MAVA Lunch Keynote: by Betty Stallings
What are the challenges/concerns, related to our profession, that are impacting our capacity to enhance volunteer engagement?
Table discussion on challenges of the profession:
Betty’s Challenges (shared in a question format)
1. How can we create and sustain a strong national platform for leaders of volunteer engagement?
2. How can we share our position’s purpose (not simply the tasks) within organizations, churches, initiatives, corporations – basically anywhere we are the designated leader of volunteer engagement?
3. How can we reverse our tendency to re-invent resources and programs rather than updating, and building on the best that has been developed in resources, policies, methods, technology, risk management, etc.?
4. How can we gain more success in building commitment, competency and support of administration and all staff, helping them to discover the amazing value/impact of volunteers when they are effectively engaged within our organizations?
5. How can our profession gain understanding/influence with funders, corporations, and other key external stakeholders who could greatly impact our profession, thus ultimately strengthening volunteer efforts?
6. How can we get ahead of the curve in trends and be visionaries: more effectively sharing the potential of volunteer engagement (how it could be), rather than looking for support for what is?
Challenges from the “Guest Panelists”
Page 2
Table Discussion on…..What Gives You Hope and encourages you about the profession?
Betty’s Hope and Encouraging Signs for the Profession
1. Many young leaders around the country (many in this room) are passionate about this work, have fabulous ideas and are or can become the thought leaders of our profession.
2. Funders are SLOWLY getting the connection between the success of a mission and the organization’s effective engagement of volunteers.
3. Technology is enabling us to network and to share resources in ways truly unimagined when I began this work over 40 years ago.
4. We are slowly moving away from being seen as “miracle workers” as young people enter the field. They see the skills and talent it takes to do this work.
5. I have hope because I have been privileged to see and hear about the work you are doing here in MAVA. So, I know it can be done. We just need to learn how to clone you throughout the nation.
Notes from “Guest Panelists”
For everyone to answer: After thinking about our challenges and hopes and encouraging signs of our profession, the key action I am committed to take to join in the effort to move our profession forward is ______