Monthly Archives: April 2009

Pop!Tech Fellowship for Social Innovation


Posted by ajlovesya

Another gem forwarded to me from a friend. Please share with change makers you think could benefit from this program!

This is an all expenses-paid, multi-day intensive program for 10-20 visionary leaders to receive the resources/tools they need– ranging from branding, media relations, innovative technology, finance leads, leadership development, design impact, organization development– via networking with the world’s leading thought and practice leaders across health, education, technology, energy, peace and social justice, environment, human rights, economic development, media and telecom among other fields.

Fellows also present at the Pop!Tech conference (21-24 Oct 09 Camden, Maine), and gain access to funding, high visibility media/awards, mentoring and leadership development, and other resources to ensure socially beneficial innovation throughout the year and ahead.

To ensure diversity, at least one-third of the class will consist of participants from outside the U.S. and at least one-third will be 35 years of age or younger. Selection of Fellows will be made on rolling basis throughout 2009 (but early works better than later).

For more information visit Pop!Tech – Social Innovation Fellows


Volunteer Tip: Reflect on Your Volunteer Experience


Posted by ajlovesya

This article is the third of three in a series about creating a great volunteer experience that I am writing as ambassador of WEVolunteer.tv, a three year initiative by WE tv to get more women to serve. Read the first article on searching for a good opportunity, the second on preparing for your day of service, and the intro to the series.

Me cutting up paper to decorate bags

Me cutting up paper to decorate bags

Yesterday I spent a few hours with my sister decorating bags and packing them with healthy foods and toiletries for homeless shelters in NYC. This opportunity was coordinated by the Youth Planning Committee of Children for Children. There were numerous stations set up throughout the pier—from making cards and necklaces to decorating and packing bags. There were so many fun activities to do you almost forgot you were doing it for charity!

Onetime events are stepping stones to getting more involved and making volunteering a part of your life. However, in order to move forward, it helps to do some reflection on your experience.

  • What about the activity did you enjoy the most/least? Maybe you discovered a new interest or realized what you thought sounded fun wasn’t really for you. I learned that Im too much of a perfectionist to enjoy making art!
  • What about the event as a whole did you enjoy the most/least? Not enough structure? Opportunity to meet lots of people? It was a great bonding activity for me and my sister, although I wish I had something that could engage me a bit more.
  • What about the org touched you? Would you volunteer with them again? Are interested in learning more and exploring more ways to help out? As I have previously mentioned, I am all for student leadership and community involvement in service. This event did a great job of mobilizing young people and their communities.

I would love to hear about people’s volunteer experiences. What’s a better way to wrap up National Volunteer Week and Global Youth Service Day than with reflection and sharing?


Volunteering Tip: Preparing for Your Day of Service


Posted by ajlovesya

Global Youth Service Day

Global Youth Service Day

This article is the second of three in a series about creating a great volunteer experience that I am writing as ambassador of WEVolunteer.tv, a three year initiative by WE tv to get more women to serve.  Read the first article on searching for a good opportunity and the  intro to the series.

Today I will be volunteering with my sister for Children for Children, decorating reusable bags and filling them with healthy foods to be delivered to a local food pantry, an opportunity I found through wevolunteer.tv.

I’ve done one time events before (they are best for people with hectic schedules) and I am really looking forward to it. However, while I may only be helping out for a few hours, there are some tips I keep in mind to make the best of my day:

  • Understanding the event: This helps me determine how I should engage and share information. For example, today’s event is in honor of Global Youth Service Day and Volunteer Week and they are sponsoring a variety of events around the city that are family and kid friendly. Not only have I told families but also I have sent info to schools so that everyone knows they are able to participate and am prepared to hang out with kids all day :-)
  • Bringing a friend: I like bringing someone with me when I volunteer. I get to bond with them, share my experience with them, and I find introducing myself to people easier when I have a friend near by. I also find that people are more likely to volunteer when asked—so you may be planting a seed for a long time commitment. Plus, many one time events request large numbers of volunteers so it doesn’t hurt to bring more people!
  • Dressing appropriately for the event and weather: It is easy to forget the little things like checking the weather and making sure you are prepared. We will be working outside in 85 degree weather, decorating and packing bags, so I need to dress lightly and bring water.
  • Being flexible: Things change at the last minute and sometimes you may be asked to do something different. While you should never do anything you are uncomfortable with, being open to changes will help you adapt to the organization’s needs, keeping you connected.

Tomorrow I will follow up with a reflection on my experience. Until then, Happy Global Youth Service Day! If you have any tips leave them in the comments.


Volunteering Tip: You Can Have a Busy Schedule and Still Find Time to Volunteer


Posted by ajlovesya

This article is the first of three in a series about creating a great volunteer experience that I am writing as ambassador of WEVolunteer.tv, a three year initiative by WE tv to get more women to serve. Read the intro to the series here.

Lack of time is the number one reason women don’t volunteer. However, many of us would be amazed at the sheer number of opportunities available to people with hectic schedules. All it takes is a little research and an understanding of what you want out from a volunteer experience.

I’m a pretty busy woman myself. So after signing up on Wevolunteer.tv, I began looking for an opportunity that was one time, 3-5 hours on a weekend, and since I like volunteering with friends, group friendly. I found this great opportunity from Children for Children, a nonprofit that encourages children to engage in service.

Here’s some more detail on why I chose this volunteer opportunity:

  • It matches my values: Not just in terms of the cause being supported (hunger) but also in terms of how the event is being run. The event is coordinated and led by the organization’s Youth Planning Committee and is a family oriented service day. I am a strong supporter of youth leadership and love organizations that target families and friends—a great way to get communities involved.
  • The ease of communication and reasonable response time: I signed up on wevolunteer.tv and received additional information and confirmation within minutes. My schedule gets hectic really fast so having someone respond quickly helps me plan better.
  • It is good for groups and meeting people: This event, like most onetime events, is perfect for large groups which means I can bring my family and meet other people who share my interest and passion.
  • There is an immediate impact: Like most onetime events, there is a specific goal set out to accomplish: decorating reusable canvas bags and filling them with healthy foods for a local food pantry. So whether you are painting a room, planting flowers, or taking kids on a field trip, you will see the impact of your work as soon as the day is done. It instills a greater sense of accomplishment.

If you are looking to ease into volunteering, pick a holiday. Yesterday, April 22, was Earth Day and this week is National Volunteer Week which means there are more one time volunteer opportunities aimed at first time volunteers. Also, take time to reflect on these questions:

1. Would you like to take your family or friends with you? Aim for group friendly activities.
2. Are you crunched for time? Look for onetime events on the weekends in the morning or weekdays in the evening.
3. Do you have a specific skill to share? Be mindful that with the exception of labor intensive volunteer opportunities, skill specific opportunities are more long term.
4. Do you have a passion you would like to explore? Sign up for websites like WEVolunteer.tv which is powered by VolunteerMatch and allows you to search by a variety of categories.  The website also lists opportunities on your volunteer page that are in your area.  Check out streetprojects.org as they offer opportunities targetted at busy people.

So even though your time may be tight, you can still tap into you desire volunteer.


Happy National Volunteer Week! News Round-Up and Upcoming Series


Posted by ajlovesya

The theme this year is “Celebrating People in Action.” This is the time to honor those who give their time to others.  Based on the articles below, the number of people who are giving their time is increasing exponentially, fueled by a failing economy and Obama’s ability to make service cool.

Nation Needs Youthful Idealism More than Ever
Civic Generation Rolls Up Sleeves in Record Numbers
With Finance Disgraced, Which Career Will Be King
Community Organizing Never Looked so Good

**Mayor Bloomberg launches NYC Service, a city wide initiative to get New Yorkers involved in service, one of the first city wide programs of this kind in the country, including mandatory service for all students in grades K-12. **Correction, I misread the email I received about the project.  He’s not making service mandatory, rather he is requiring that all schools create service learning options so that young people have the option to serve and are exposed to various service opportunities (although mandatory service in schools is certainly not new).  More info here.

I don’t think I have EVER heard so much about volunteering. It is exciting and invigorating to see people committing themselves to developing and sustaining their communities.

While I sit here and encourage people to serve, I realize that I need to do some service myself. Not only would it help me connect and do the direct service work I miss, but also I would be better positioned to help those who are interested in volunteering.

So as I search for and participate in a volunteer activity I will chronicle my experiences.   I will cover how to select a good volunteer opportunity, what to do when you show up to volunteer, and how build on your experience personally and professionally.  I am excited to share this with my readers and also with WE tv, a television network for women, as they launch their WEVolunteer program in an effort to get more women to serve.

What volunteer work are you doing?