Volunteering--a generational mindset?

This recent story from Entrepreneur magazine discusses how corporations are becoming more interested in being seen as valuable contributors to communities and not just profitable, exclusive entities. The article also mentioned several studies showing that a greater share of Generation Y-ers show an interest in a job with companies that incorporate volunteer work and related community values:

"...Research by Deloitte & Touche USA suggests that companies offering volunteer opportunities to employees could have an advantage in recruiting Generation Y talent. In the firm's 2007 Volunteer IMPACT survey, 62 percent of Gen Y respondents said they would prefer to work for companies that give them opportunities to contribute their talents to nonprofit organizations."

While I haven't looked into past years' surveys I think the trend is a result of our hyper-exposure to information, especially global and national news, and the ready access point of the Internet that expanded people's awareness of many different issues and needs. And somewhat naturally from that awareness comes interest and concern and hopefully action.

The speed and reach of new media of course also allowing advocates to reach more people as well. But we all know that we're overexposed to marketing messages and are quite talented now at tuning-out, and I think the sort of inadvertent education that the news could account for this generation's values.

Delayed Gratification

So I was reading another story (I know, Shock, right?), about what the hottest new trends are for 2008. It suggested "Delayed Gratification", or custom made goods which take longer to make as the hot new trend.

I couldn't help but think this is how I feel about volunteering for OYFP. When putting together many of our benefit events, there is so much work that goes into it, that we rarely see the fruits of our labor right away. But then again, I think it makes it more worth while, as the old saying goes, "Good things come to those who wait." I know this year we have helped give our partners much needed exposure to a young professional crowd that perhaps has not heard of them before. Of course the money we raised for them doesn't hurt either.

So, you can get a custom built yacht as the USA Today article suggests, or you can now improve the life of a child, which in my opinion is the ultimate in delayed gratification.

You Must Remember This

“It was a year of miraculous events. President Bush invited Al Gore to the Oval Office for a friendly chat about global warming. France elected a president who likes and admires Americans. Eliot Spitzer discovered the virtue of humility. In mid-rant, Hugo Chávez was finally told to shut up. The cute little Canadian dollar — the “loonie” — became worth more than a greenback.

People rooted for Kevin Federline to get the kids. After electing 43 consecutive white male presidents, Americans seriously considered a woman, a black man and an Italian-American from New York on his third marriage.”

The section above was pulled the New York Times article: You Must Remember This. The article goes on to cover other major issues of 2007 that should not be forgotten due to their lasting importance.

On a much smaller scale, OYFP has some accomplishments in 2007 that are worthy of remembering and are of lasting importance too.

For instance, in March OYFP organized Salsa for Support, which was a benefit event held at Mojitos Lounge. There was a fire at a neighboring building that night, but it didn't stop our dancers! All the funds generated from this event were donated to Christopher’s Haven.

In April, the group presented at the Volunteer Expo held at the Prudential Center. Also in April, OYFP had an official check presentation benefiting Christopher’s Haven at Massachusetts General Hospital where over $3,000 in donations were presented. The event was covered in the Mass General Newsletter!

Moving into summer: In June, OYFP hosted a Get Your Sox On / Red Sox party at The Greatest Bar. The Get Your Sox On event benefited Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), and we know at least one person signed up to be a mentor. Watch for Fred's comments on mentoring in this blog or at one of our events... In August, we held a sold-out wine tasting event at the Howard Yezerski Gallery on Newbury Street, and were graced by the presence of Ms. Yelp-Boston, aka Ligaya T.

In September, OYFP held another wine tasting and apple picking event at the Nashoba Valley Winery. Most recently, the group held the beer tasting event Novemberfest at the Pour House to benefit The Italian Home for Children.

Each year as OYFP continues to grow and advance its mission of engaging people in community service and activism we touch more lives and see them change for the better. With the help of supporters such as you we will continue to see improvements in our communities.

On behalf of the entire OYFP Boston Team I invite you to check out our website and take part in one of our upcoming events in 2008!

Excuses

You'll have to excuse our holiday absence - we weren't near our computers, and hope you weren't either. However, OYFP is never far from our minds. As I sipped my hot chocolate and gazed at my little bejeweled tree, I started thinking about this blog. Right now, it's about OYFP, non-profits, volunteering, and Boston.

What's OYFP's purpose? To get young people who wouldn't normally volunteer to volunteer and get involved in their communities.

How does this blog help us do that? Well, it doesn't. At least not directly. The goal was to raise our awareness in the non-profit volunteering community, which would in turn help other people outside of the community to learn about us.

How could we do it more directly? Well, by writing about what we know, and what we know other young people aged 18 to 34 are interested in: Boston. Socializing opportunities. Parties. Activities. Work. Relationships. Dogs. Being young in a city, basically.

This is always a struggle when running a non-profit - staying on target. There are so many potential ways of drawing an audience, but we have to make sure we're using our resources in the most effective manner.

What do you think?

'Tis the Season to Change the Present

It's December 21 and there are not a lot of shopping days left in the holiday season! Earlier, Liz highlighted some gift-giving ideas that help make a difference in the Boston community and I wanted to highlight Changing The Present, a nonprofit Web site that offers gifts that makes the world a better place.

Instead of giving a scarf or slippers, you can choose from a variety of causes or search for a nonprofit to make a donation. For example, You can fill a bookshelf for $50, clothe a girl for $25, adopt a beach for $20 or another cause that the recipient cares about.

Changing The Present also has a variety of tools for nonprofits, helping nonprofits raise awareness and raise money, including some of the $250 billion that people in this country spend each year on traditional gifts. They also have a Facebook application, allowing friends to purchase $1 virtual gifts that benefit nonprofits.

I did a quick search for Boston nonprofits, but didn't find any that had an account set up.

Changing the world isn’t easy, but this is a great place to start.

Please shovel your sidewalks

So being that I work for a non-profit, I can not afford the luxury of parking my car in downtown Boston. So I rely on public transportation and good, old-fashioned walking. Normally I love walking around Boston, it is a very walkable city. But let's face it in the winter, it can be quite treacherous walking around in Boston.


That's when I read this story I couldn't be more appalled that a city councilor chose not to shovel his sidewalk in his neighborhood because, "The reality is the cultural practice is not to use the sidewalks even when the snow isn't there". Clearly this councilor has never tried to navigate by foot around Boston. Granted many of the businesses in the Boston area do a good job of shoveling the snow to make it easier for potential clients to come in. However, when walking around various residential neighborhoods, you will slip every which way until at last you fall.


I know I am not the only one in this situation, every winter I see people forced to walk on the street with the cars because it is to dangerous for them to walk on the slippery sidewalks. I even noticed that a little girl had to walk in the street with her mommy, because she was falling all over the place. We all have seen someone fall as the result of a poorly shoveled sidewalk.


I rent and I know it is not my responsibility for our sidewalk to be clear, but I take turns, just like my neighbors to insure that are sidewalk is clear for anyone to walk through. So please on behalf of all the pedestrians in Boston who are trying to walk home, please shovel your sidewalk. Consider it a way to give back to all your neighbors and help out the community around you.