Engage Your Volunteers-Your Points of Light

One of the greatest challenges nonprofit organizations face is securing the resources needed to scale services. Time, space, expertise, technology and money are all in short supply. One of the greatest resources our community has to offer to meet these needs is the skills of volunteers.

We are excited to bring an innovative curriculum to Monterey County to help nonprofits transform their volunteer engagement and become what’s called a “Service Enterprise.” The initiative includes tools and technical assistance to meet these challenges. – Christina Thurston, Santa Cruz Volunteer Center

Service Enterprise Initiative

There are eight complimentary spots for Monterey county nonprofit organizations for this four-part training series offered by the CNE in partnership with the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County and Points of Light as part of a National training program. The Service Enterprise Initiative in Santa Cruz County is already seeing results. So far, 20 local organizations have benefited, stating that putting this training into practice has transformed their relationship to volunteers. Read more of the research behind this powerful model.

“The Service Enterprise Training and Certification process provided the Young Writers Program with the framework to address organizational policies and involve volunteer leadership in needs assessment. Every aspect of our organization is stronger for it.” —Julia Chiapella, Executive Director, Young Writers Program

2017 Participants

Big Sur Land Trust
Birchbark Foundation
Communities for Sustainable Monterey County
Hidden Hills Ranch
Monterey County Rape Crisis Center
NAMI
Rancho Cielo
YWCA

Training dates: Thursdays, August 10 & 24, September 7 & 21, 2017 (in Monterey).

For more information, please email Christina Thurston or call the Santa Cruz Volunteer Center at (831) 427-5070.

Guest Blogger, Christina Thurston is Director of Volunteer Engagement at the Santa Cruz Volunteer Center. She started her work with the Volunteer Center as a teen volunteer and has played a crucial role in the development of our Volunteer Mobilization Department over the past 10 years. She is passionate about inclusive communities and loves finding ways for people to connect.