Do you want to help people? Are you thinking of a career change to fulfill that goal? Sometimes, a career change might just be what’s in order, but that is not necessarily the case. Volunteering is one common thing many people will do if they’re dedicated to helping their community. Volunteering is lovely, but due to scheduling conflicts, it might not always be possible.
If you want to make a difference, you can always see if volunteering can be done through your employer. This option benefits not only you and the community but also your employer. But where do you even begin?
Assess the Current Situation
Start by comprehensively understanding your company’s current community engagement efforts. Does your company allocate a budget for charity? Are there any existing partnerships with local organizations? This initial step of gathering information will identify what already exists and potential gaps and also pave the way for new initiatives.
What Would Work Best For Your Employer
Before approaching management, gathering ideas and gauging interest from your colleagues will be helpful. Talk to coworkers to gauge their interest. They may have been looking for a way to give back. Ask for ideas for the best charities or organizations to support. For example, if you work in the medical field, someone may suggest offering scholarships to a paramedic program such as Royal Ambulance, https://www.royalambulance.com/, located in California. You can collaborate with community leaders to understand where the needs are and develop a proposal for your employer.
Develop a Proposal
With ideas and potential volunteer support, create a compelling proposal to present to management. The proposal should outline how community engagement can align with the company’s values and goals. Be sure to highlight tangible benefits such as enhanced brand reputation, employee satisfaction, and potential media coverage. You can even offer to lead the initiative if it helps your employer say yes.
Start Small
If this is your company’s first foray into community engagement, starting with a small, manageable project is wise. This could be a one-day event or a short-term commitment that does not require a large budget or extensive resources. A successful small project can serve as a proof of concept and lay the foundation for larger initiatives.
Report the Results
When presenting a plan to your employer, they may desire a return on their investment in the community. After your company has participated in a community service activity, measure the impact and gather participant feedback. As you might have already guessed, success stories and positive feedback can be powerful motivators to continue and expand community engagement efforts.
Keep Encouraging
Once you present the proposal and begin the volunteer program, you must keep the excitement and momentum going; this can be hard to do. If you’re trying to lead this, you must keep getting your coworkers and company to keep contributing. You will want to think of ways to motivate team members to continue supporting the program. Once you have a solid plan, you can look for ways to grow and expand the program.
Volunteering offers many benefits to the team, management, and community. As you develop and implement a plan, you need to monitor it and look for ways to improve it. The time, effort, and dedication you invest will surely make the community and your organization a better place. Here’Here’sour success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Leadership, and Mentor Coach. She is the Chairwoman and CEO of Infinity Coaching, Inc., where they help you up-level your skills so you can up-level your income. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, and personality assessments. Carolyn is certified to give the Energy Leadership Index, Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), DISC, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Circle Profile assessments. You can learn more about assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
