Volunteer Nation
Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA
Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better. Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engaging community talent that helps you do more with more. Society is evolving and so, too, is volunteerism. With over 25 years of experience working in nonprofits, public sector agencies, and grassroots campaigns Tobi is known for her modern “big hat” thinking and straight talk about what it takes to achieve success in today’s world. You will learn how to coordinate volunteers, improve the volunteer experience, recruit volunteers, appreciate volunteers, and do it all more efficiently with the right volunteer management software and digital tools. It’s a mix of interviews and solo shows you’re not going to want to miss. So, if you’re ready to ditch the stress and harness the power of people to fuel your good work, you’re in exactly the right place. Hit subscribe and let’s DO this!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 29, 2024 • 1h 5min
125. Diversity & Women in the Workplace: Claim You Space with Amira Barger
Amira Barger, a strategic communications and marketing counselor passionate about diversity and women's empowerment, dives into the unique challenges women face in the workplace. She shares insights on the role of organizations in addressing systemic inequities and the significance of self-advocacy. The conversation highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in driving innovation and fostering inclusive leadership. Amira also discusses the intersection of work and home life, the complexities of representation, and strategies for creating equitable environments that support empowerment.
Aug 22, 2024 • 1h 9min
124. Equity Tools for Nonprofits Volunteerism with Faiza Venzant
Faiza Venzant, a passionate advocate for diversity and equity in nonprofit volunteerism, joins the discussion to shed light on crucial equity tools. They dive into the ADEVI project and the Equity to Action Toolkit, aimed at making volunteer programs more inclusive. Faiza shares her personal journey and emphasizes understanding volunteer demographics. The conversation also highlights the challenges nonprofits face in fostering true inclusivity, the importance of embracing neurodiversity in training, and the role of open dialogue in advancing equity.
Aug 15, 2024 • 49min
123. New Research on the Benefits of Volunteering with Samantha Barlow
Samantha Barlow, a key figure in Human Appeal's volunteer program, shares groundbreaking research on the benefits of volunteering. She discusses the emotional satisfaction and professional growth that volunteers experience. The conversation highlights the changing dynamics of community volunteering, emphasizing the need for flexibility in volunteer initiatives. Samantha also explores innovative strategies, like leveraging AI for event planning, and the positive impact of volunteers during challenging times, offering insights into motivating and appreciating their efforts.
Aug 8, 2024 • 1h 2min
122. Rethinking Community Involvement with Ruth Leonard
Ruth Leonard, an expert on volunteer involvement and author of "Volunteer Involvement: An Introduction to Theory and Practice," joins the conversation to reshape community engagement. They discuss redefining volunteerism by emphasizing choice and intrinsic motivation, separating it from mere unpaid labor. Ruth highlights the importance of open-mindedness in volunteer organizations, fostering safe spaces for diverse opinions, and examining the complexities of volunteer roles and their impact. Their insights aim to enhance collaboration and reimagine the volunteer experience.
Aug 1, 2024 • 1h 4min
121. Intuitive Leadership in Volunteer Coordination with Fran Horwich
Fran Horwich, an expert in volunteer coordination, dives into the heart of intuitive leadership. She shares her experiences in understanding volunteers' motivations and the art of setting professional boundaries. The discussion highlights the transformative power of compassion and social connection, especially in challenging times like the COVID pandemic. With practical tips, they explore balancing gut instincts with data-driven decisions, fostering supportive environments, and enhancing teamwork, making this a must-listen for anyone involved in volunteer management.
Jul 25, 2024 • 30min
120. 10 Volunteer Interview Questions for a Perfect Match
Tobi Johnson, an expert in volunteer management, shares 10 interview questions for a perfect match to enhance volunteer retention. She emphasizes understanding motivations, skills, and values, and suggests making interviews conversational and involving volunteers in the process.
Jul 18, 2024 • 1h
119. Volunteer Manager Salary & Career Paths with Megan Vixie
Megan Vixie, Chief Engagement Officer, discusses volunteer manager salaries and career paths. They cover professional development, negotiating salaries, job leveling documents, and advocating for fair compensation and opportunities in volunteer engagement roles.
Jul 11, 2024 • 42min
118. 8 Ways to Make Volunteering Experiences Much Easier
Tobi shares 8 practical ways to simplify volunteering experiences, addressing post-pandemic challenges. Topics include running efficient programs, improving contact methods, offering baby steps for new volunteers, and adding surprise elements to keep volunteers engaged.
Jul 4, 2024 • 42min
117. Beyond the Big Help Out with Ruth Leonard & Rob Jackson
Join Ruth Leonard and Rob Jackson as they discuss volunteer recruitment strategies and creating volunteer personas with Tobi at a workshop in England. They touch on the universality of volunteer management challenges, the importance of people-focused approaches, and leveraging modern marketing strategies for volunteer engagement.
Jun 27, 2024 • 1h 5min
116. New Ways of Thinking About Volunteer Data & Tech with Chris Martin
Tech entrepreneur Chris Martin from TeamKinetic discusses new volunteer data and tech approaches, including AI, open data, and efficient hour tracking. He shares his journey from PE teacher to entrepreneur, highlighting the importance of advanced technologies in volunteer engagement. TeamKinetic aims to simplify volunteering through innovative technologies, emphasizing the need for the sector to adopt tech for seamless participation.
