Not all volunteering is the same.

One of the most valuable resources on Corporate Volunteering that I know of is a group from Canada called Realized Worth, which works with companies to design and implement outstanding corporate volunteering programs. This article titled "Not all Volunteer Programs are Created Equal" shows that if companies want greater impact from their volunteer programs, they need to encourage more than "done in a day" type projects.

In Washington last month 17 major corporations made commitments to reduce the high school drop out rate through their support of mentoring. I wonder if these companies have internal teams who are looking at information provided by groups like Realized Worth, or the Tutor/Mentor Connection, to support the way they encourage and support volunteer involvement in this field.

Below is a graphic that we've used to describe volunteer-involvement as a form of service learning.


Below is another graphic, showing how an intern from IIT has been building an updated version of this. It's not complete yet. No voice over. However, imagine how much more effective this might be if a team of volunteers from a graphics company or advertising agency were working on it.
You can play this animation at this link. Follow the work of our interns at this forum.

These animations were created using ideas we've posted in the Tutor/Mentor Institute library. If companies want to encourage meaningful long-term involvement in programs and strategies that affect the quality of the workforce, the poverty and quality of schools in cities where they do business or have facilities, and the overall cost of poverty in this country, the ideas of experts like Realized Worth and that we post on the T/MC site would be good starting places, as well as long-term knowledge bases.

Contact us at Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection if you'd like to become our partner in this effort.