The Power of Skills-Based Volunteering
This National Volunteer Week, in partnership with American Cancer Society, we’re highlighting the power of skills-based volunteering to inspire commitment between professionals and changemakers around the country.
Skills-based volunteering is a particularly impactful way of giving back: Professionals donate not only their time and passion but their unique talents to nonprofits in need of their abilities. And they create an exceptional amount of value in the process. With limited resources, nonprofits often lack access to the level of expertise they need to better tackle today’s most pressing challenges. Together, skills-based volunteers and nonprofits are meeting a wide range of needs, from learning the ins-and-outs of Google Analytics to designing a logo for a new initiative, to create meaningful impact around the globe.
The partnership between Catchafire and American Cancer Society demonstrates just how impactful skills-based volunteering can be for an organization. Since tapping into Catchafire’s pool of skills based volunteers in October 2016, American Cancer Society has saved over $90,000. For American Cancer Society, the value of the professional services far exceeds the monetary value. Volunteers and staff within American Cancer Society have leveraged these pro bono resources to address the organization’s mission to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.
Case Study: Leadership Coaching
Meet Nancy Cook: Nancy has served in various roles at American Cancer Society for 23 years — currently, she is the Regional Director of Volunteer Engagement, focusing on the Northeast region volunteer strategy and care as well as communications, volunteer recognition, and the Society’s signature fundraiser, Relay For Life. As a thought leader in the volunteer engagement space, Nancy was looking to better understand her own leadership style and hone in on areas of improvement that could enhance her performance. After posting a Leadership Coaching project on Catchafire, she matched with Deborah George-Feres, PhD, a professional certified coach and founder of Indigo Coaching Systems, a coaching firm specializing in leadership development.
Deborah was eager to give her time pro-bono to American Cancer Society because she has a personal connection to the cause.
“I lost my mother to cancer,” says Deborah. “When I saw this opportunity on Linkedin, I thought , what better way to honor her legacy than to volunteer for an organization that is doing such amazing work in this area?”
Deborah was particularly inspired by the resilience and humility of Nancy, who is a five-year lymphoma cancer survivor herself. “Nancy comes across as a person who is constantly pushing herself to learn, develop, and grow as a leader,” Deborah says. “She really has a commitment to being the best leader she can be, and pass what she’s learned onto others as well.”
The result? An ongoing professional relationship and personal connection that has enabled Nancy to build confidence as a leader and grow her skills.
“It isn’t just a business transaction for Deborah — it really means something to her to volunteer as a coach for American Cancer Society,” Nancy says. “She has been active in setting goals with me and helping me get to the place where I’d like to be.”
And for Deborah? Beyond contributing to a cause she holds dear, working with Nancy has helped her improve her own craft, too. “Nancy is such a highly reflective and introspective person that I’ve gotten so much out of the process as well,” Deborah says. “I’m constantly thinking back on what she has said, her self-awareness, and that has challenged me to go even deeper in my questioning and thinking.”
—
Matches like the one between Nancy at American Cancer Society and Deborah are critically important to nonprofits as they work to serve their missions. Professionals who donate their time and talent to nonprofit organizations provide an invaluable service both in terms of costs saved and relationships forged. So to all skills-based volunteers who have donated their time to American Cancer Society, nonprofits in the Catchafire community, or other organizations — thank you for your service!
This post is part 2 of a 2-part series on skills-based volunteer recognition, in partnership with American Cancer Society. You can read part 1 here!
