April 15-21 is National Volunteer Week when the nation recognizes volunteers for the many hours of service they give. In the articles I've written over the past 7 years I've encouraged leaders in business, religion, health care, higher education, politics, sports and entertainment to support research and development teams who read research showing where and why tutor/mentor programs are most needed, learn the differences between different types of tutoring and/or mentoring programs, and develop marketing strategies that provide on-going operating support, talent and dollars to tutor/mentor programs in all parts of the Chicago region where kids need extra help.
The annual Volunteer Week is a great time for those teams to be sharing what they are learning and to be launching plans that increase their support of volunteer-based organizations over the next 12 months.
When such teams are available in every industry and civic sector in every city there will be a more consistent flow of volunteers and needed resources to all of the neighborhoods where tutor/mentor programs are needed. When such teams are connected to each other in on-line learning and networking, and connected to teams in other cities, there will be a much richer sharing of ideas, much greater visibility for tutoring/mentoring and the benefits of such programs, and a we will have much greater changes of sustaining these programs and their connections with kids and volunteers for many years into the future.
Not many people recognize that is is National Volunteer Week . I have also created a blog post regarding this topic as well. http://in-home-help.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteVolunteering is a great way to get involved in the community!