Linda Graff And Associates Inc.

Workshop Descriptions: Trends And Issues In Volunteerism

Genetic Engineering In The Volunteer Movement - Where Are We Going And Is Anybody Paying Attention?

Who Should Attend	Workshop Duration
Managers of Volunteers	Two Hours or
Executive Directors	Half Day (Three Hours)
Senior Managers
Board Members

Ever remember having experienced so much change in such a short period? How can we anticipate the future when we can hardly understand the present? Who or what is behind all of these shifts in our notions of volunteering, and are we headed in the right direction? In this workshop we will consider some of the key questions facing the volunteer movement such as:

• what will government cuts, mergers, and downsizing mean for what we ask volunteers to do?
• what should our "position" be on programs such as workfare (welfare reform), mandated community service, alternative sentencing, and service learning? Should we use the label "volunteer" on these emerging forms of mandated and/or stipended work? Does it matter?
• do we want or need government intervention on volunteerism? If we had it, what should it cover? Will it help us or hinder us in the practice of volunteer involvement?
• how should we think about the new ethical dilemmas around job design and risk? Are there no limits to what we can ask volunteers to do?

Join one of North America’s leading authorities on volunteering in this thought-provoking session as we explore together some of the key challenges (and opportunities) currently facing the volunteer movement. Take this all too rare opportunity to connect with your colleagues and consider both the larger trends in volunteering and the new questions they are generating in our field.

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Power Up! - Empowerment For Managers Of Volunteers

Who Should Attend	Workshop Duration
Managers of Volunteers	Two Hours or
	Half Day (Three Hours)

As Directors of Volunteer Services, we are notoriously bad at acknowledging our own expertise and the significance of our own programs. Consider these questions:

• how do managers of volunteers enter the field?
• what is their experience of status, recognition, and power while in the field?
• where can they go when they leave?

This workshop will provide participants the opportunity to consider the concept of power itself. We will look at other key concepts such as management, professionalism, and leadership. We will explore concrete suggestions on how participants can empower themselves within their own organizations and within the larger field of volunteer program management. Participants will come away with:

• a new appreciation of their own skills and expertise
• new insights about power and its significance to women and work
• concrete and practical steps toward professional development, and personal and professional empowerment

Whether you are an experienced Director of Volunteer Services or a novice in the field, you will find this workshop energizing and motivating. Not only will it increase your knowledge and understanding of the field of volunteer program management, but it will give you easy, practical, and concrete ideas to take back to work and implement right away. This workshop is an empowering experience!