Building Bridges with Group Volunteer Activities

Engaging Community and Corporate Volunteer Groups

in Adult Basic Education Programs

Why offer one-time or short-term volunteer opportunities to community or corporate groups?

  • Many individuals have valuable skills to offer but are not available to volunteer regularly.If these people pass us by, ABE loses out on valuable community support, possible donors, and future tutors or teachers.
  • One-time volunteer opportunities allow community members to gain an understanding of adult literacy issues. They become advocates for ABE when they tell their families and friends about local programs.
  • A one-time group activity allows participants to experience volunteering before committing to an ongoing position.It is important to provide free space for participants to discover their intrinsic (internal andpersonal) reasons to continue to participate in further volunteering opportunities. Allowing people to self-identify as “willing to take the next step” is akey componentand eventually the right people step into the right volunteer roles at the right time.

Changes in Volunteerism

  • Studies of volunteers show that there is a trend toward people choosing shorter, one-time volunteer projects rather than ongoing commitments.Volunteers having shorter time availability was the most commonly cited trend. – from the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration’s 2013 and 2014 “Volunteering in a Shifting Environment” surveys
  • Volunteering is a social activity - families and friends often want to be involved together.
  • Social responsibility is increasingly valued among corporations. Businesses can show they are socially responsible by donating volunteer time. Also, volunteering doubles as staff development or team building for many corporate groups.

Grants and Funding Opportunities

  • Two thirds of volunteers donate to the agency where they volunteer. On average, volunteers give 10 times as much money annually as people who don’t volunteer. –from the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund’s 2009 Volunteerism and Charitable Giving survey
  • Corporations that give grants often require that their grants go to organizations where their employees volunteer. The more they are involved, the more opportunities to apply for grants.

People want them!

  • The Minnesota Literacy Council receives requests from businesses, community groups and families who want to volunteer together. If you would like to host a one-time group volunteer opportunity, please contact Allison at .