Planning for National Volunteer Week: 20 tips

Abstract

National Volunteer Week is held annually to acknowledge the contributions of individuals and organizations. Make the most of this experience by not only formally thanking volunteers with President’s Volunteer Service and Daily Point of Light Awards, but involving local and governmental dignitaries in formal recognition events. This effective practice highlights steps to take for a fulfilling week for volunteers and programs.

Issue

Using an annual celebration to appreciate volunteers and highlight programs.

Action

According to the Points of Light Foundation, effective practices include:

If your organization is not currently registered, register as a Certifying Organization for the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
All President’s Volunteer Service Awards must be verified and issued through institutions which are called Certifying Organizations (CO). These may include faith-based nonprofit and community-based organizations, schools, higher education, business, labor unions, civic or service clubs, membership and trade associations, and federal, state, or local government agencies.
To qualify as a CO an organization must:
- Be legally established and located within the United States, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a United States territory;
- Agree to review and verify the records of service of prospective individual and family/group recipients, and then distribute the award only to those who meet the established criteria;
- Either directly or through sponsorship pay for each award package that it requests.
Announce your participation in the President’s Volunteer Service Award program by providing a news release to your local newspaper.
Remind or inform your volunteers about your participation in the Award program.
Identify your volunteers who can receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
Eligibility requirements:
- Individuals five to 14 years of age must complete a minimum of 50 service hours during a 12-month period.
- Individuals 15 years and over must complete a minimum of 100 service hours during a 12-month period.
- Individuals, families and groups must keep a record of volunteer activities and hours served. This Record of Service may be kept as a diary or calendar or tracked online using the USA Freedom Corps Record of Service. Individuals must submit their records to certifying organizations that will review and verify their records and order and distribute the award.
- To be recognized, service activities should meet national or community needs in the areas of youth achievement, parks and open spaces, healthy communities, and public safety and emergency response. Activities should be unpaid and may not include court-ordered community service or service while incarcerated.
For complete information, visit the President's Volunteer Service Award web site.
Nominate your top volunteers who are meeting community needs for the Daily Point of Light Award.
Send a Proclamation Request Letter to your mayor, county executive, governor, or other appropriate elected official to acknowledge/observe National Volunteer Week.
During National Volunteer Week, nonprofits, community groups, volunteer centers, businesses, and local and state government agencies may host events to publicly recognize their volunteers. Many of these events include receptions or luncheons where volunteers actually receive their awards and/or a small token of thanks from elected officials or local dignitaries.
If you plan on holding such an event, start planning at least a few months in advance. Tasks include: identify and confirm venue, invite speaker(s) and local dignitaries, hire event photographer, and so forth. (See, listed below, the related effective practice, "Holding a celebrity waiter event," for further tips on how to plan for a formal event.)
* Order your volunteer recognition items (i.e., small tokens of thanks).
* Download and customize the National Volunteer Week Certificate of Appreciation for distribution at your awards event or to be sent directly to deserving volunteers.
* Write your National Volunteer Week event speech. To give your speech added impact, you could include some Famous Quotes on Volunteering and appropriate Statistics on Volunteering.
Follow up with elected officials to check on the status of your proclamation request.
Be sure to place order(s) at least one month in advance for President's Volunteer Service Awards that you want to present during National Volunteer Week (which begins the Sunday after Easter of each year).
Approximately a month before the event, send a notice about the occurrence to community calendar editors at local newspapers.
* Two weeks before the event: Send reporters your customized news release and place follow-up phone calls to editors and reporters to remind them about your National Volunteer Week activities.
* Four days before the event: Send reporters your customized media advisory (and place a follow up call to ensure receipt).
* Beginning on the first day of National Volunteer Week, place the National Volunteer Week logo on your organization’s website.
Celebrate your volunteers during National Volunteer Week!
The day after the event: Send event photos (and a thank-you note) to print journalists who attended the event and those reporters who didn’t attend but expressed interest in the event.
Consult the Points of Light National Volunteer Week toolkit for any additional help needed on planning your event. The toolkit has FAQs, downloads, samples and more to save time in organizing your week.

* Asterisks indicate that these items are found in the Points of Light National Volunteer Week toolkit, listed below.

Context

Sponsored by the Points of Light & Hands On Network, National Volunteer Week began in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Every president since has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week. Additionally, governors, mayors and other elected officials make public statements and sign proclamations in support of the event.

During National Volunteer Week, thousands of volunteers around the country will be honored with local organizational awards for their community service. Thousands of organizations also will distribute the President’s Volunteer Service Award to their deserving volunteers. This award is the most prestigious volunteer award currently connected to the White House that all Americans can aspire to achieve. It provides organizations with the unique opportunity to bestow national and presidential recognition on their volunteers who have made a sustained commitment to service.

Outcome

By taking part in National Volunteer Week, programs help make a difference to the volunteers who, by serving your organization, make a difference in the lives of those served.