January 13, 2010
Idealist.org submission workshop A7 at the 20th IAVE World Volunteer Conference, Panama 2008
Erin Barnhart
Workshop Abstract: Effectively Engaging Pro Bono / Skilled Volunteers At the end of the workshop, participants will be prepared to assess organizational readiness and begin developing mechanisms for engaging pro bono/skilled volunteers. The intended audience is staff and volunteers responsible for managing volunteer programs that would like to but have not yet engaged pro bono/skilled volunteers. The ideal number of participants would be 15-30 individuals, although the workshop can be tailored for smaller or larger audiences. The workshop will be presented in English as a lecture-style overview with individual activities and small group dialogue: participants will utilize worksheets to independently begin preliminary assessment as well as share stories and techniques with colleagues.
Manager, Volunteer Management Program
Action Without Borders/Idealist.org
Erin Barnhart is Manager of the Volunteer Management Program at Action Without Borders/Idealist.org, providing advocacy and support to volunteer management professionals worldwide and facilitating access to and awareness of global volunteer opportunities. A Fulbright recipient, Ms Barnhart has a Masters in Public Administration and studies civic engagement as a Ph.D. student.
One underdeveloped opportunity in volunteer engagement is pro bono or skilled volunteerism, where individuals volunteer specialized personal and professional skills to tackle complex projects and/or ongoing program activities. In this workshop, participants will learn more about the benefits of engaging pro bono/skilled volunteers, as well as key steps and strategies for providing meaningful skilled opportunities, including: