Thousands of volunteers are helping the people who were unfortunate victims of last week’s devastating Alabama tornadoes. And plenty of volunteers are also stepping up to help the estimated 7,000 dogs, cats and horses injured or displaced from their homes by the storm.

Like humans, animals have suffered much throughout the South, and especially in Alabama. Exacerbating the problem is the great number of veterinary practices that have been destroyed, along with tens of thousands of homes and other businesses. Animals have been separated from their people, who may be in emergency shelters—or worse, may not have survived the incredibly destructive tornadoes.

For survivors separated from their pets, the worry can add tremendous insult to injury. Anyone who loves an animal can imagine how awful it would be to survive a storm or other disaster, only to discover a beloved pet is missing.

Luckily, dedicated volunteers who understand the human/pet connection are stepping in to reunite pets with their people, as well as to make sure that any injured pets needing care are getting it. Veterinarians are volunteering to care for animals, no matter whom they belong to, or who will or will not pay for their treatment.

Relieving human suffering is most important after a disaster like this. But helping the animals that belong to those humans is important, too. For people who have just been through incredible trauma, it’s extremely difficult to not know whether their pets are okay or even alive. Helping these pets helps their people. Besides, preventing hundreds of cats and dogs from roaming the streets, looking for their owners and becoming more frantic each day is a worthy effort in itself.

PetSmart’s Emergency Relief Waggin’ program sends pre-loaded semi-trailers to help pet victims of natural and manmade disasters. Filled with $60,000 worth of crates, bowls, leashes, food, cat litter and more, the trucks are quickly deployed to help in areas where they are needed.
For information on how to help, visit www.PetSmartcharities.org/emergency-relief.

A report by the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Volunteering in America shows that about a million more people volunteered in 2008 than in the previous year.

What accounts for the surge in volunteering? Teens and young adults! The study shows that young people are increasingly interested in serving their communities and making a difference. Of the one million new volunteers, 441,000—almost half—were between the ages of 16 and 24. This age group makes up 21.9 percent of all volunteers, with a total of 8.24 million young people volunteering in 2008.

Teens and young adults are increasingly interested in assisting others. Among first-year college students, nearly 70 percent (the highest rate since 1970) believe it is essential or very important to help other people in need. President Barack Obama’s call to volunteerism, as well as an increase in service requirements in US middle and high schools, may have contributed to the uptick.

If your nonprofit organization (NPO) needs additional volunteers, consider reaching out to the teen and young adult group. They are likely more aware of volunteer opportunities and needs as growing numbers of their peers communicate their involvement.

And if you already enjoy the help of young people in your NPO, ask them to reach out to their friends. The Volunteering in America study shows that people who do not currently volunteer are more likely to do so if asked by a trusted friend.

You will enjoy a much greater rate of success promoting your cause to this age group if you utilize the same social networking communities that they do—such as Facebook and Twitter. It’s easy to create a fan page on Facebook and set up a Twitter account. With a small time investment, you can communicate with thousands of potential volunteers at once, while they learn more about your cause and your need for volunteers.

The rate of volunteerism in America has not declined, despite the challenging economy. Now is a great time to recruit new volunteers—and teens and young adults are a great group to target!

It’s true that people are living longer in the US, but are their minds staying healthy, too? Yes, according to a new study published by the medical journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. The research states that brain health is improving in aging people in the US. Researchers studied people over age 69 in 1993 and compared that data with a similar study of people in 2002. They discovered that cognitive impairment dropped almost four percentage points.

That number may seem small, but it correlates to hundreds of thousands of people whose brains are healthier—and it indicates that overall risk for dementia may be dropping among older Americans.

So the question is: why? Are aging Americans exercising more, smoking less, or seeing their physicians more often? Yes, and these factors contribute to healthier brains. But keeping your mind active is the real key, according to the lead author of the study, Dr. Kenneth Langa. Formal education, reading and talking with friends are important, but so is “staying connected with the world through volunteering and social networks.”

Staying connected through volunteering is not only good for the community—it’s good for your brain, too.

Young People Want Meaningful Volunteer Opportunities

Demographics

As the general population becomes more diverse, so does the volunteer pool. This means more of your volunteers will be ethnic minorities and people for whom English is not their first language.  Sensitivity, and relating, to a wide variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds will become ever more important.

Technology

Web-based tools have become an entire generation’s mode of communication. What is your organization’s web presence? Does your website make it easy for a volunteer to learn about what you do, the volunteer opportunities that exist, and how they can apply for a position? Do you use current technology—email, text, Social Media groups—to communicate with your volunteers? If not, you are likely turning off a large section of your potential volunteer pool. Sharpen up your technology offerings to remain relevant in today’s high-tech world. All the tools you need are easily accessed, and in many cases, free.

Wants and Needs

The desire to make a difference is back in a big way, but diverse demographic groups indicate different expectations. In general, there is more interest in issues and causes, along with a desire to help. Baby boomers are retiring and want to contribute their experience, while looking for meaning and purpose.  Young people need actual experience and job skills for their resumes. Increasingly, high schools, colleges and universities require community service in order to graduate. The newly-unemployed want to keep their skills sharp while job hunting. Today’s volunteers want to be challenged. They expect a high level of professionalism, with minimal bureaucracy.

Volunteerism is in the News

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that more employers are offering perks like time off to volunteer. They realize it’s an easy way to contribute to employee well-being, and to the community, while receiving positive press. Starbucks is driving volunteerism through its website and stores. Target and Trader Joe’s advertise their community involvement as part of their core values. Volunteerism is all over the news. Be prepared to handle more inquiries.

Family Dynamics

More women in the workplace. Two-income families. The “sandwich” generation, who care for their children as well as their parents. For most Americans, family time is stretched to the limit, and parents often feel guilty about less time spent with their families. Volunteer opportunities that allow flexibility, short-term, in-and-out service appeal to busy families, as do volunteer-from-home projects. These people are also attracted to family-friendly tasks so they can contribute to their communities while spending time with their families. 

Think about how each of these trends could affect your organization, and then craft creative ways to respond!

Photo credit: EveryStockPhoto.com

Good volunteers can be hard to find—so retaining those you have should be a top priority in any charitable organization. Establishing procedures to improve volunteer relations is key to this ongoing challenge.

Wondering where to start? Let’s look at some basic steps to improving retention. Clear communication is key to smooth relationships; this is just as true with volunteers as with paid staff or anyone else in our lives.  Nobody can read minds, so be very clear about expectations and responsibilities. Explain how each volunteer’s role fits into the organizational mission. Keep them informed with newsletters and send event invitations to your volunteers.

Get feedback.  Ask your volunteers how they’re doing, what they need, and how you can be of service to them. You may find out more than you bargained for, but your effort will likely be appreciated. For more extensive planning, consider a formal survey of current and past volunteers. Streamline existing procedures or implement new ones based on the results.

Be sure your volunteers receive adequate support. From simple things like proper tools and sufficient supplies, to educational materials and development seminars, help your volunteers do their jobs and continue to learn. Engaged volunteers are more likely to stick around.

Show appreciation. Everyone wants to feel appreciated, but we all receive messages differently. Some folks need plenty of attention, encouragement and applause. Others shy away from the spotlight—just keeping them busy and respecting their time is enough.  Get to know your volunteers, find out what they need from you, and you’ll learn how you can best appreciate and motivate them.

An often-overlooked aspect of retention is safety. Do you provide a safe environment for your volunteers? Older volunteers, while usually in good health, can be more vulnerable to workplace hazards. Provide a physically safe environment for them to work in. Turn off the loud music so they can hear and interact better. Keep sidewalks and interior walkways clear. Provide plenty of exterior lighting and accessible, clean restrooms.

Most important, keep your volunteers safe by performing background checks. Proper volunteer screening for criminal or predator status will ensure that everyone’s safety is uncompromised. Make screening a standard procedure—it will help you recruit and retain the best volunteers for your organization—and keep them safe!

During his run for the Presidency, Barack Obama called on US citizens to step up and serve our country, saying, Everybody’s going to have to pitch in. On January 19, he and his family participated in Martin Luther King Day of Service, boosting the program’s press and awareness, and helping make 2009 its most successful year ever—with over 13,000 projects completed!

And then mega-coffee chain Starbucks unveiled its mega-volunteer campaign, I’m In, on Inauguration Day. The program makes it easy for folks to pledge five volunteer hours to their community. Helped along by an Oprah plug, the initiative took off, exceeding the goal of 1,000,000 hours pledged nationwide. The Pledge5 website’s total hours ticker was at nearly 1.3 million hours a few moments ago, and it increases by five every few seconds as another person pledges.

What could this mean to you?  Simply put, more volunteers. Of course, that’s a great thing! More volunteers means more brain and muscle power—and a lighter workload for everyone.

But before you send a volunteer out into your community representing your organization, ask yourself, “Who is this person?”  Even if you think you know the answer, consider online volunteer screening. It’s a quick and easy way to ensure the safety of your community and credibility of your organization.