lucas Shawnia Johnson Nicole Frey Ashlee Pratt Angela Williamson Kathy Anderson Lacy Flippin Bri Johnson Karen Tharp Kelly Gascoine Sarah Hunniecutt Rebecca Purchase Shawn Reid Amanda Schmierer Kassia Reedy |
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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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