Shelli Beck, CVA - Director of Volunteer Services at Lyngblomsten

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.

Faith Based Volunteer Programs - 1 Pm Eastern

This will be beneficial for anyone who is involved in faith based volunteer programs.  There will be open discussion, topics presented for discussion and time to share training information and resources.  Some of the topics we will cover are: Recruiting today's volunteers, Managing today's volunteers, and Leading today's volunteers.  

Your thoughts and experiences are valued.  We can learn so much from each other!

2024 Dates:  June 13, Aug 8, Oct 10, Dec 12

2025 Dates:  Feb 13, April 10

Communities of Practice are an AL!VE member benefit; however, anyone is welcome to attend their first meeting with out being a member.  After your first meeting, we request you join as a member to attend subsequent meetings.  You can learn more here.

• March 28
• June 17
• September 13
• December 4

This virtual Community of Practice supports volunteer engagement professionals managing programs in and across rural communities. These monthly peer-to-peer sessions address some of the challenges that come with operating in geographic areas with lower population numbers and that are located outside of more suburban and urban areas. Members use these sessions to troubleshoot issues, to give and receive support, and to share strategies, best practices, and resources for effective volunteer program management.

2024 Meetings will be held (All times 2 PM Eastern):
January 16, February 20, March 19,
April 16, May 21, June 18,
July 16, August 20, September 17,
October 15, November 19, December 17

To register for these dates, see the  link below.

COP's are an exclusive AL!VE member benefit.  Anyone is welcome to attend the first COP meeting, but after the first meeting we ask you become a member.  Learn more here. 

NEW!  Disability COP

This COP is for those leading volunteerism within the field of disability.  Our conversations are aimed at prioritizing issues aimed at improving the lives and rights of those disabled.  It’s at the heart of why we do what we do. 

• We’ll compare & contrast best practices helping each other shine. 
• We’ll speak to the benefits of volunteering for a disability organization as well as helping those who are disabled volunteer. 
• We’ll share what disability organizations wish others understood while recognizing that intersectionality and language matters.

Each month, we'll host different topics and perhaps guest speakers tailoring this COP to meet our needs.  Join us!

 Meeting monthly – the third Thursday each month – at 2 pm EST/1 pm CST/12 pm MST/11 am PST

For 2024, JUN 20; JUL 18; AUG 15; SEP 19; OCT 17: NOV 14; DEC 19.  

Starting in 2025 with JAN 16

 

Facilitated by Mark Heffner, CVA (He/Him)

New York -  Atlantic Region

Volunteer Engagement Coordinator at ADAPT Community Network (formally United Cerebral Palsy NYC)

Mark has led volunteers for more than 20 years in the areas of cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homelessness. prior to choosing volunteerism as his career, Mark taught Special Education for those who are disable or differently abled. In his current role, he is able to do both! His role was created to build a volunteer program with serve those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in an agency setting.

 *note* When you register, you will automatically be registered for all the future COP dates (listed below) and reminders will be sent - the COP will use the same zoom link. 
​You may opt out by emailing manager@volunteeralive.org.

Communities of Practice are an AL!VE member benefit; however, anyone is welcome to attend their first meeting with out being a member. After your first meeting, we request you join as a member to attend subsequent meetings.

All 2024 dates:  Jan 24, Feb 21, Mar 20, April 17, May 15,
*Note new meeting dates:  June 21, July 19, Aug 16, Sept 20, Oct 18
Noon Eastern
 May 15 & June 12 Book Club: Dare to Lead by Brene' Brown 

A Number-one New York Times best seller!

Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.

Facilitated by Haley Matherly, CVA .  As a Program Development Coordinator at the Kansas Volunteer Commission (KVC), she supports program partners across various initiatives that promote service, mentoring, and volunteerism in Kansas. She is a Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) professional, with expertise in program design and leadership development.

Communities of Practice are an AL!VE member benefit; however, anyone is welcome to attend their first meeting with out being a member.  After your first meeting, you must join as a member to attend subsequent meetings.  You can learn more here.

July's book selection:  Spark the Heart:  Flex Your Empathy Muscle by Dr. Nicole Price

Empathy, often dismissed as a soft skill by leaders, is actually one of the most undervalued skills at their disposal. With her book, Spark the Heart: Engineering Empathy in the Workplace, Dr. Nicole Price makes the case for prioritizing empathy in the workplace, especially as a leadership skill that can be learned, built, and developed.

Inspired by life experiences that awakened her to empathy, Dr. Price has come a long way since her days as an unempathetic leader. In recounting the stories that set her on the journey of empathy she is on today, Nicole proves to today’s leaders that empathy isn’t just something you’re born with, but something we are all capable of, and something that is urgently needed in today’s polarized world.

Nicole’s aim, in her words, is to “have a real conversation about empathy. I cannot give you life-altering experiences, but I can help you to recall the experiences you have had when it is time to flex your empathy muscles. I know that there are far too many people who do care deeply about people who are showing up in unempathetic ways because they haven’t had certain experiences but also because they have not even thought about there being other ways to build empathy.”

Dispelling common empathy myths like empathy makes you weak, that it’s all give and no gain, Nicole points out early-on that the business case is strong, and unavoidable. The top 10 companies in the Global Empathy Index 2015 increased in value more than twice as much as the bottom 10 and generated 50 percent more earnings (defined by market capitalization). There is a correlation as high as 80 percent between departments with higher empathy and those with high performers. And, 87 percent of CEOs believe a company’s financial performance is tied to empathy in the workplace, as do 79 percent of HR professionals.

If you’re seeking to develop a new leadership skill, choose one that can give you an unexpected edge over your competition, Spark the Heart is the urgent read you need right now.

Meetings will be held bimonthly (every 2 months) with the first meeting on Wednesday, April 28th at 8-9pm ET (5-6pm PT).  Following meetings will be 10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern:   
2024:  February 22, April 26, June 28, Aug 23, Oct 25, Dec 27

The COP - Animal Welfare is designed to include a broad range of animal welfare organizations such as animal shelters, rescue groups, foster-based programs, sanctuaries, direct care for animals, and humane education programs. The objective of this COP is to connect volunteer engagement professionals within these organizations to share resources and best practices. This informal venue encourages open discussions for anyone seeking or offering advice in tackling the unique challenges facing volunteer leaders in the animal welfare field.

Communities of Practice are an AL!VE member benefit; however, anyone is welcome to attend their first meeting with out being a member.  After your first meeting, you must join as a member to attend subsequent meetings.  You can learn more here.

Meetings will be held bimonthly (every 2 months) with the first meeting on Wednesday, April 28th at 8-9pm ET (5-6pm PT).  Following meetings will be 10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern:   
2024:  February 22, April 26, June 28, Aug 23, Oct 25, Dec 27

The COP - Animal Welfare is designed to include a broad range of animal welfare organizations such as animal shelters, rescue groups, foster-based programs, sanctuaries, direct care for animals, and humane education programs. The objective of this COP is to connect volunteer engagement professionals within these organizations to share resources and best practices. This informal venue encourages open discussions for anyone seeking or offering advice in tackling the unique challenges facing volunteer leaders in the animal welfare field.

Communities of Practice are an AL!VE member benefit; however, anyone is welcome to attend their first meeting with out being a member.  After your first meeting, you must join as a member to attend subsequent meetings.  You can learn more here.

• Member benefits
• Resources & where to find them
• Associations goals for 2024
• Discuss what's happening in the field on a regional or national level
• Bring your own topic - have a question you need to discuss? We're happy to connect.