April 2016: Celebrating Volunteers!
This quarter, CDW is celebrating volunteerism during National Volunteer Week. This national observance is a time to in spire people to engage in their communities, to acknowledge those who give their time and skills to building up their communities, and to show the impact of volunteers on various parts of everyday life.
In this issue:

April 10-16 has been designated as National Volunteer Week and is promoted annually by the Points of Light Foundation. During the week, communities can celebrate the efforts, dedication, and impact of everyday heroes. 

The Points of Light Foundation offers guidebooks and promotional resources on their website for anyone wanting to take part, including: 
Resource Guide , Logos & Marketing Materials ,  and th e   Presidential Proclamation .

You might consider sharing your story of what service means to you or have your volunteers share their stories by posting to Twitter, Instagram or Vine using #NVW2016. You can also upload directly to the Points of Light website.
 

TypesofVolunteering 5 Types of Volunteering

Volunteering is usually thought of as "hands-on" activities, such as food distribution, tutoring, or meals on wheels. However, there are various types of volunteer activities in which people can engage, including internships, voluntourism, online volunteering, and micro volunteering. Offering the opportunities that best fit volunteers can help increase retention.


Search the Stacks for From the Top Down 3rd Ed. by Susan J. Ellis in CDW's Learning Lab on how leadership can help improve volunteer involvement. More resources on this topic are available for checkout in CDW's eLibrary .
PromoteVolunteerOpps Promote Volunteer Opportunities 

We know that volunteers impact communities all year long. Energize Inc. has compiled special days and weeks which are opportunities to promote volunteerism, such as "Join Hands Day" in May or "Make a Difference Day" in October.

ImpactofVolunteerism
Impact of Volunteerism - Reports

 

The Case Foundation looked at the impact of millennials on volunteerism in the 2015 Millennial Impact Report and found that:

 

  • 77% of Millennial employees are more likely to volunteer if they can use their specific skills or expertise to benefit a cause
  • 65% of Millennial employees are more likely to volunteer if their co-workers participated
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    Find other studies on volunteerism by visiting CDW's Learning Lab.

     

    CDW's Learning Lab  is your local civic engagement resource center  in Central Louisiana where nonprofits, community groups, civic clubs, neighborhood associations, faith-based groups and concerned citizens can research successful program models and community statistics, identify funding and volunteer opportunities, and stay current on the latest best practice and nonprofit news. 

    By offering these tools to community members who want to make a difference and motivate others to do the same, CDW's Learning Lab is the Community Builder's WorkSpace.

    Visit CDW's Learning Lab which is located on the first floor of The Rapides Foundation Building in Downtown Alexandria. 


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