December 6, 2023
Creating a Citywide Volunteer Program with a Roadmap
More city leaders are adopting citywide volunteer engagement as a powerful strategy to strengthen their own communities. But knowing that citywide engagement is the city’s destination is not enough. Having a clear and strategic roadmap to reach that destination is crucial to ensuring that the journey is successful and that it utilizes resources efficiently. Offero and VQ Volunteer Strategies collaborated to write a guide about how to plan a volunteer program's future.
Why Create a Roadmap?
Most people would never set out on a journey without a map outlining the route to the desired destination. The same is true of citywide volunteer engagement. Today, more city leaders recognize that engaging residents as volunteers can lead to…
· Increased resiliency
· Greater civic engagement overall
· Healthier residents
· City agencies with greater capacity to serve the community
· Greater awareness of and support for the city's priorities
· More diverse communities by providing ways for residents to engage and integrate into the city.
· Stronger staff with lower-burn-out.
Whether you call it a strategic plan, roadmap, or blueprint, developing a strategy for citywide engagement is a process that defines organizational direction, ensures a shared vision for success, articulates the goals and activities to pursue that vision, and guides decisions on resource allocation to reach the destination.
What's in the Playbook
Developing a roadmap does not need to be adaunting task. This guide outlines comprehensive templates, appropriate steps, and a success story from Flint, Michigan. The steps include:
Establishing a team
Assessing current practice and needs
Developing a plan
Implementing the strategy
Take it From Us
Offero is a proven and highly effective tool to build and support a Citywide Volunteer Program. Check out our Developing a Roadmap to Citywide Volunteer Engagement Playbook, Case Studies, and Volunteer Engagement Guide to find out more!