Models of Corporate Support for Volunteer Action- A case example from VSO Jitolee- Kenya Presented by: Carol Kiangura

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Models of Corporate Support for Volunteer Action-
A case example from VSO Jitolee- KenyaPresented
byCarol Kiangura
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Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is the worlds
leading independent international development
organization that works through volunteers to
fight poverty in developing countries.VSO's
high-impact approach involves bringing people
together to share skills, build capabilities,
promote international understanding and action,
and change lives to make the world a fairer place
for all.
About VSO, VSO Jitolee VSO RAISA
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VSO Jitolee is a registered international NGO in
Kenya with the core mandate of promoting
volunteerism to address global poverty and
enhance participation of disadvantaged members of
society in socio-economic and political
development. We are part of the international
VSO Ffederation. Other members of the Federation
are VSO UK VSO Bahaginan and VSO Netherlands.
Federation members provide resources to support
VSO programmes globally. We have over 40 years
experience of recruiting, placing and managing
volunteers overseas. We also work on a national
basis with other organisations that use
volunteers, offering consultancy and advice.
About VSO, VSO Jitolee VSO RAISA
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What is Employee Volunteering (EV)?

• Volunteering is not only something done by
  individuals in their spare time
• Businesses are becoming increasingly interested
  in how their employees can become involved, and
  are setting up varied programmes to assist their
  employees to volunteer.
• This is called employee volunteering

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What is Employee Volunteering (EV) ?

• A three-way partnership between the employer, the
  employee and the organization receiving the
  volunteers (e.g. a community group, NGO,
  hospital, school etc).
• Greatest resource of any business are the skills,
  knowledge and energies of its employees
• Companies can extend the value of this resource
  beyond their own boundaries through employee
  volunteering programmes
• There is clear evidence volunteering brings
  benefits not only to the community but also to
  the employer and their employees.

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Employee volunteering is a classic win-win
situation
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Why is EV important to VSO?

• We believe in fighting disadvantage and promoting
  development in communities through using skilled
  people.
• We believe that everybody has something to offer
  but often people dont know where to go.
• We can provide links to volunteering
  opportunities through our network of development
  partners
• Companies have a huge human resource of skilled
  and experienced people who can contribute
  significantly in tackling disadvantage
• We also believe in the enhancement of existing
  skills, personal development and enrichment of
  volunteers (i.e. the employees)

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Our EV support to Corporates

• Our Employee Volunteering programme at VSO
  Jitolee supports projects in the following areas
• Education
• Health and HIVAIDS
• Vulnerable groups e.g. Women, people with
  disabilities, children and the aged
• Sports development
• Governance and Peace Building
• Secure Livelihoods
• Environment and Wildlife conservation

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Why is EV important to Corporates? Case example
of General Motors (GM EA

• Gain competitive advantage.
• Gain investor confidence.
• Avoid social criticism.
• Prevent public/consumer boycotts.
• Attract and retain committed employees.
• Lure patriotic /loyal customer.
• Provides a face in the community /Give back to
  society.
• Increase market share./Supports core business
  needs
• Builds relationships of trust
• Improves employee morale and retention
• Leverage support to corporate giving
• Meets community expectations

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Why is EV important to Employees?

• Contribution to employees personal and career
  growth through developing and enhancing their
  skills and broadening their experiences
• Increased interaction between employees in
  various departments and levels in the company
• Increased employees motivation and strengthened
  team spirit
• Supports community services which employees and
  their families use
• Improved employee leadership, teamwork,
  confidence, social and interpersonal skills
• Enhanced community awareness among employees
• Reduces isolation of the employee from community,
  creates a bond and a sense of belonging

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Why is EV important to Communities?

• Enhanced quality of life in the community through
  providing solutions to social problems
• Promotion of community cooperation and cohesion
• Facilitates the sharing of skills and knowledge
  from the private sector to the grass root
  communities
• Provides services to organizations with
  desperately needed assistances by well-qualified,
  enthusiastic volunteers
• Aids in increasing understanding and breaking
  down barriers between businesses and the
  community
• Increased talent and energy in the community by
  increasing the number of volunteers and the pool
  of available skills
• Enhances the impact of monetary contributions
  made by corporations

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Different models of striking partnerships between
Corporates and community based partnerships

• Brokering/ Facilitating Service delivery between
  the Corporate and the community
• Useful when Corporates do not want to manage an
  Employee Volunteering programme.
• As a CBO/ NGO, your organization has the
  knowledge and expertise on how communities work.
• Your organization could play a critical role in
  linking the Corporate Company to the volunteering
  opportunities in the community.

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Key roles for your organization within this model
Your Organization
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Different models of striking partnerships between
Corporates and community based partnerships

• BUILDING CAPACITY
• Used where a Corporate Company does not want an
  external party to manage their employee
  volunteering programme.
• Your role as a CBO/NGO build the capacity of the
  Corporate to manage their employee Volunteering
  programme.

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Key roles for your organization within this model
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Examples of different EVP activities

• ONE OFF CHALLENGE EVENTS
• Your Organization can develop community service
  portfolios of one off events tailor made to
  Corporate specifications e.g.
• Water body clean ups
• Tree planting
• Construction renovation of buildings
• Spend a day with a group of disadvantaged young
  people

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Examples of different EVP activities

• 2) LONG TERM COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME
• Your Organization can create long term
  sustainable community partnerships for corporate
  company employees, addressing various community
  needs. 3 months to a 2 year community projects.
• Primary school homework clubs
• Construct a website for a youth self help group
• Set up documentation systems for womens group in
  underprivileged areas
• Youth mentoring programmes

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Examples of different EVP activities

• 3) Building local business partnership
  agreements
• Your organization can develop national short
  term employee engagements community placements.
  Programs range between 2 weeks to 3 month
  placements in community projects, anywhere in the
  country.
• These activities could vary according to the
  corporate employees professional specialization.
  
• Placements could be very focused and offer
  excellent exposure and professional development
  for corporate employees, e.g. working in
  accounting in district community programme

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Examples of different EVP activities

• 4) Virtual Volunteering
• This could be a deal for the busy corporate
  employees who cannot afford to take some time off
  from work. They can offer valuable expertise to
  communities anywhere in the Southern Africa
  region from their work station.
• E-mentoring
• Editing reports
• Coordinating events

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Corporates Voluntary Action

• Corporate companies can also get involved in
  voluntary
• action in the following ways
• Advocacy
• Sponsor volunteers
• Sponsor volunteer programmes
• Help set up volunteer programmes
• Participate

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Key ingredients of meaningful, effective and
sustainable programmes

• Strategic meeting business priorities
• Free will
• Support for employees
• Flexibility on volunteering time
• Rewards
• Reflecting employee interests and skills
• Addressing community needs
• Involvement by community members

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Challenges- Perspectives from the Corporates

• Time
• Synergy with partners
• Transparency in charities
• Accessibility of the charities
• Acceptance by some charities
• Motivation of the Employee volunteers
• Dependency

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Challenges- VSO Jitolees perspectives

• Lack of middle management support
• Urgency of events
• Ad hoc volunteering events
• Lack of commitment from employee volunteers
• Stalled programmes
• Too many corporate organizations doing the same
  thing in the same area
• Initial heavy investment- time and capacity

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• Thank you for listening
• QUESTIONS/ COMMENTS?