Focus On: Volunteer, Internship, and Non-Profit ___________________________


Serve America Act Can Attract Older Volunteers
Richard Bergeron of Minneapolis, 68, recently completed two years of AmeriCorps service with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and a year of VISTA service with Minneapolis Public Schools.

Aside from the psychic satisfaction, he needs a small bump to his retirement income to pay the bills. So he was excited to learn that the new Serve America Act has modified the rules to his advantage.


Call to Older Americans
Within two days of President Obama's Inaugural Address, online applications to the Peace Corps spiked, and many older Americans have responded to the call to serve.



The Millennial Generation Steps Forward
Jobs are scarce. Money is tight. A speedy economic recovery seems unlikely. Yet none of that has stopped the Millennial Generation from helping others.

Young adults who grew up in the shadow of the 9/11 attacks and saw the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina are volunteering at home and abroad in record numbers.


Experience Corps: a Win-Win
"It's like a job. You have goals. You see results." It's a win-win, says one volunteer at the Experience Corps program in the Twin Cities.

These older adults provide literacy tutoring to kindergarten through 3rd grade students, one-on-one or in small groups under supervision of the classroom teacher.


Born Again Civic Activism
Founded by award-winning television producer Norman Lear, the Born Again American website is committed to the rebirth and re-expression of citizenship.

It's an initiative of Declare Yourself, which grew out of 2003's Declaration of Independence Road Trip that toured an original 1776 copy of the Declaration to schools, town halls, and other locations across the nation.


Older Workers Are Prime Job Candidates for Non-Profits
Work in the nonprofit sector — representing 10% of the U.S. workforce and growing faster than either the private and public sectors — seems like a natural fit for late-career or recently retired workers.  .

Half of nonprofit employers said that these purpose-minded and experienced workers are desirable job candidates, and seven out of 10 said those workers would bring valuable experience to their positions.

And nonprofits with experience in hiring  were the most positive about hiring more of them.

⇒  Read the story in US News & World Report.  Also, review the survey results.


Global Citizens for Global Challenges
What does it mean to be a global citizen? It's the timeless ideal that people - in their communities, their nations and in the world - can and must be the driving force and the principal agents of change.

CivWorld, based in New York City, believes that an interdependent world represents a stronger defense against terrorism, a clearer expression of humanity's common promise, and a better path to a democratized globalization.

CivWorld oversees five closely linked projects: Interdependence Day, The Paradigm Project, The Art of Common Space Project, The Interdependence Day Multimedia Project, and The Civic Interdependence Curriculum.


Job Board - Minnesota Council of NonProfits
Jobseekers can view hundred of jobs that match their qualifications and employers can post their latest openings at the Minnesota Council of NonProfits website.

The MCN jobs database is searchable by: Employer Type, Job Category, Job Location, and Job Type.  Also: a Resources page with nonprofit job search strategies, plus links to other institutions which post jobs via website or telephone.

⇒  Visit the website.


Second Careers in Non-Profit Organizations
IBM wants to make it easier for its experienced employees to transition to second careers in nonprofits through a partnership with The Bridgespan Group.

The pilot program will assess readiness for nonprofit positions, identify potential opportunities and skills required, receive mentoring, and apply for jobs with nonprofits.

After the pilot with IBM, the tools and resources developed will be made available for other nonprofits and corporations to start similar initiatives.

►  Read More ...


Vocation Vacations
VocationVacations offers clients one-to-three day, hands-on, career immersion experiences under the tutelage of expert mentors — everything from beer brewing to private investigating.

According to the organization, The mentors offer more than 150 vocation types in locations across the nation, and have helped people from all walks of life test-drive their dream job. 


Volunteer to Explore New Careers
Volunteering is a classic way to try out new career pathways. Many organizations offer volunteer positions that match your skills, interests, and available time.
Idealist.org
Idealist is a network of 60,000 nonprofit and community organizations around the world, with hundreds of jobs and internship opportunities.
Bridgestar
Bridgestar provides talent-matching services to help nonprofits build strong leadership teams and individuals pursue careers as nonprofit leaders.

Commongood Careers
Commongood Careers works with social entrepreneurs to secure talent, from support staff through senior managers, and provides resources for socially driven jobseekers.



Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration
MAVA is the leading voice for volunteerism in Minnesota, advocating for increased awareness about the profession of volunteer administration and better resources for leaders of volunteers.

Whether you're a volunteer administrator for a large organization or someone interested in building community and promoting volunteerism, MAVA can provide you with tools and information to become a successful leader.

Contact info: 1800 White Bear Avenue North, Maplewood, MN 55109.  (651) 255-0469.  Email: office@mavanetwork.org


How People 50+ Can Help your Organization
Not all non-profit organizations are prepared to take advantage of a growing natural resource: 78 million Baby Boomers who want to contribute.

Temple University Center for Intergenerational Learning has created a free four-part online course to help non-profits understand — and respond to — the need.  "If your organization is ready to tap into the experience and talent of a remarkable generation of Americans, this exceptional online workshop is just what you've been looking for."

- Greg Baldwin
President, Volunteer Match

Read on ...


Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for Nonprofits
For the next 15 to 20 years, non-propfit organizations will be dealing with four key issues: boomers coming in the door; boomers going out the door; Gen@ and GenX; and unintended consequences.

According to the Fieldstone Alliance, those issues will impact administration of foundations, strategic plan development, use of evaluation tools, creating a nonprofit fundraising plan, and program management.