Thousands of youth, families, corporate, and faith-based groups volunteer their time and talent to local organizations to meet our region’s most critical needs. Engaging volunteers in community work can be a powerful asset but it can be challenging to ensure a meaningful volunteer experience. HandsOn Greater Richmond celebrates organizations that are striving to meet their mission and are utilizing volunteers to do so. HandsOn Greater Richmond is pleased to announce that CARITAS, Elk Hill, FeedMore, FRIENDS Association for Children, Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia, Peter Paul Development Center, the YMCA, Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, and Tricycle Gardens are officially certified as Service Enterprises.
HandsOn Greater Richmond partnered with Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, to certify the organizations. The Service Enterprise Initiative (SEI) strengthens the capacity of nonprofits to fundamentally leverage volunteers and their skills to address community needs. This means more and better volunteers doing GOOD in our community.
Capital One funded the initiative through its Future Edge program. Capital One partners with leading educational and community organizations across the country to address areas of critical need that impact the nation’s current and future ability to grow and prosper in the digital age.
The certification included an intensive assessment and training process, followed by the development and implementation of action plans with the objective of reimagining how to best engage volunteers to successfully deliver on the social mission of their organizations.
“The Service Enterprise Initiative went well beyond any expectations we had of the process,” said Rosemary Jones, Director of Volunteer Services at the Peter Paul Development Center. “The insights learned in working alongside other organizations and the confidence gained in having to articulate our messaging and our overarching role within our own agency have been priceless. Including our leadership and taking a holistic approach to volunteerism in our organization have enriched the services we provide not only through our volunteers, but also throughout the entire organization.”
Research conducted by Deloitte and national program and evaluation firm TCC Group demonstrates that organizations operating as Service Enterprises outperform peer organizations on all measures of organizational capacity, allowing them to not only adapt and lead better compared to other nonprofits, but also operate at almost half of their median budget.
“Since our involvement with the Service Enterprise training last spring, our volunteer activity has dramatically increased and the response from our corporate partners has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Elk Hill CEO Michael Farley.
For more information, please visit: http://www.pointsoflight.org/service-enterprise-initiative.
About HandsOn Greater Richmond HandsOn Greater Richmond supports area nonprofits by managing volunteer opportunities, connecting volunteers to meaningful service, and facilitating trainings on volunteer management best practices. To find contact information and volunteer opportunities with these organizations and many others, visit www.handsonrva.org.
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As part of RFM’s commitment to informing families and engaging the community, RFM dedicates its Reaching Out department to telling an RVA nonprof’s story every issue. Catch up with past Reaching Out articles here (under Community on the main menu at www.RFMonline.com) and find your family’s volunteer passion.
