Professional Development Opportunities
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. It encompasses many types of learning opportunities:
- - college degrees, formal coursework (for credit or not for credit), and credentialling;
- - conferences, seminars, and self-paced learning (online or following a reading guide);
- - informal learning opportunities that occur in peer-to-peer networks and online connections with colleagues.
Managers and staff of volunteer programs will find below an introduction to what is available. Keep in mind that new opportunities are emerging all the time and it may be wise to check this page every quarter.
Peer-to-Peer Networks in Maine
The networks listed below bring together managers and staff from volunteer programs. To join a network in your county, just contact the person listed. To start a network in your region, contact Pam Zeutenhorst at the Maine Commission for Community Service for advice and help.
Androscoggin Volunteer Administrators (AVA)
AVA
is a professional networking group that meets monthly in the Lewiston/Auburn area and provides support and resources to those who work with volunteers.Contact: Michelle Mason at Michelle.L.Mason@maine.gov .
Eastern Maine Volunteer Coordinators (EMVC)
Eastern Maine Volunteer Coordinators is a peer to peer network in Penobscot County for managers of volunteers. The network meets in the Bangor area. For more information contact Martha Wildman.
Franklin Volunteer Network
The network is an opportunity for managers of volunteers in Franklin County to connect, provide advice to peers, share lessons learned and more. Open to managers of volunteers in Franklin County. The network is hosted by the United Way of Tri-Valley. Contact: Lisa Laflin, United Way of Tri-Valley, (207) 778-5048
Mid-Maine Association of Volunteer Administrators
The Mid-State Association of Volunteer Administrators brings together mangers of volunteers on a regular basis to share and focus on the issues unique to volunteer programs. Open to managers of volunteers in the Kennebec Valley. Contact: Maryalice Crofton, Maine Commission for Community Service, (207) 287-8931
Portland Area Volunteer Administrators (PAVA)
PAVA provides professional networking and training for managers of volunteers through monthly meetings. Open to managers of volunteers in Cumberland County.
Contact: Karen Stephenson , United Way of Greater Portland, (207) 874-1000.
York County Directors Of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA)
Since 1985, the DOVIA
has provided information, support and professional growth opportunities to individuals who manage volunteer programs. This dynamic group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 8:30 - 10:30 AM at locations throughout York County.
Contact: Volunteer! York County, United Way of York County, 985-3359
Advice, Ideas and Connections Online
"From the Field: Conversations on Volunteer Management"
Twelve managers of volunteers along with occasional guest writers blog on issues and ideas in Maine's volunteer sector.
VolunteerMaine Webinar Series-improve your volunteer program in under an hour?
Join us for free interactive webinars based on the skills, issues, and opportunities that affect your volunteer program. Learn, discuss, and network with your peers without ever leaving the comfort of your desk. Register now!
Peer-to-Peer Online Forums
This is Maine's virtual peer network for community volunteer programs. After registering as a user (this helps us keep the spam off), staff of volunteer programs can ask advice, give advice, or share discoveries. One forum is devoted to the "Nuts and Bolts " of program operations; a second forum is "For and About Managers of Volunteers."
Turn Experience into a Professional Credential
Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) is the only international professional certification in the field of volunteer resources management. Originally developed by the Association for Volunteer Administration (AVA) several decades ago, the program is now sponsored by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA). The voluntary CVA credential reflects mastery of the knowledge required of practitioners in this field as measured through an exam and peer assessment process.
College Courses Offered Online
York County Community College
University of Southern Maine
Self-paced Learning Online
Competencies for Managers of Volunteers: Online Self-Directed Course (no cost)
Maine Higher Education Courses.
LE@D: Lifelong Education at Desktop: The University of North Texas has a group of online short courses specifically for volunteer program staff. Fees are about $20 each.
The Resource Center provides online courses on a wide variety of topics (e.g., Community Engagement, Resource and Fund Development, Volunteer Leveraging). Although it's designed by the Corporation for National and Community Service (a federal agency) specifically to help strengthen its community volunteer service grantees, these no cost courses are applicable to any community volunteer program .
" My Improvement Plan" is a special tool at the Resource Center that helps managers and staff strengthen local volunteer program operations. Modules include: Volunteer Management; Staffing and Development;
Board and Advisory Leadership; Community Collaboration; Financial Management;
Marketing and
Communications; Service Learning; and more.
Users create an
account so work they complete can be saved and they can return
to the same point at a later time. Each topic begins with a
self-assessment of relevant operations. Results generate a
resource guide tailored to the areas needing improvement.
Users then read and explore the resources at their own pace.
Risk Management. The Washington DC-based Nonprofit Risk Management Center has14
online risk management classes. Fees are $29 for one course with discounts for multiple courses ($19 for 2-9, etc.). The Volunteer Risk Managment course is free. To take it, click here.
Social Marketing. The federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) developed an online guide and design tool for use by their grantees and partners. It is very valuable for any program managers whose volunteers are trying to change something in the community (literacy, health, waste reduction, energy consumption). The tool is no cost and is called the CDCynergy Social Marketing Model.
Emergency Response and Recovery. Volunteer programs that help meet community needs after floods, ice storms, and other emergencies can prepare by learning
about the protocols, policies, and procedures used by officials. FEMA has a series of no-cost online Independent
Study courses to prepare program staff.
Conferences and Seminars
Blaine House Conference on Volunteerism
When: Annually in October on the Tuesday after Columbus Day.
Maine's only statewide educational and networking conference for managers of volunteers, organizational sponsors of volunteer programs, and board members or funders of volunteer organizations.
Contact: Maine Commission for Community Service, (207) 287-5313
Volunteer Administrators of Midcoast Maine
When: Annually in March in the Bath area
A regional conference open to managers of volunteers from all over the state but primarily drawing volunteer program staff from the southern and midcoast Maine.
Contact: Maria Hinteregger, United Way of Mid Coast Maine, (207) 443-9752
National Conference on Volunteering and Service
When: Annually in early to mid summer (June or July)
The world's largest gathering of volunteer and service leaders from the nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors.
Contact: conference@volunteeringandservice.org
Skillbuilders by the Maine Association of Nonprofits
MANP offers a wide ranging series of short training opportunities. At least once or twice each year, there is a session on volunteer management. The current schedule of fees and offerings can be found on the MANP site.