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🚀Wisdom on "nice" STILL Rings True
1.5 Mins on the REAL Skills and ExperiencesAlmost a decade ago, my mentor Erin Spink challenged a room full of volunteer engagement professionals to be less nice. That moment stuck with me. In this video, I share why it's just as relevant today. Because, to be honest... I'm still seeing job postings and "best practices" focused on centering politeness and toxic positivity, even when it harms the people we intend to help or derails mission alignment. It's time we rethink what it really takes to lead volunteers ethically. Check Out: Tools for SolidarityI met Terra Loire at a conference this spring and clicked with her passion for justice and approach to nonprofit campaigns instantly! She's launched Tools for Solidarity: a free resource library for people like us (aka. leaders of volunteers, social impact pros, nonprofit innovators, and community organizers). It's a messy world out there and we've all felt the ick from time to time. Not only do Tools for Solidarity give a discerning eye to things we struggle with, these resources (on Astroturf Campaigns and "Should we fundraise for that?") also share practical actions and examples. And... I'll be collaborating with Terra soon to grow the library! Where You'll Find MeSeptember 17: Presenting a workshop with Maysam Fadel on "Systems Thinking to Build Strategic Influence for Leaders of Volunteers". Thanks to Volunteer Toronto for hosting this in-person session in Downtown Toronto! September 19: Speaking to fundraising leaders at TOgather Conference 2025. November 8: Presenting a workshop on "Ethical Storytelling in Fundraising and Advocacy" at the Halton Non-Profit Congress. December 3: Presenting my most popular workshop this year "Reimagining Volunteer Redirection for Sustainable Community Impact" as part of the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration's 2025 Speakers Series. This is a FREE event! On the "Top 10 Volunteer Leadership Voices in 2025" List: Feeling so honored to share the space alongside people I truly admire, like Breauna Dorelus, Dr. Sue Carter Kahl, and Faiza Venzant. Thanks for reading, Jessica |
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3-Min Video on High School Volunteers Let's talk about the V-word: volun-tell. You know the drill. A teenager needs 40 hours to graduate, so an adult "volun-tells" them into a role, and everyone quietly assumes the kid is only there for the hours. Clock in, clock out, never to be seen again. Except... that's not actually what the research says. In this video, I'm torching that myth with real data from a youth-led research project. Video thumbnail titled "#1 Myth about High School Volunteers,"...
My 3-min Response to Some Recent Pitches After months of chats with nonprofit folks near and far, I’ve got a new #HotTake on volunteer recognition. I recently connected with two social enterprise founders at two different events. They both created platforms where volunteers can win vacations or redeem points for gadgets. Their clients? Nonprofits. Who were they pitching? Folks just like you. Want ethical, meaningful recognition ideas? My YouTube Shorts Playlist on this topic has five videos...
The Latest from my Blog Who is a volunteer... really? In my latest blog post, I chat with Brianna Stapleton Welch from Little Free Library about how her work bridges formal and informal volunteerism: from app users who casually share books, to stewards who’ve never thought of themselves as “volunteers.” We dig into how to build flexible systems, collect meaningful stories, and honour real community contributions. It’s full of insights for anyone thinking about how people show up. Go to my...