“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.” – Carl Jung
The Life Solutions Network is a collaboration of volunteers and service professionals in the Cincinnati/NKY area working to improve the capability of people in need.This newsletter aims to present information, ideas and tools to grow personally to better serve others.Our target audience includes potential or experienced volunteers and service professionals, organizations that need volunteers and those that encourage service.We hope to touch you with knowledge and skills to allow you to “serve to your potential”.Please share this with someone who might consider life skills or mentoring as a volunteer role.
Perspective - Organizational Capacity
Volunteer programming can add important organizational mission capacity.It starts at the top (Executive Director and Board) and gets established with a vision and strategic plan.Ask yourself how much you believe each of these statements on a scale of 1-10:
Effectively engaged volunteers become the best ambassadors for our organization in the community.
Volunteers expand our services and help to fulfill our mission.Volunteers can reduce staff workloads.
Volunteers bring an outside perspective and experience into our organization.
Volunteers bring new skills and expertise not necessarily available from the current staff.
These and other questions are part of our Volunteer Vision process.If you believe that volunteers can make a big difference, then you are likely to pursue this capability.LSN seeks to enhance the volunteer experience by working with social service professionals and volunteers.We believe that organization design, disciplined process management and volunteer talent development are elements of capacity.
Consider what you believe about volunteering. Think about the above statements as a volunteer and volunteer leader. Once you understand your beliefs you have an opportunity to embrace or challenge them.
A slide from the Volunteer Vision Workshop.
Network Updates
1st Volunteer Fair.The first Connect event of 2018 was on Tuesday March 14 St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood.Twenty local social service organizations that need volunteers engaged St Elizabeth Healthcare employees and the broader community.If you missed the event you can still contact these organizations. Click here for links and pictures. We extend a special thank you to Erin Pittman of St. Elizabeth Healthcare for hosting the event.
1st Workshop.Our first volunteer leaders workshop of 2018 was on February 27 at the Life Learning Center in Covington.The topic was Database Management.Presenters from People Working Cooperatively, Life Learning Center and St. Elizabeth Healthcare shared how they manage complex volunteer data.
Retire with Purpose.We recently piloted this new initiative and are ready to share with the community.Contact me to be invited into your organization.We want to engage people who are 50 years old + in how they might use their time in retirement.Click here to see our flyer.
Our 2nd annual Volunteer Leaders Retreat is planned for May 8 from 8am-1pm.
From The LSN Toolbox - Communicating Constructively
Communication takes many forms, from casual to formal, 1:1 or in a group, “small talk” to important messages and verbal to written to body language. It is the foundation of personal learning, relationship growth and influencing. Everyone thinks they are good at it but there is usually room for improvement. Communicating Constructively addresses the “talking” side of communication; there is another page for Listening.These Wiki pages were recently updated and now reflect topics such as Empathy and Asking Open Ended Questions.
Consider how you use communication skills as a volunteer, parent or manager.
250 Words
My blogs are about life, life skills, service and living to our purpose and potential. I aim to write about 250 Words (the amount an average adult can read in one minute).
Waiting for Permission.Sometimes we wait for someone to give us permission and other times we take the initiative.Waiting for permission is a way of limiting ourselves, not living to our potential.
What Makes You Angry or Cry?The choices for action are many.You become more informed.You seek an existing organization that is already focused on your passion and contribute your time, skill and money.You can even start you own grass-roots movement.Choose to do something.
Recent Social Media Postings
Unlike the LSN Blog which is original content, the Facebook and LinkedIn postings are articles gathered from the internet. The themes match the blogs. Here are recent favorites:
Live with Purpose on Facebook: Why Define Purpose. Purpose develops a deeper sense of worth. We know who we are deeply including values, strengths, beliefs and needs. This results in confidence because it’s less about “image”. We use this knowledge to pursue more aligned jobs and life roles.
Volunteer NKY on Facebook: St Elizabeth Healthcare is looking for volunteers. We are happy to have them as a Volunteer NKY partner and contributor.
Work with Purpose on LinkedIn: Expectations and Collaboration. Collaborative capability-building means two or more parties are involved in the growing. Instead of demanding the outcome, the manager/parent sits down with the employee/child and provides coaching.
Click here to see a complete list of recommended external (to LSN) web sites.
The Life Solutions Network encourages “purpose, passion and potential” in the form of capability-building service to our community. Thank you for your friendship, partnership and service. Let me know how I can support you.
