Susan Boyle – the volunteer who stunned the world

If you haven’t already seen the youtube video of Susan Boyle stunning judges and audience alike with her performance on the UK show Britain’s Got Talent television then Watch the video here

The following story came from here

<blockquote>

The 47-year-old Scottish charity volunteer, the video clip of Boyle’s stunning singing debut on the Britain’s Got Talent television show last weekend had been viewed by over 18 million people on YouTube, with the numbers rising fast. “Susan has clearly wowed the audience, the judges and the world with a truly fantastic performance,” said Tom Kerr, leader of West Lothian council in Scotland where Boyle lives alone with a cat called Pebbles.

The frumpy-looking Boyle drew sniggers when she walked on stage on the weekend show, saying she dreamed of emulating West End star Elaine Page. Shortly before the performance she told the show’s hosts backstage: “I live on my own with my cat called Pebbles, but I’ve never been married, I’ve never been kissed.” Boyle has been singing since 12, she said. “I’ve always wanted to perform in front of a large audience. I’m going to make that audience rock,” she added. When she began to sing, the panel of three judges led by music guru Simon Cowell was visibly shocked, and the audience in Glasgow rose to its feet, as her voiced soared through I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.

“Without a doubt that was the biggest surprise I have had in three years of this show,” said judge Piers Morgan, admitting that before her performance “everyone was laughing at you”. “No-one is laughing now. That was stunning.” </blockquote>

When I watched this video I cried – I was stunned at what I heard coming from a woman who on first appearances wouldn’t have rated a thought with regard to singing or any other talent.  It struck me that I had joined with the audience in judging Susan based upon her appearance and limited her (in my mind) according to my expectations.  One of the judges described the exact same thing and called Susan’s performance “the biggest wake up call”.  

How often do we judge others in similar ways – how often do we limit our own volunteers aned upon our assumptions and not giving them a chance to show us their talent?  How often do we not allow ourselves as volunteer management professionals to show others our talent?

I think it brilliant that Susan (up till now) has been unemployed and is a charity volunteer – often it takes our volunteers breaking out of their molds to wake us up.

Volunteers, Recruiting and the Elevator Speech

I know – several years between posts is quite a long time – howver people have been dropping by and utilising the resources section of this blog and that’s good. 

I’ve been doing some training with other volunteer leaders around Culturally and linguistically Diverse volunteers – I’ve specifically chosen not to use the shortened ‘CALD’ because I think we actually lose the impact and significance of things by using their acronyms…and often people just rattle off the acronym without thought to what it really is all about. 

Anyhoo, one of the things we talked about was ‘the 30 second spiel” or ‘the elevator speech’…that very short window of oportunity to get people interested in our product or service…at a BBQ, or a party – what is it we tell people in about 30 seconds or less that is going to make them want to find out more about us and what we do.

So what would you say?

Suzi Dafinis in a blog article about just this subject says:

Make use of every encounter with other people and every networking opportunity by having an elevator spiel that sparks interest and engages the listener. You never know know when you may meet your next big client.

An elevator speech is a short verbal snippet that clearly and memorably introduces you. It highlights your uniqueness and focuses on the benefits you provide.

When people ring and ask you about your volunteering opportunities do you scratch around for a file, or a list or do you have a prepared ’30 second speil’ to deliver?

Here are a list of resources for devloping a 30 second spiel

Deliver an Elevator Speech that Grabs Attention and has them Begging for More!

How often do you change your elevator pitch?

The Trouble with Elevator Speeches

KPMG staff volunteer in Canada

Today marks the kick-off of the KPMG Volunteers initiative, a 10-day sprint during which all 500 employees of KPMG in Montreal will donate their work time to ten Montreal organizations. KPMG Volunteers involves hundreds of employees who will donate more than 2,000 hours of their time to help ten organisations in the Montreal region: Moisson Montréal, Quebec Breakfast Club, Old Brewery Mission, Share the Warmth Foundation, Accueil Bonneau, Chaînon, Little Brothers of the Poor, Welcome Hall Mission, Maison d’Hérelle and Sercan Foundation. “KPMG employees are proud of their major contribution to organizations that face the daily challenge of responding to the needs of the most destitute people in the Montreal community,” said Michael Baratta, Senior Director of KPMG. KPMG is one of the first firms to have instigated this practice nation-wide, which aims at creating a novel community event. The KPMG initiative has mobilized more than 2,700 people in recent years, including senior partners, full-time and part-time employees, and co-op students. These people have come together with the community to build houses, to feed the homeless and to clean parks. Over 20,000 hours of paid time were donated to local charities. “Employees tell us that part of what makes KPMG a great place to work is our organization’s support of their volunteer efforts,” said Jean-Pierre Desrosiers, Managing Partner of KPMG Montreal. “KPMG Volunteers is our way of continuing to support our employees in these efforts, while re-enforcing the rewarding aspect that volunteering brings to both our communities and our people.” KPMG Volunteers was developed in conjunction with the firm’s existing Community Care program. Community Care supports employee volunteer efforts by accommodating their need for volunteer time, by providing financial support for volunteering, and through the CEO Community Excellence Awards which recognize the volunteer efforts of up to 20 employees every year.

This is a fantastic community venture on the part of KPMG – and I think they should quite rightly be pretty chuffed about their approach to this.  In most situations Staff Volunteering programs allow staff memebrs one day at a time to go out and volunteer – not really a good length of time to achieve anything.  KPMG however are giving it a complete stretch of 10 days…and not just some of thier staff – all of the Montreal based KPMG staff of 500 will be donating their time over 10 days to 10 organisations such as <em><b>The Little Brothers of the Poor, and the Share the Warmth Foundation </em></b>  I think congratulations are in order for KPMG.

Now if we can get something like that happening in regional centres in Australia…

Worlds oldest Volunteer Manager?

Volunteering Keeps her young

LONG BEACH – Mathilda Karel Spak’s formula for her longevity is simple: volunteerism, indulging her sweet tooth and “to keep breathing.”

“I’m not ready to die yet,” said the 104-year-old Long Beach resident. “So I better keep volunteering.”

Spak on Thursday celebrated her 104th birthday surrounded by friends, and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center staff and patients, for whom she had volunteered 20,650 hours of service in the course of 45 years.

“She never stops smiling,” said Westwood resident and best friend Richard Lewis, 78. “She never complains.”

Long Beach Memorial also renamed its Myasthenia Gravis Foundation clinic after Spak, who volunteered at the center to honor her mother.

Spak has lived a varied life of firsts. Despite losing a lung to cancer at the age of 21, she went on to graduate from Northwestern University. She was one of the first women to receive a real estate and broker’s license, as well as one of the first women to travel around the world on a tramp steamer.

At the advice of her mother, Spak began giving to charities at a young age – a practice that evolved to philanthropic works that saw her start three local clinics for myasthenia gravis, a neurological autoimmune disease.

She also established two programs at Long Beach Memorial. She created the Children’s Clothing Closet after seeing infants of the underprivileged clothed in towels after birth. Today, the program helps provide two outfits for tykes treated at the hospital. Spak also distributes teddy bears to patients – young and old – during the holidays.

“Being of service to others and making them happy … to make them smile is the best thing you could do,” Spak said.

Spak’s 90s were filled with various recognition. At 92, she was recognized by former first lady Barbara Bush for her 25,000 hours of volunteer work. When she was 99, the 99 Cent Only stores made her their honorary spokeswoman. At 100, Spak ran for gubernatorial office.

These days, she coordinates hospital volunteers from the Volunteer Services Room, fielding some 85 incoming calls a day and coordinating volunteer tasks.

Teen volunteers see a role model in her, said Deborah Downing, Long Beach Memorial’s director of volunteer resources.

Throughout the morning, well-wishers visited Spak at her desk for hugs and to sing “Happy Birthday.”

“I don’t think I deserve these honors,” Spak said, after being presented with three boxes of See’s chocolates, a special commendation and a large birthday cake. “I’m only doing what I love to do.”

Samantha Gonzaga can be reached at samantha.gonzaga@presstelegram.com or (562) 499-1284.

If I’m still managing volunteers at this age – I expect a whole hospital to be named after me!  Manging volunteer programs is one fo the greatest jobs that a person can have – I am helping people help people!  I am making it possible for others to do things that help them to be in touch with their own humanity. 

Corporate Social Responsibilty – is it just whitewash?

I have been thinking alot lately about CSR - especially after having applied for a job as National CSR officer for a non-profit organisation here in Australia (I didn’t get the job…bugger!).  I’ve also been involved in a short lived working party that was examining the whole concept of setting standards that corporates and not for profits couldwork with when establishing partnerships. 

Mission Australia and YoTS (Father Chris Riley’s Youth off The Streets) co-sponsored a workshop entitled “How many times can you paint a wall” which was focused on getting not for profits to look at how they engaged with for profit organisations in CSR.  Much of the discussion centred around how we present ourselves and our opportunities to ‘corporates’.  It was a great workshop – but it hasn’t lead to anything – it hasn’t gone anywhere.  For me personally and for the organisation I work for (UnitingCare Ageing) I want to see more not for profits actively engaging with corporate organisations in CSR projects. 

But is CSR simply white wash and are we as not for profits being led by the nose by government and corporate bodies in order for them to assuage their guilt over the rape of our environment, our cities and our communities?  Are we being used?

On September 7th six companies were honored during the 2006 American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai Corporate Social Responsibility Conference and Awards Ceremony. Here is the story.  Coca Cola won their award for building primary schools.  Amway won theirs for providing over 100 volunteer teachers as well as doing trash clean up work near Mt Everist (tall job that one!).

“Social problems are economic problems,” said Bill Valentino, General Manager Corporate Communications Greater China for Bayer, during a speech at the ceremony. “It is not just corporate social responsibility but corporate social innovation that drives systematic change. You need to ask how does my business agenda relate to a social need. When we talk about CSR, everybody looks at it as charity, but it’s not just about charity. It’s an opportunity for learning.”

So…what do you think?  Should not for profits jump in and gain some benefit from Corporate Social Responsiblity or shuold we remain “pure” and untouched by corporate culture?

Hello world!

Welcome to The Volunteer Manager blog – this is the very first post so don’t get too excited! 

 I have started this blog becuase I wanted to add to the resources such as e groups that are currently available to Volunteer Managers.  I wanted to engage in discussion and debate around issues of importance to us a a group of professionals and have found that blogging is quite a useful way of doing that.

I will be posting issues for discussion, presenting some of my own ideas as well as providing access from one convenient location to a host of other resources as well.  it will take some time to build and develop this blog and I hope you enjoy the trip with me