August 2001 - "Readers Digest" of National Conference Workshops on Employee Volunteer Programs

By Anne Mazurowski (3M)

Missed the National Conference? Couldn't make it to the conference recap? Keep reading for the "Cliff's Notes" version of the conference.

The beautiful, new Woodwinds Health Campus was the site of the CVC Professional Development session titled "National Conference on Community Volunteering & National Service Recap." Thanks to Kay Baker and HealthEast for hosting this special session.

Twenty-five CVC members attended their choice of five corporate employee volunteerism workshop summaries. Presenters were CVC executive members, and all were very enthusiastic about their topics. Links to the topic summaries are below.

Trends in Volunteerism
Recap at CVC meeting presented by Gelina Haus, Wells Fargo
Presented at National Conference by Mary Merrill, mary@merrillassociates.net

Embracing Diversity
Recap and original presentation by Mark Hiemenz, American Express

E-Mentoring:
U.S. Bancorp
Cargill
Recap and original presentation by Kris Kewitsch, US Bancorp
Recap and original presentation by Rosemarie Kelly, Cargill

EVP as a Strategic Tool During Times of Corporate Change
Recap presented by Barb Alfrey, Pillsbury, and Bill Dittmore, General Mills

Creating and Enhancing a Business Plan for Your EVP
Recap presented by DeDee Ordemann, HealthPartners

Trends in Volunteerism

1999 Independent Sector Study
$15.39/hr - value of hour of volunteer time
90-95% of people volunteer because they were asked

Volunteer Burnout - More people volunteering but for less time

• Time Poverty
• Decrease in volunteerism daytime hours
• Baby Boomers/Sandwich generation
• Generational differences
• Balancing work/family

Workplace Changes

• Increase in people working from home
• Early retirement
• More women in workforce
• Free agents/contractors
• Corporate Citizens

Episodic Volunteering - Here to stay

• 41% of people do one time activities
• 9% once a year
• Volunteers site time poverty
• People are "shopping" for volunteer opportunities - it is a marketing opportunity, build relationships
• Transitional work, in between jobs, careers

Emphasis on Human Touch - Still big part

• Feel compassion for others in need
• Helping others

Professionalization of Volunteer Corps

• Graying of America
• Younger retirement ages
• Corporate volunteering

Corporate Volunteering - Largest growing source of volunteers

• Volunteers have higher expectations
• Want to be engaged quickly and efficiently, expect answers and support quickly
• Bottom line - looking for results
• Corporations see as way to develop staff, teambuilding, support marketing efforts and communicate corporate citizenship
• Tends to be project oriented

Corporate issues

• Employees have limited time - 80% say too busy, 56% can"t make long term commitment
• Release time - 86% employees desired release time, dealt with in various ways
• On-site volunteer info
• On-site training - 44% wanted training during work time to make it easier for employees to participate
• Skillbuilding - 61% volunteered to gain skills/knowledge
• Performance review - one-third wanted volunteer work to be considered. Some liked letters that went to their boss, others said that"s my business - be sure to ask
• Family Options - more and more families want to do something together

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Embracing Diversity

Why focus on diversity?

• Gets more employees involved
• Helps develop broad spectrum of employees
• Uses natural ties to diversity in community for broad coverage of issues
• Highlights and educates employees on company"s diversity initiatives
• Brings diverse groups within a company together for common goals

How to make the connection

• Ties into employee networks/diversity councils
• Gives networks decision-making power within employee volunteer program
• Supports involvement with funding
• Focuses on ties to traditional volunteer initiatives
• Encourages co-sponsorship of opportunities among networks

Challenges/Opportunities

• Balancing diverse needs/interests of employees, company/philanthropic focus and serious social concerns (ACT Principles of Excellence)
• Balancing creativity of ideas with corporate guidelines
• Giving ownership/autonomy to networks versus keeping them in an overall volunteer program umbrella
• How to value diversity related volunteer efforts with a person"s regular "day job"

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E-Mentoring at U.S. Bancorp

"I had the chance to mentor an incredibly talented young lady and correspond through e-mail and one in-person contact. I know she enjoyed it and was excited to hear from me and to meet me. I was able to give a portion of my time to an individual who appreciated it and could learn from what I had to share about careers and education."

-from a U.S. Bancorp employee e-Mentor

Unique Partnership
Partner Organizations

• U.S. Bancorp (business)
• Anne Sullivan Communication Center (Minneapolis public school)
• Junior Achievement (nonprofit)
• Youth Trust (nonprofit)

Reason for Partnership

• Manage participant expectations
• Each organization brings their strengths to the relationship
• Coordination doesn"t fall to one person

History

• Sought school partner in spring of 1999
• Planning began in summer of 1999, with all partners brought to the table
• e-Mentoring began in fall of 1999 with 85 matches
• Completed first year in spring of 2000 and began planning for second year
• School house arrangement allows for mentees in 2000-01 school year to participate for three years (sixth through eighth grades)
• In the second year there are a total of 125 volunteers involved in partnership (95 matches, 5 JA volunteers and 25 employees involved in the first face-to-face activity)

Program Outline

• Mentors and Mentees are Matched one-on-one
• Both mentors and mentees participate in an orientation
• Begin email exchange
• Weekly exchange of emails
• Structured into two sections: email conversation and a weekly Junior Achievement assignment
• Participate in face-to-face events (November and May)

Mentor Orientation & Resources

• Orientation materials
• Tips for Mentors
• How to Help Mentees Develop Marketable Skills
• The Sullivan Scoop (school newspaper)
• Stepping Stones: Taking the First Step With e-Mentoring
• Ongoing resources
• Web page for mentors provides access to
• School information
• Calendar of events
• Message board where mentors can communicate with each other
• Bare Bones & Stepping Stones
• A weekly email from teacher liaison detailing the essential items (bare bones) and helpful information (stepping stones)

Evaluation

• Purpose
• Outline program goals and model evaluation after them
• Measure satisfaction, impact and future interest
• Method
• Survey both mentors and mentees for satisfaction
• Mentees are pre and post tested as part of Junior Achievement curriculum to learn how much financial basics are retained

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Cargill: e-Mentor Program

• Began five years ago
• Vision of linking Cargill employees via technology to an inner city school
• 25 students & Cargill employees matched
• Today, 2001, 360 students - 6th, 7th, & 8th grades - and Cargill employees matched

Why do an e-Mentor program?

• Connect students with caring adults
• Link student learning to world of work
• Motivate students to succeed in school, work and life
• Convenient way to get significant # of employees and students involved
• Flexible - school and business can shape program to fit needs

E-Mentor Must Haves

• Committed & designated partners:
• Principal & Teachers
• Business Contact
• Employee Committee
• Technology available with easy e-mail access

E-Mentor Program Objectives

• Provide friendship and motivation to students
• Develop consistent, ongoing relationship between student and employee
• Provide real world applications on school learnings
• Expose students to workplace and career opportunities
• Provide a positive learning environment
• Expose students to technology
• Provide a convenient opportunity for employees to support students

E-Mentor Program Development

Steps:

• Identify partners
• Select key coordinators
• Determine technology capabilities
• Define program objectives
• Set policies and procedures
• Recruit teachers
• Recruit mentors
• Training mentors, teachers, students
• Match mentors and students
• Provide ongoing support
• Host special events for mentees and mentors
• Evaluate program
• Celebrate successes and recognize participants

Proposed Timeline

May - Select partner
May-Aug - Core team meets
Aug -Teacher training, Mentor recruitment/training
Sept - Student recruitment/training
Oct - 1st correspondence
Dec - Special event
March - Special event
May - End-of-year celebration
June - Evaluate and plan for next year

Cargill: E-Mentor Program

• One student matched with one employee
• Three-year commitment
• Student and employee exchange weekly e-mails
• Employees communicate with students right from their desk
• Two organized face-to-face meetings per grade during the school year at workplace

Cargill: E-Mentor Program Guidelines
Cargill: E-Mentor Program Tools/Resources for Mentors

• Mentors have Cargill Public Relations contact who serves as liaison to school
• Mentors receive orientation training to learn about school, classroom, student
• Regular brown bag seminars to share ideas, thoughts, concerns
• e-Mentor Guide
• Mentoring tips
• Information on age groups

Cargill: E-Mentor Program Tools/Resources for Schools

• School has coordinator who serves as liaison to Cargill
• Training for teachers
• If needed, E-mail technology training
• Technical support
• e-Mentoring Guide
• List of expectations for teachers and schools

Cargill: E-Mentor Program Improvements

• Formal training for teachers at Cargill
• Curriculum improvements
• Offer opportunities to employees to attend school functions - plays, musical performances, etc.
• Structured activities for face-to-face meetings between mentors and students
• Assigned roles to steering committee members

Lessons Learned/Tips for Success

• Begin small and plan for incremental growth
• Organize a training manual that includes the program components
• Organize a training seminar for mentors, which should take place at least one month after the school year begins
• Invest in a point person at the target school
• Invest in a database system at the school site, if one is not already available
• Have clearly defined outcomes for the program and evaluate them at the end of each year
• Organize and have clearly defined roles for an e-mentoring management team
• In the beginning of the school year arrange for mentors and students meet face-to-face to establish contact or re-new contact
• Also in the beginning of the school year, introduce the teachers to the mentors

Cargill: E-Mentor Program Testimonials

• "My mentor is very nice and respectful." -- 7th grader
• "The one good thing about e-Mentoring is that you can learn how to type fast." -- 7th grader
• "She has been another friend to write to. I can write her my problems and stuff I can"t talk about with my parents." -- 8th grader
• "The writing aspect of the [e-Mentoring] program is beneficial. I like it for many reasons, one being that kids who normally HATE to write are writing and are enjoying it." -- 7th grade team teacher
• "Thanks for all the things you do for him. I am glad that the school took this project and you were the lucky one to get my son. He thinks you are a cool guy." --Mother of student

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EVP as a Strategic Tool During Times of Corporate Change

E-mail info@cvctc.org to request fax copies of original materials from conference. Be sure to include name, company name, and fax number with request.

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Creating and Enhancing a Business Plan for Your EVP

E-mail info@cvctc.org to request fax copies of original materials from conference. Be sure to include name, company name, and fax number with request.

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