National Conference 2019

Karen Bortvedt, Maryknoll Lay Missioners

Transition: A big part of thriving in transition is figuring out how to incorporate all the rays of new experience, perspectives, and lives we touch as volunteers as we move into the next chapter in life - our rising. As service sponsoring organizations, the time in service our volunteers provide is impactful but the larger impact comes from the "What Next?" After they are ‘ruined for life’, how do they rise from that and continue to impact and engage with the world.

Kate Daly, Boston College

The workshop will provide an overview of the Social Change Model of Leadership Development, developed originally for use in higher education by Susan Komives, and associates. The model discusses 7 values, categorized as individual, group, and societal values. It is my goal to offer some practical ways that programs can encourage their volunteers to think about themselves as leaders now and in the future.

Susan Nedza, MD, MBA, MLA & Jessica Santavy, Olancho Aid Foundation, Inc.

The Olancho Aid Foundation has successfully implemented a flexible model of recruitment through the Catholic Volunteer Network that focuses on older, experienced adults with a variety of skill sets. As 10,000 “baby boomers” are retiring each day, this model gives older Catholics an opportunity to use their skills as they accept Pope Francis’ call to “go to the peripheries.” These volunteers have supported financial audits, created new models for religious education in our schools, implemented materials management models, and undertaken energy audits. The volunteers provide training to our executive team that is not available in Juticalpa, Honduras.

Amy Vossen Vukelic

So many of us operate unknowingly from our heads, when our Gospel values call us to also operate from our hearts. Living from an intentional practice to stay connected to someone's humanity through a practice known as Nonviolent Communication allows space for each person (staff or program member) in a community and/or a program to live into his/her/their best self's with safety. This experiential workshop will offer participants ways to communicate more clearly and authentically to themselves, colleagues, and domination cultures.

Bob McCarty, Saint Mary's Press

We have to know the territory! Saint Mary’s Press provides extensive research on young Catholics who have left the Church, identifying the underlying dynamics that lead to disaffiliation.  This has great impact on young adults’ openness to service in church organizations. We will explore how young people are crafting a religious identity in a secular age and consider Catholicism as a comprehensive way of living. Come ready to enter into candid, honest, and realistic discussions, both as ministry leaders and as caring individuals, as together we explore the challenge of calling young people to justice and service.

Joycelin Raho, Saint Anselm College

Your program offerings are great! But your applicant pool is not. Where are all the college students who are passionate about service? Come learn from an insider what college students are looking for in post-graduate service opportunities, what their biggest hang-ups are in regards to applying, and how building real relationships among college/university faculty and staff can benefit your recruitment potential.

Kelli Nelson, From Mission to Mission

Storytelling is a tool we use regularly in our workshops for returned volunteers and missionaries. This workshop will help attendees understand how dynamic storytelling can help volunteers process their experiences while growing organically into ambassadors for your program. There will be opportunity to practice by sharing our own stories (personal and/or ministry related) in ways that will ultimately highlight the commonalities in our service experiences. Practical segments of the workshop include: How to Tell Our Stories; Helping Volunteers Become Storytellers; Community-Building Among Program Leaders; and Platforms/Methods of raising our united voice in this important work.

Katie Jones, Loyola Marymount University

Your website may be the most important tool in your recruitment and marketing toolkit. Are you using it to its full potential? This workshop will introduce ways to evaluate and update your website to communicate your program’s essence and support your strategic goals to recruit volunteers, engage alumni and raise funds. Topics covered will include audiences, the prospective volunteer decision-making funnel, branding, content strategy, user experience and analytics.

JC Montenegro, Salesians of Don Bosco

As program directors, we are concerned about finding the right volunteers, right now. Alternately, embracing a “long-term” mindset can be so important in helping programs create mutual growth and leadership opportunities among our volunteers and our staff. In this session, attendees will learn the art of “intentional accompaniment” – ways of increasing volunteers’ job skills and helping them become coaches and leaders during their service. Attendees will also examine a case study of Salesian Volunteers’ survey of 400+ international volunteers – illustrating volunteers’ expectations and desires of service programs. We will also explore the basics of conducting your own large-scale surveys to better understand your volunteers and alumni, a tool that can ultimately help volunteer recruitment.