Education & Reading Programs Community of Practice is a group of professionals with the interest of improving reading levels for youth and adults. We convene bimonthly to offer support, share best practices, provide a safe space for discussion, and networking.
For more information contact Brandy Tolbert, Facilitator. Register from our calendar on the next available date.
2025: January 6, March 3, May 5, July 7
Whether you're new to your role or decades into your career, there's always more to discover—and it's often the things we don’t know that limit us the most.
Join Nicole R. Smith, CVA, Executive Director of the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE), for a powerful session on why professional development isn’t just a “nice-to-have” — it’s a career necessity.
You’ll leave this webinar feeling empowered, equipped, and energized to take the next bold step in your professional journey—no matter where you're starting from.
Reserve your spot today to learn from a dynamic leader in volunteer engagement, walk away with actionable strategies to fuel your professional growth, and connect with like-minded peers during a lively, interactive Q&A session!
Click here to register for the next meeting.
Not an AL!VE Member? Join Now
Want to try before you buy? Email info@volunteeralive.org to try your first session free.
July AL!VE Academy: A Person-and-Situation Approach to Skills-Based Volunteering: Lessons From the Psychology of Volunteerism with Joshua Braverman Ph.D. - Tuesday, July 15th, 2025 @ 12:30 PM - 90 minutes
Many people are familiar with the “typical” forms of volunteerism where people receive training or orientation after signing up for the volunteer opportunity. The present dissertation focused on Skills-Based-Volunteerism, where volunteers use their pre-existing skills or talents to volunteer. As Skills-Based Volunteers may have a larger impact within their organization(s), it is important to understand how different they are from Non-Skills-Based Volunteers. Using the Current Population Survey (United States Census Bureau, 2017), Study One examined the characteristics of Skills-Based Volunteers, and the ways that they differ from Non-Skills Based Volunteers. Study One found that Skills-Based Volunteers reported more frequent volunteering (and doing so for more hours) and were more involved with a diverse subset of other prosocial behaviors (e.g., voting, attending community meetings, and working with one’s neighbors to improve their community) than were Non-Skills-Based Volunteers. In Studies Two and Three, I collected original data to understand whether considering the Skills-Oriented nature of volunteerism may lead to divergence from the findings from the existing psychology of volunteering, specifically whether the psychological characteristics known to predict volunteerism extend to Skills-Based Volunteerism. In Study Two, I found that for the most part, the psychological constructs known to predict volunteerism (e.g., personality, motivations, and social norms) tended to function similarly for Skills-Based and Non-Skills-Based Volunteering. In a follow-up survey, Study Three extended this result by finding that the psychological constructs also predict future volunteerism similarly for Skills-Based and Non-Skills-Based Volunteering (three to six months later). Overall, this program of research made it clear that the existing psychology of volunteering does extend to Skills-Based-Volunteering. Volunteer managers can use the present research as evidence to apply existing volunteer management practices to Skills-Based Volunteering. However, future research should continue to investigate whether there are novel psychological characteristics relevant to Skills-Based Volunteering, especially surrounding one’s education, profession, and/or workplace.
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.
2025 Meetings will be held (All times 2 PM Eastern):
January 21, February 18, March 18,
April 15, May 20, June 17,
July 15, August 19, September 16,
October 21, November 18, December 16
Click here to join the next meeting.
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.
Enhance your professional development and support the profession of volunteer engagement at the same time! Join us for an AL!VE New Volunteer Information Session! This session is your opportunity to learn more about AL!VE, our mission, and how you can get involved. Whether you’re interested in sharing your skills, learning new ones, or connecting with a community of like-minded professionals, we have opportunities for you! Don’t miss this chance to join a dynamic organization that supports leaders in volunteer engagement nationwide. We can’t wait to meet you and explore how we can make an impact together!
Join Sandi Davis, Executive Director of Volunteer Lethbridge, as she builds on last year’s powerful introduction to the Community Volunteer Management Model (CVMM). In this next chapter, Sandi will walk you through the inner workings of CVMM—Volunteer Lethbridge’s flagship approach to volunteer recruitment and intake. The model involves multiple levels of screening and preparation, including applications, interviews, reference checks, and Criminal Record or Vulnerable Sector Checks when required.
Whether you're a volunteer centre, municipality, or nonprofit, this session is your opportunity to see how a shared intake model can create meaningful efficiencies, improve volunteer readiness, and strengthen collaboration across the community. Learn how CVMM supports a more consistent and connected approach—while still honoring the unique needs of every organization and volunteer.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an experienced leader in community volunteer coordination, gain practical ideas you can put into action, and connect with others passionate about making a difference through volunteering.
