Civic Engagement is composed of individual and collective actions to identify and address issues of public concern. Civic engagement can take many forms, from individual volunteerism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community to solve a problem or interact with the institutions of representative democracy. Civic engagement encompasses a range of specific activities such as working in a soup kitchen, serving on a neighborhood association, writing a letter to an elected official, or voting. Indeed, an underlying principle is that an engaged citizen should have the ability, agency, and opportunity to move comfortably among these various types of civic acts.
Source: Michael Delli Carpini, Director, Public Policy, The Pew Charitable Trusts (apa.org)
Mentoring is a consistent and stable relationship between youth and a caring role model(s) that involves regular, ideally face-to-face contact and is focused on building the character, capabilities, and confidence of the mentee(s). Mentoring can be formal in the form of one-to-one, group, peer, community, school, faith-based, or mentoring that happens informally daily. Mentoring is one way for individuals to give youth another person who cares about them, who assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and someone who makes them feel like they matter.
Source: MentorKansas
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America was founded on a promise of opportunity. When we build stronger communities, we help make this promise a reality for everyone to succeed. Especially in times of adversity, we find the courage to unite and overcome. We are supporting our communities, helping them prosper, head-on and together. It is what AmeriCorps is built for: bringing all Americans together—working alongside each other to improve every community—ensuring that everyone gets the help they need and the opportunities they deserve. AmeriCorps is your chance to be a part of something bigger.
Source: AmeriCorps.gov
People the world over engage in volunteerism for a great variety of reasons: to help to eliminate poverty and to improve essential health and education, to tackle environmental issues, to reduce the risk of disasters, or to combat social exclusion and violent conflict. In all these fields, volunteerism makes a specific contribution by generating well-being for people and their communities. Volunteers are motivated by values like justice, equality, and freedom. A society that supports and encourages different forms of volunteering is likely to be one that also promotes its citizens' well-being.
Source: Unv.org/power-volunteerism
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Volunteer management is a professional and high-skilled position. A volunteer manager can be paid or unpaid staff member who recruits, trains, or supervises volunteers for an eligible entity for at least 50% of their job. Finding professional development related to engaging volunteers and/or securing funding for such training can be impossible, and securing funds to purchase technology that supports this work can also be challenging. In addition, one of the top reasons that volunteer engagement staff leave non-profits is due to inadequate training and resources.
For volunteers, training is an increasingly important aspect of attracting, supporting, retaining, and rewarding volunteers. With the diversity of people who volunteer and the variety of roles and activities that they undertake, training provides volunteers with the broad range of skills they need to be effective, competent, and confident volunteers. In addition, as we navigate a pandemic, having the technical tools to engage and support volunteers through virtual platforms that create community, track volunteer hours, and/or volunteer to video conference has become a vital component of volunteer management.
For this grant, applicants may choose to provide training directly to volunteers and/or to the staff supporting volunteers or purchase technological tools that will help volunteer managers support their volunteers in our new virtual and in-person/virtual hybrid world.
Questions? Email volunteer@ksde.org
The Give Back Kansas Challenge is an eight-week challenge that engages Kansans in employer-supported volunteering, both during and outside the workday. The Kansas Volunteer Commission and Volunteer Kansas are excited to co-partner in this challenge because much research shows the connection between employer-supported volunteering and improved employee engagement, employee wellness, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and retention. There is also research connecting employee engagement with increased profitability and productivity.
There is no cost to participate, and the challenge is open to ANY employer in Kansas (for-profit, non-profit, and government). Employers may participate as one organization or by location if there are multiple sites (e.g., 123 Construction-Lawrence or ABC Insurance-Salina). Employers register in advance to participate, and volunteer hours are reported through an organization's point of contact through an online report form. Non-profits participating in the challenge are encouraged to invite the local businesses they connect with to participate.
Based on the number of entries received and company size, employers will be divided into three categories (large, medium, and small). Winners will be selected by determining the average number of volunteer hours per employee completed during the challenge period (total volunteer hours ÷ total employees). The leaderboard will be updated every Monday! Employers achieving the highest average in each size category will be awarded a $1,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
There is no cost to participate, and the challenge is open to ANY employer in Kansas (for-profit, non-profit, education system, and government.)
If you have questions, please contact the Kansas Volunteer Commission at jdorsey@ksde.org or (785) 296-3163.
Happy volunteering!
Sign Up for the Give Back Kansas Challenge