COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & COLLABORATION Getting the right people involved…

• Who are you? • Why are you here? • Do you currently volunteer?

Introductions

VANILLA ICE KNOWS BEST…

Collaboration • col·lab·o·ra·tion • kəˌlabəˈrāSHən/ • noun • 1. • the action of working with someone to produce or create

something. • "he wrote on art and architecture in collaboration

with John Betjeman" • 2. • traitorous cooperation with an enemy. • "he faces charges of collaboration"

With Whom to Collaborate? • Nonprofits • For-profits • Faith-based organizations • Schools and Universities • NGOs • Local Government • Land Banks • DDA/TIF/PSD/Assessment

Districts • Neighborhood

Organizations • Friends of Groups

• Parks Boards • Residents • Businesses • Elected Officials • Happy People • Angry People • Children • Adults • Rotary • Honor Societies and other

School Groups • Anyone Else Around

How to Collaborate?

• First, Create a plan! • Charettes • Community Visioning • Surveys • Focus Groups

How to Collaborate

• Be sure to invite and include EVERYONE! • Have refreshments • Have something for kids • Hold at multiple times • Hold in an accessible

and convenient location

How to Collaborate? • Market in a variety of ways • Social Media (ask for

shares) • Newsletters • Personal Asks • Earned Media & PSAs • Posters & Postcards • E-blasts • Mailing Lists • School Mailings

How to Collaborate?

• Decide on a project(s) and set priorities. • Low-hanging fruit • Able to quickly

accomplish • Have the volunteers • Have the funds • Have permission • Create a work plan

Work Plans • Include:

• Project Name • Objective • Specific Tasks • Amount of Time Required • Start and End Date • Person Assigned • Cost • Notes • Measurement of Success

Work Plans Old Town Main Street 2014 Work Plan Committee: Organization

Objective:Communicate

Project 1. Newsletter

Project Manager: Jamie Schriner-Hooper

Project Tasks Person Responsible Start Date End Date Hours Budget Comments Meet with Businesses on a regular (weekly) basis to gather stories and calendar items Warren 11/1/2013 ongoing 2 hours per week $0 Cover one block every week

Send out a note to committee to gather stories/solicit writers Jamie 1st of the month 5th of the month 1 hour per month $0

Write articles Warren/Meegan/volunteers 5th of the month 15th of the month 20 hours per month $0

Proof read all articles Jamie 15th of month 20th of the month 5 hours per month 0

Provide articles to interns to put in print format Jamie 20th of the month 21st of the month 1 hour per month $0

Layout articles in print format Design Interns 21st of the month 25th of the month 5 hours per month $0

Proof read printed newsletter Meegan 25th of the month 27th of the month 2 hours per month $0

Print newsletter Interns 28th of the month 29th of the month 2 hours per month $100 Annual cost

Deliver newsletters Committee 30th of the month 5th of the month 10 hours per month $0 Solicit information when delivering newsletters and deliver posters, etc. when needed

Totals: 0 $100 For printing costs for the year

Measurement of Success: Created a monthly, printed newsletter that was hand-delivered to businesses

YOU HAVE A PLAN, NOW WHAT?

• Michigan has more than 60,000 nonprofits • 26.3% of Michigan residents volunteer an average of 34.2

hours annually • People volunteer with the following preferences:

• Religious • Education • Social service

Working with Volunteers – Volunteering in Michigan

• Many volunteers are mismanaged • After a bad experience, 1/3 of volunteers won’t volunteer

for any organization the following year • Only half of Michigan’s nonprofits have regular volunteer

standards

Working with Volunteers – Volunteer Management

• Volunteers are not paid, but it should not cost them to volunteer

• Volunteers are not your employees • Engage and empower • Train, train and then train some more • Have a specific job for volunteers ready for them when

they arrive • Always, always, always have them sign a release form

Working with Volunteers – Things to remember

• Tell your story!

Volunteer Recruitment

• If you don’t ask people to get involved, they won’t.

Volunteer Recruitment

• Create a hot jobs list and advertise it • Websites • Social Media • Local Newspaper • E-blasts

Volunteer Recruitment

• Create partnerships with: • Schools (honor society and different

school groups) • Colleges • Corporations • Volunteer & Civic Groups (Kiwanis,

Rotary, Scouts) • Other organizations requiring

volunteers

Volunteer Recruitment

• Promote Volunteers! • Event Volunteer to • Committee Member to • Project Chair to • Board Member

Volunteer Retention

• Don’t assume their likes

Volunteer Retention

• Say thank you several times and several ways! • When they sign-up to volunteer • When they volunteer • After they volunteer • In public • In writing • With an event

Volunteer Retention

• There’s an appropriate job for everyone.

Volunteer Retention

• Not all volunteers are good volunteers.

Volunteer Retention

• Never ask a volunteer to do something you wouldn’t do.

Volunteer Retention

Group Exercise! • Form a group • Decide on a project • Determine the partners • Work Plan the project!

THANK YOU! Jamie Schriner-Hooper Executive Director, CEDAM jamie@cedam.info www.cedam.info