After five and half years of blogging on this Blogger site the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd blog has not just one but two new homes.
You will find all future posts on our new Wordpress or Medium blogs. All articles will appear on both sites, we just want to give you the choice as to which you engage with.
All previous posts will remain here as an archive for you to access whenever you wish.
Engaging and inspiring people to bring about change
Showing posts with label Rob Jackson Consulting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rob Jackson Consulting. Show all posts
Friday, 18 November 2016
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
Seven productivity tools and resources I recommend
This November I am speaking at the AVSM annual conference where I have volunteered to run a workshop on time management and productivity for Volunteer Managers. It’s a theme I’ve wanted to train on for a while and the AVSM conference gives me a chance to finally develop and trial a workshop which I intend to add to my list of available training topics.
Coincidentally American colleague Liza Dyer and I have been discussing productivity recently via a Slack group for leaders and managers of volunteers. That led me to this brilliant video on TED where Yves Morieux draws some great parallels between 4x400m relay racing and the culture organisations create around productivity (it’s about 17mins long but well worth your time to watch in full).
My interest in productivity came as a result of starting up Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd five years ago. I realised that I would need to adapt my work practices as I was now running my own business rather than working in a large team. No longer did I have IT or Communications or Finance support, it was all my job now. I was also becoming frustrated with suggested time management practices like blocking your diary out to work on projects. Such approaches didn’t seem to reflect the variable and fast paced nature of changing requirements and schedules, leading to time being wasted re-scheduling rather than doing work.
So for this blog I thought I’d outline seven of the resources and tools I really rate (and use!) to aid me with my own productivity. There are others of course - I only briefly mention my calendar tool of choice and I don’t mention at all some key resources like Evernote. This is because I have chosen to focus on the resources and tools that I think have made or the biggest positive difference to the way I work (or have the potential too).
NB - Please note that a Mac, iPhone and iPad user I therefore use these tools on those platforms and devices.
How To Be a Productivity Ninja Written by Graham Allcott, a former colleague when he was CEO of Student Volunteering England, this excellent and readable book gives sound theory and very practical advice on becoming more productive. Sharing many similarities with David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) approach, yet presented in a more accessible format, Graham advocates steps like adopting a ‘second brain’ to store all those tasks we try and keep in our heads. He also challenges our tendencies to procrastination and distraction. I particularly found helpful the steps to identify when my attention levels were highest during a day and then schedule the most complex work accordingly.
Things This is my ‘second brain’ system. Almost every task I have to do, personally or professionally, goes into Things. Tasks are sorted by project and can be allocated to specifics dates but, as per the GTD and Productivity Ninja approaches, this isn’t encouraged. Why? Because if you schedule that task for Monday then something comes up on Monday which takes priority then you have to spend (waste) time re-scheduling the task. Instead Things allows me to have a due date and then specify how many days in advance of that I want to be reminded the task needs to be done. I can even tag tasks for specfic contexts such as an errand to run or something I have to do in the office or when online or at my computer etc.. Then, every morning, I have a list of tasks to choose from which I can allocate to that day, defer to decide upon later depending on what else comes across my desk, my attention and energy levels etc.. With Things synchronising seamlessly between all my devices and having powerful search and sorting features this is an essential productivity tool for me.
Due One feature Things doesn’t support is the need for some tasks to be allocated to particular times, for example a reminder that it’s my job to pick the kids up from school today. That’s where Due comes in. I can quickly and easily schedule a task for a specific date and time, create recurring tasks and defer items if I have to postpone them. Critically Due never lets me forget that task needs doing. Whereas other reminder systems just remind me once at the set time, Due keeps reminding me over and over again (at a frequency I can specify) until I do the task. Sync isn’t quite as seamless as Things but it works fine and between the two systems I always have a list of what needs doing.
Airmail 3 As a Mac user I try and avoid Microsoft software and have not once missed using Outlook in the last five years. Instead I have relied on the standard Mac and iOs mail software. Until recently, when I switched to Airmail 3, a product that’s all about efficiency and getting that inbox to zero. Processing email is now a breeze. I can far more easily move messages between all my different accounts and folders, allocate messages to be actioned later or (in the case of newsletters and the like) to be read later. If something comes in that needs a task creating or requires a diary entry then with just a couple of clicks I can add that to Things or Fantastical (my calendar app of choice largely down to it’s natural text features and time zone management). Airmail 3 is also super fast to set up and syncs beautifully between all my devices.
Tyme 2 This is a new one for me. As a freelancer I sometimes need to record the time I spend on projects and bill this to clients. As someone keen on productivity I also want the ability to keep track of the time I spend on tasks and projects. Am I spending too much time processing email? What is the balance of my time between marketing and client delivery work? That kind of thing. My old time-tracking system no longer syncs between devices so I opted for Tyme 2 as a replacement. It’s still early days but it’s working well so far, although it did need some time to set up at first, as many of these systems do, and wasn’t instantly intuitive. I am quickly and easily recording the time I spend on different work tasks and projects and starting to gain insights into my working patterns and habits. Time will tell how truly effective this tool will be - I will be using it for my first ‘on the clock’ client next month - but early signs are very promising.
Pocket I’ve had Pocket for ages now and I love it. I couldn’t be without it. If you aren’t familiar with Pocket, it’s a tool to collect and store all those articles you want to read, sort (tag) them into categories and then read offline at a later date and time. Anything I come across that I think would be worth reading for work or for personal interests gets ‘clipped’ from my web browser into Pocket. Then when I’m on a train or just have a few minutes spare I can open Pocket on any of my devices and get reading. If I think it’s something worth sharing or keeping, I can quickly and easily share to social media and / or Evernote. I also love that once a year they send me an email saying how many words I’ve read in the last twelve months and what my favourite topics have been etc.. Best of all Pocket is entirely free and, whilst there is a paid for option, I have never felt like I’ve needed it.
Buffer If you post to social media, especially to multiple accounts (and in particular to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or Google+) then you need Buffer in your life. I use the free version (paid options provide more in-depth analytics and access to other social networks) and Buffer enables me to quickly share articles and items of interest to my professional social networks without having to post separately on each site. I can even automatically schedule posts for each network to the times my followers are most likely to engage with my content, essential if (like me) you have followers and clients around the world and don’t fa cry being up in the middle of the night to post something in their local timezone. Buffer also produce a superb and very helpful blog packed with tips, ideas and through provoking posts about using social media and online marketing.
So there you have it, my top seven productivity tools and resources.
What are your top tools and resources for enhancing productivity? What could you not be without?
Also, to help shape my workshop, what issues would you love to see covered in training on productivity and time management for Volunteer Managers? I’d really value your input.
Over to you.
Coincidentally American colleague Liza Dyer and I have been discussing productivity recently via a Slack group for leaders and managers of volunteers. That led me to this brilliant video on TED where Yves Morieux draws some great parallels between 4x400m relay racing and the culture organisations create around productivity (it’s about 17mins long but well worth your time to watch in full).
My interest in productivity came as a result of starting up Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd five years ago. I realised that I would need to adapt my work practices as I was now running my own business rather than working in a large team. No longer did I have IT or Communications or Finance support, it was all my job now. I was also becoming frustrated with suggested time management practices like blocking your diary out to work on projects. Such approaches didn’t seem to reflect the variable and fast paced nature of changing requirements and schedules, leading to time being wasted re-scheduling rather than doing work.
So for this blog I thought I’d outline seven of the resources and tools I really rate (and use!) to aid me with my own productivity. There are others of course - I only briefly mention my calendar tool of choice and I don’t mention at all some key resources like Evernote. This is because I have chosen to focus on the resources and tools that I think have made or the biggest positive difference to the way I work (or have the potential too).
NB - Please note that a Mac, iPhone and iPad user I therefore use these tools on those platforms and devices.
How To Be a Productivity Ninja Written by Graham Allcott, a former colleague when he was CEO of Student Volunteering England, this excellent and readable book gives sound theory and very practical advice on becoming more productive. Sharing many similarities with David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) approach, yet presented in a more accessible format, Graham advocates steps like adopting a ‘second brain’ to store all those tasks we try and keep in our heads. He also challenges our tendencies to procrastination and distraction. I particularly found helpful the steps to identify when my attention levels were highest during a day and then schedule the most complex work accordingly.
Things This is my ‘second brain’ system. Almost every task I have to do, personally or professionally, goes into Things. Tasks are sorted by project and can be allocated to specifics dates but, as per the GTD and Productivity Ninja approaches, this isn’t encouraged. Why? Because if you schedule that task for Monday then something comes up on Monday which takes priority then you have to spend (waste) time re-scheduling the task. Instead Things allows me to have a due date and then specify how many days in advance of that I want to be reminded the task needs to be done. I can even tag tasks for specfic contexts such as an errand to run or something I have to do in the office or when online or at my computer etc.. Then, every morning, I have a list of tasks to choose from which I can allocate to that day, defer to decide upon later depending on what else comes across my desk, my attention and energy levels etc.. With Things synchronising seamlessly between all my devices and having powerful search and sorting features this is an essential productivity tool for me.
Due One feature Things doesn’t support is the need for some tasks to be allocated to particular times, for example a reminder that it’s my job to pick the kids up from school today. That’s where Due comes in. I can quickly and easily schedule a task for a specific date and time, create recurring tasks and defer items if I have to postpone them. Critically Due never lets me forget that task needs doing. Whereas other reminder systems just remind me once at the set time, Due keeps reminding me over and over again (at a frequency I can specify) until I do the task. Sync isn’t quite as seamless as Things but it works fine and between the two systems I always have a list of what needs doing.
Airmail 3 As a Mac user I try and avoid Microsoft software and have not once missed using Outlook in the last five years. Instead I have relied on the standard Mac and iOs mail software. Until recently, when I switched to Airmail 3, a product that’s all about efficiency and getting that inbox to zero. Processing email is now a breeze. I can far more easily move messages between all my different accounts and folders, allocate messages to be actioned later or (in the case of newsletters and the like) to be read later. If something comes in that needs a task creating or requires a diary entry then with just a couple of clicks I can add that to Things or Fantastical (my calendar app of choice largely down to it’s natural text features and time zone management). Airmail 3 is also super fast to set up and syncs beautifully between all my devices.
Tyme 2 This is a new one for me. As a freelancer I sometimes need to record the time I spend on projects and bill this to clients. As someone keen on productivity I also want the ability to keep track of the time I spend on tasks and projects. Am I spending too much time processing email? What is the balance of my time between marketing and client delivery work? That kind of thing. My old time-tracking system no longer syncs between devices so I opted for Tyme 2 as a replacement. It’s still early days but it’s working well so far, although it did need some time to set up at first, as many of these systems do, and wasn’t instantly intuitive. I am quickly and easily recording the time I spend on different work tasks and projects and starting to gain insights into my working patterns and habits. Time will tell how truly effective this tool will be - I will be using it for my first ‘on the clock’ client next month - but early signs are very promising.
Pocket I’ve had Pocket for ages now and I love it. I couldn’t be without it. If you aren’t familiar with Pocket, it’s a tool to collect and store all those articles you want to read, sort (tag) them into categories and then read offline at a later date and time. Anything I come across that I think would be worth reading for work or for personal interests gets ‘clipped’ from my web browser into Pocket. Then when I’m on a train or just have a few minutes spare I can open Pocket on any of my devices and get reading. If I think it’s something worth sharing or keeping, I can quickly and easily share to social media and / or Evernote. I also love that once a year they send me an email saying how many words I’ve read in the last twelve months and what my favourite topics have been etc.. Best of all Pocket is entirely free and, whilst there is a paid for option, I have never felt like I’ve needed it.
Buffer If you post to social media, especially to multiple accounts (and in particular to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or Google+) then you need Buffer in your life. I use the free version (paid options provide more in-depth analytics and access to other social networks) and Buffer enables me to quickly share articles and items of interest to my professional social networks without having to post separately on each site. I can even automatically schedule posts for each network to the times my followers are most likely to engage with my content, essential if (like me) you have followers and clients around the world and don’t fa cry being up in the middle of the night to post something in their local timezone. Buffer also produce a superb and very helpful blog packed with tips, ideas and through provoking posts about using social media and online marketing.
So there you have it, my top seven productivity tools and resources.
What are your top tools and resources for enhancing productivity? What could you not be without?
Also, to help shape my workshop, what issues would you love to see covered in training on productivity and time management for Volunteer Managers? I’d really value your input.
Over to you.
Friday, 15 January 2016
Three questions to ask about your learning plans for 2016
In this guest post for the start of 2016 our friend and colleague Sue Jones shares her thoughts about learning and development for Volunteer Managers. Sue challenges some assumptions we might make about learning and poses some questions to help us reflect on how we can make the most of our learning opportunities throughout 2016.
>>>>>
Now we are back into the swing of a new year, it’s not unusual for us to focus on some of those thoughts and ideas we may have been musing over regarding changes we might want to make, courses we want to take and how we might embark on 2016 in a way that enables us to feel revitalised and focused.
One step we might be considering is to embark on a learning programme, or to at least be thinking about what workshops or conferences we might want to attend this year. Thankfully, the field of Volunteer Management has come a long way from the days of limited training options and few opportunities to learn and connect to others. There are in fact, lots of ways to access learning and development, including online, which is definitely something to be celebrated. Unfortunately though, this doesn’t necessarily translate into participation for everyone, or that we will receive the type of learning intervention that we really need.
Some of the biggest issues I see around learning relate to the assumptions we make, collectively and individually about what it is, and how to go about it.
For example:
These are just some of the messages I regularly hear from individuals and organisations when discussing learning and development opportunities. And there’s a tone of negativity and resignation, which if followed, can be damaging.
It’s important for us all to recognise that learning is not a luxury add-on, only to be afforded and enjoyed during the good times. It’s actually essential to our growth and development as individuals and organisations; and we have a duty to our volunteers, our client groups and communities to remain invested in ourselves and our work, so we can deliver the best at all times.
Throughout my years of designing and delivering training and working with Volunteer Managers and organisations, the most successful and satisfied individuals I have worked with are those who have taken a lead on their own learning and development. And, the most successful and thriving organisations understand the true value and impact of supporting their workforce to learn. I would argue that we need to take this approach more than ever before and to challenge our assumptions about learning because they are in fact holding us back.
So, ask yourself three questions:
<<<<<
If you’re interested in finding out more about learning opportunities in volunteer management, check out our website for information on the training available from Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd.
Sue and I also tutor an online introduction to volunteer management course. This takes six weeks and is great value compared to traditional classroom based training. The next course starts on Monday 15th February and you can book your place now on the course website.
>>>>>
Now we are back into the swing of a new year, it’s not unusual for us to focus on some of those thoughts and ideas we may have been musing over regarding changes we might want to make, courses we want to take and how we might embark on 2016 in a way that enables us to feel revitalised and focused.
One step we might be considering is to embark on a learning programme, or to at least be thinking about what workshops or conferences we might want to attend this year. Thankfully, the field of Volunteer Management has come a long way from the days of limited training options and few opportunities to learn and connect to others. There are in fact, lots of ways to access learning and development, including online, which is definitely something to be celebrated. Unfortunately though, this doesn’t necessarily translate into participation for everyone, or that we will receive the type of learning intervention that we really need.
Some of the biggest issues I see around learning relate to the assumptions we make, collectively and individually about what it is, and how to go about it.
For example:
- Learning is simply about acquiring knowledge.
- Learning means training, and training means attending courses in a classroom, often requiring travel to London or another major city.
- Learning is expensive and takes up valuable time which we cannot afford.
- Learning is just about getting a certificate to prove you can do a job.
- Learning is something that should be paid for or provided by the organisation and I know they won’t.
These are just some of the messages I regularly hear from individuals and organisations when discussing learning and development opportunities. And there’s a tone of negativity and resignation, which if followed, can be damaging.
It’s important for us all to recognise that learning is not a luxury add-on, only to be afforded and enjoyed during the good times. It’s actually essential to our growth and development as individuals and organisations; and we have a duty to our volunteers, our client groups and communities to remain invested in ourselves and our work, so we can deliver the best at all times.
Throughout my years of designing and delivering training and working with Volunteer Managers and organisations, the most successful and satisfied individuals I have worked with are those who have taken a lead on their own learning and development. And, the most successful and thriving organisations understand the true value and impact of supporting their workforce to learn. I would argue that we need to take this approach more than ever before and to challenge our assumptions about learning because they are in fact holding us back.
So, ask yourself three questions:
- What do I really think about the role of learning?
- How important is it for me today, this week, this year?
- And, what assumptions might I be making about what learning needs to look like and what my manager or organisation thinks about it?
<<<<<
If you’re interested in finding out more about learning opportunities in volunteer management, check out our website for information on the training available from Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd.
Sue and I also tutor an online introduction to volunteer management course. This takes six weeks and is great value compared to traditional classroom based training. The next course starts on Monday 15th February and you can book your place now on the course website.
Monday, 29 July 2013
Technology can connect us
One of the things that bugs me in my work is the assumption that often seems to be made that I work in London. This is most commonly made by people who work in London but that isn't always the case.
It bugs me primarily because people seem to assume that anyone really serious about being in business or working with civil society is based in the capital. "You're not based in London? Why on earth not?" seems to be the subconscious thought that flies through their heads when I tell them I am based in Grantham, Lincolnshire. I've even experienced people who are surprised that I have clients who are not based in the capital
It also bugs me because people make the assumption that I can go to their office for a short meeting like its just popping down the road. In reality, it is often quicker for me to get to some parts of London than it is for some Londoners - Kings Cross is less than ninety minutes from my house but when I commuted and worked there full time some of my colleagues took longer to get in from other parts of the city. Yet it isn't cheap. At short notice it can cost me £100+ to get to the capital. Even buying a ticket in advance usually costs about £50 plus £11 for parking. And then there is the time lost, usually at least half a day to attend just a one hour meeting.
It also bugs me because it suggests a London centric way of looking at the world - "If you are not prepared to come to the city then we are not prepared to work with you". I can understand that if a potential client is based in London but if it's an infrastructure body seeking to engage with stakeholders then they should be getting out into the rest of the country not expecting us to go to them.
Of course, in the modern world we can harness technology to help break down this London / rest of the country divide. A telephone meeting can take place. Even better a Skype call so we can see each other. Perhaps something like GoToMeeting can be used which enables telephone and video conferencing without the premium rate telephone costs that fund the apparently free alternatives. Google Plus hangouts can be used too - I particularly like Voluntary Arts England's use of these. And most of these technologies don't cost much or anything at all.
I have a number of strong friendships and professional working relationships that I maintain via technology, connecting with people around the globe. I work with people I have never even met using technology, for example as part of the organising committee for International Volunteer Managers Day whose members come from the UK (me), USA, Australia and New Zealand. Only last month when I was in the States I met about half a dozen people for the first time yet I had know them for years just via email. It was like meeting old friends - because I was!
So are we harnessing the potential of technology in the voluntary and volunteering sectors to break down these divides of distance? Yes and no.
On the no front, I was recently contacted by someone based in London who was reaching out to their organisation's network of consultants, of which I am one. They wanted to arrange meetings to develop closer working relationships. I suggested dates I was in London. They didn't suit this person. I explained that I wasn't currently planning to be in London on any other dates before the end of 2013 so perhaps a Skype call would be a good way forward. They responded by indicating that it had to be face-to-face (i.e. physically present in person) if it was to achieve the aim of a closer working relationship. I had to go to them at my cost or the meeting wasn't happening. So, the organisation concerned seems to be happy to limit themselves to only having close working relationships with their consultants who are within cheap and easy reach of London. What potential will they miss out on from those of us based further afield, with experience of working in the vast majority of the civil society world that does not inhabit London?
On the yes front, look at Thoughtful Thursdays. An initiative originally born from Warrington Voluntary Action's work during the European Year of Volunteering 2011, Thoughtful Thursday's (or #ttvolmgrs in Twitter speak) connects volunteer managers across the UK (indeed now across the globe) in a weekly discussion on a topical theme related to leading and managing volunteers and volunteer programmes. Friendships have been built, strong work connections developed and offline initiatives born through a network based on technology that was developed in a part of the UK where much of the innovation in volunteering seems to be happening, the North West, specifically in and around Manchester - not London.
So, to be clear, I don't live in London. I don't always work in London. I can't always come to London. But that doesn't mean I can't develop a good working relationship with people there, or anywhere else for that matter. If we embrace technology and use it intelligently we can build strong working relationships with colleagues in our country and around the world. Perhaps it is time for more of us working in civil society to realise this.
What do you think?
How have you used technology to break down barriers of distance?
Have you develop strong working relationship with people online rather than face-to-face in person?
What lessons do you think we can all learn to make our work more effective?
I'd lvoe to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Unpacking our online presence
Friend and colleague Jayne Cravens recently wrote a blog post entitled "Why I won't follow you on Twitter" which explained her reasons for engaging with others through a variety of social media.
This got me thinking that, almost a year on from the creation of Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd, it might be useful to explain the thinking behind the various social media and websites I am involved with in the hope that this will help you think about the best way for you to engage with me/the business (and me/the business with you).
Before I get started I will say that with only a few exceptions the media I'm talking about here are company accounts rather than my personal ones. So the Facebook link is to the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd page, not my personal Facebook page/timeline. I keep the two separate so please don't put in personal follower requests if I don't actually know you.
Website
This is the front end to the world for the business. It explains who we are, what we do and how we can help as well as quotes and recommendations about our work. The homepage features links to our latest news, recent posts on Twitter and the latest from our blogs. There isn't a lot of interaction here at the moment as that takes place via the social media covered below.
Blog
This blog is the main focus for my professional writing on a whole range of topics and issues. Some of the content is in response to announcements, breaking news etc. and some of it is more think-piece oriented. There is no set publication schedule and comments are always welcome, whether in agreement with what I say or to air different views.
You can follow the blog via log-in or email and/or take the RSS feed - all the boxes and links for these options are in the sidebar on the right of this page.
Third Sector blog
Once a month (usually around the 1st) I have an article published as Third Sector online's "voice of volunteering" blogger. These posts are usually shorter than the main blog and look at a current issue or a reflect on the volunteering dimension to recent news in the voluntary sector. As with the main blog, comments are very much encouraged.
Third Sector online is a subscription service so the blog may not be available to you unless you already subscribe to the online magazine.
Twitter
Twitter is perhaps the social network on which I am most active and where most people follow me/the business. I use the RobJConsulting account for sharing news about my work, about issues in the sector and volunteering field, upcoming events, to promote work I am involved in and to engage in conversation with others, for example via the Thoughtful Thursday discussions run by Volunteer Centre Warrington. Twitter is also where I gain a lot of my information about what's going on with issues and organisations I'm interested in. To that end I have set up a number of lists which I follow, from news sources to Volunteer Centres, and anyone can subscribe to these.
Facebook
There is a company presence on Facebook although I did resist doing this for many months (I am similarly resisting Google+ as there are only so many hours in the day to keep on top of social media). To date most of what is on the Facebook page is articles and stories that I also tweet, the exception being videos and pictures which I think work better posted to Facebook than Twitter.
Also, please note that I do not link the Twitter and Facebook accounts. If you want to follow me/the business on both then please do so.
I am currently re-thinking how I use the Facebook page as I want to differentiate it from how I use Twitter, perhaps making more use of some of the more engaging features the site provides. If you have any ideas about how you'd like us to use the Facebook page then please do let me know by leaving a comment below.
i-Volunteer
I have a presence on i-Volunteer under the username robjackson74. I do occasionally post to the network, mainly commenting on articles other people's blogs, but I use it much more as a source of news and information.
Newsletter
Once a month (usually about the 16th) I publish the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd newsletter. This has recently undergone something of a facelift and re-launch for 2012 with a view to providing a wider range of content than just what I and the business have been up to. So alongside some company news you'll find key news stories on volunteering related issues from the previous few weeks, information on useful resources and helpful tips and links.
The newsletter is powered by MailChimp, is totally free and unsubscribing is easy if you decide it isn't for you.
Latest news
The Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd website has the facility for its own dedicated RSS feed of latest news about the company. A quick click through to the section will show a variety of stories from the past year, announcing events I was speaking at, conferences that were taking bookings, press releases for significant volunteering events etc..
LinkedIn - Rob
If you are interested in who I am and my professional background then you can find relevant information on the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd website and on my LinkedIn profile. The latter option gives access to a variety of recommendations about me and my work from throughout my career, my skills and experience and shows which other professional networking groups I am involved in on LinkedIn.
Please note that (for now at least) the company Twitter feed is linked to my LinkedIn account, meaning my tweets appear in my LinkedIn status.
If you want to connect with me via LinkedIn please bear in mind that I only really accept connections from people I know and am doing or have done business with. I don't use it as a way to connect with people I don't really know so if I don't recognise who you are I probably won't accept your request to connect.
LinkedIn - Company
Aside from me personally the business has a presence on LinkedIn. If you aren't familiar with company sites on LinkedIn then here is a quick run down of what you'll find on our page:
I'm a big fan of businesses having a presence like this on LinkedIn as it gives customers the chance to sound us out before they even make first contact. That's an additional incentive for us to consistently deliver great customer services and satisfaction because we never know who is going to contact a client for a recommendation of our work.
If a business doesn't have such a transparent approach to what they do, ask what they might be trying to hide.
YouTube
One of my aims this year is to do more video blogging. The company YouTube site is where those vlogs will feature. It is also where you can view videos that I think have relevance to the volunteerism field & voluntary sector and where you can access some of the videos of other YouTube users I follow professionally.
Flickr
There isn't much I do on Flickr other than use it as a space to share photos of events the business has been involved in and promote the work of the photographers who I come across at conferences etc..
Skype
I'm on Skype, again as robjackson74. I use it for free phone and video communication with colleagues across the world as well as cheap conference calling. If you add me as a contact please do say who you are and why you want to connect.
UKVPMs
I am involved in moderating the UKVPMs email group which I set up in the late 1990's. UKVPMs was the first online networking forum for UK based volunteer managers and now has over 1400 members. It is free to join and more details can be found on the UKVPMs website.
I don't expect anyone to follow me on all of these sites (except perhaps for my mum - hi mum!) but to pick and choose the content and method of engagement that works best for you. That's why there is a range of choice for you.
However you do decide to engage with me and/or the business, I look forward to meeting you online soon.
This got me thinking that, almost a year on from the creation of Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd, it might be useful to explain the thinking behind the various social media and websites I am involved with in the hope that this will help you think about the best way for you to engage with me/the business (and me/the business with you).
Before I get started I will say that with only a few exceptions the media I'm talking about here are company accounts rather than my personal ones. So the Facebook link is to the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd page, not my personal Facebook page/timeline. I keep the two separate so please don't put in personal follower requests if I don't actually know you.
Website
This is the front end to the world for the business. It explains who we are, what we do and how we can help as well as quotes and recommendations about our work. The homepage features links to our latest news, recent posts on Twitter and the latest from our blogs. There isn't a lot of interaction here at the moment as that takes place via the social media covered below.
Blog
This blog is the main focus for my professional writing on a whole range of topics and issues. Some of the content is in response to announcements, breaking news etc. and some of it is more think-piece oriented. There is no set publication schedule and comments are always welcome, whether in agreement with what I say or to air different views.
You can follow the blog via log-in or email and/or take the RSS feed - all the boxes and links for these options are in the sidebar on the right of this page.
Third Sector blog
Once a month (usually around the 1st) I have an article published as Third Sector online's "voice of volunteering" blogger. These posts are usually shorter than the main blog and look at a current issue or a reflect on the volunteering dimension to recent news in the voluntary sector. As with the main blog, comments are very much encouraged.
Third Sector online is a subscription service so the blog may not be available to you unless you already subscribe to the online magazine.
Twitter is perhaps the social network on which I am most active and where most people follow me/the business. I use the RobJConsulting account for sharing news about my work, about issues in the sector and volunteering field, upcoming events, to promote work I am involved in and to engage in conversation with others, for example via the Thoughtful Thursday discussions run by Volunteer Centre Warrington. Twitter is also where I gain a lot of my information about what's going on with issues and organisations I'm interested in. To that end I have set up a number of lists which I follow, from news sources to Volunteer Centres, and anyone can subscribe to these.
There is a company presence on Facebook although I did resist doing this for many months (I am similarly resisting Google+ as there are only so many hours in the day to keep on top of social media). To date most of what is on the Facebook page is articles and stories that I also tweet, the exception being videos and pictures which I think work better posted to Facebook than Twitter.
Also, please note that I do not link the Twitter and Facebook accounts. If you want to follow me/the business on both then please do so.
I am currently re-thinking how I use the Facebook page as I want to differentiate it from how I use Twitter, perhaps making more use of some of the more engaging features the site provides. If you have any ideas about how you'd like us to use the Facebook page then please do let me know by leaving a comment below.
i-Volunteer
I have a presence on i-Volunteer under the username robjackson74. I do occasionally post to the network, mainly commenting on articles other people's blogs, but I use it much more as a source of news and information.
Newsletter
Once a month (usually about the 16th) I publish the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd newsletter. This has recently undergone something of a facelift and re-launch for 2012 with a view to providing a wider range of content than just what I and the business have been up to. So alongside some company news you'll find key news stories on volunteering related issues from the previous few weeks, information on useful resources and helpful tips and links.
The newsletter is powered by MailChimp, is totally free and unsubscribing is easy if you decide it isn't for you.
Latest news
The Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd website has the facility for its own dedicated RSS feed of latest news about the company. A quick click through to the section will show a variety of stories from the past year, announcing events I was speaking at, conferences that were taking bookings, press releases for significant volunteering events etc..
LinkedIn - Rob
If you are interested in who I am and my professional background then you can find relevant information on the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd website and on my LinkedIn profile. The latter option gives access to a variety of recommendations about me and my work from throughout my career, my skills and experience and shows which other professional networking groups I am involved in on LinkedIn.
Please note that (for now at least) the company Twitter feed is linked to my LinkedIn account, meaning my tweets appear in my LinkedIn status.
If you want to connect with me via LinkedIn please bear in mind that I only really accept connections from people I know and am doing or have done business with. I don't use it as a way to connect with people I don't really know so if I don't recognise who you are I probably won't accept your request to connect.
LinkedIn - Company
Aside from me personally the business has a presence on LinkedIn. If you aren't familiar with company sites on LinkedIn then here is a quick run down of what you'll find on our page:
- The landing page provides some brief summary information about the company, a link to my profile and the ability to sign up to follow the firm on LinkedIn.
- The products and services page is where the real content is. This provides a brief summary of the different services we offer alongside recommendations of our work from clients. These clients' images can then be clicked on, giving you access to their profiles and thus the ability to get in touch and ask them about our work.
I'm a big fan of businesses having a presence like this on LinkedIn as it gives customers the chance to sound us out before they even make first contact. That's an additional incentive for us to consistently deliver great customer services and satisfaction because we never know who is going to contact a client for a recommendation of our work.
If a business doesn't have such a transparent approach to what they do, ask what they might be trying to hide.
YouTube
One of my aims this year is to do more video blogging. The company YouTube site is where those vlogs will feature. It is also where you can view videos that I think have relevance to the volunteerism field & voluntary sector and where you can access some of the videos of other YouTube users I follow professionally.
Flickr
There isn't much I do on Flickr other than use it as a space to share photos of events the business has been involved in and promote the work of the photographers who I come across at conferences etc..
Skype
I'm on Skype, again as robjackson74. I use it for free phone and video communication with colleagues across the world as well as cheap conference calling. If you add me as a contact please do say who you are and why you want to connect.
UKVPMs
I am involved in moderating the UKVPMs email group which I set up in the late 1990's. UKVPMs was the first online networking forum for UK based volunteer managers and now has over 1400 members. It is free to join and more details can be found on the UKVPMs website.
I don't expect anyone to follow me on all of these sites (except perhaps for my mum - hi mum!) but to pick and choose the content and method of engagement that works best for you. That's why there is a range of choice for you.
However you do decide to engage with me and/or the business, I look forward to meeting you online soon.
Thursday, 26 January 2012
A milestone is reached
At some time in the last few hours this blog received it's 10,000th page view since my first post on 1st April 2011. That's 1,111 views a month on average! Wow.
I want to take a moment to say a massive thank you to everyone who has read, commented on or shared what I have written. I am truly humbled by your interest in and (in most cases!) support for what I have to say.
For many years I wanted to have more of a public mouthpiece for my thoughts, opinions and musings on volunteering. For a variety of reasons this wasn't possible until I struck out on my own last year. Since then I have written 33 articles here as well as a monthly blog for Third Sector online and a variety of other magazines, websites etc..
Why do I do it?
For a full answer to that read my post on why I write and why you should too. For now, the author Isaac Asimov once said that "writing is thinking with your fingers". I love that and totally agree. For me, writing is a great way to think through issues, to order my thoughts and to present them to the world. Sometimes people agree, sometimes they don't. The point is that opinions are shared and issues discussed. If my small contribution via this blog consequently helps to advance our thinking about volunteering and ultimately affect our practice in a positive way then I'll be content.So thank you again for reading my blog. If you haven't yet joined the debate and commented on anything I've written then please do so. It's dead easy but if you have any problems then drop me a line and I can post your comments for you.
For those of you interested in statistics, here is a bit more information about the 10,000 page views.
- The three most viewed posts are: my analysis of the Pathways Through Participation report and what it means for volunteer managers; my reflections on David Blunkett's proposals for a National Volunteer Service; and my observations on an advert for a volunteer manager position.
- There have been 36 comments on the blog so far.
- More than 50% of page views have been from the UK.
- France, Russia and the USA have each provided more than 1,000 page views.
Friday, 16 December 2011
Looking back on 2011
OK, so where did 2011 go?
Seriously, it seems like only a few days ago we were entering into 2011. Lots of people I've spoken to this year have commented on how fast the year has gone by. Before we know it we're on the cusp of 2012.
This post is an opportunity for me to reflect on the year coming to a close and say some thank you's before, in the new year, I consider what may lay ahead in the year to come.
For me, 2011 started on a low note. Never one to be particularly enthused with new years (for me it always feels more like 'here we go again' than 'yay, its January again!') 2011 was, I knew, the year I was going to lose my job. I ended 2010 having failed at interview stage to secure a new job. January was just three short months away from redundancy from Volunteering England (VE).
Not far into 2011 I decided I was going to take the plunge and set up in business for myself when I left VE. As soon as I made the decision things began to fall into place. It seemed I'd made the right call as people responded to my news enthusiastically and the first invitations to pitch for work came from prospective clients.
Considerable activity ensued to get the business set up in time for my last day at work. I bought domain names, set up email accounts, built a website, set up this blog, established a Twitter account, found insurance, a bank, bought equipment etc..
I remain indebted to:
March was an emotional month, closing down projects that had occupied me for the previous 3-5 years, saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, and having to make others redundant whilst getting set to leave myself.
On the upside I had the chance to kiss goodbye to five years of commuting over 100 miles from Lincolnshire to London and back for four days a week and to the season ticket that cost £6,000+ each year!
And so my journey as Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd started.
I can honestly say I have never looked back.
I've had great fun this year, both in establishing a new business and in meeting & working with some amazing people. Some of the highlights and thanks owed are, in no particular order:
Seriously, it seems like only a few days ago we were entering into 2011. Lots of people I've spoken to this year have commented on how fast the year has gone by. Before we know it we're on the cusp of 2012.
This post is an opportunity for me to reflect on the year coming to a close and say some thank you's before, in the new year, I consider what may lay ahead in the year to come.
For me, 2011 started on a low note. Never one to be particularly enthused with new years (for me it always feels more like 'here we go again' than 'yay, its January again!') 2011 was, I knew, the year I was going to lose my job. I ended 2010 having failed at interview stage to secure a new job. January was just three short months away from redundancy from Volunteering England (VE).
Not far into 2011 I decided I was going to take the plunge and set up in business for myself when I left VE. As soon as I made the decision things began to fall into place. It seemed I'd made the right call as people responded to my news enthusiastically and the first invitations to pitch for work came from prospective clients.
Considerable activity ensued to get the business set up in time for my last day at work. I bought domain names, set up email accounts, built a website, set up this blog, established a Twitter account, found insurance, a bank, bought equipment etc..
I remain indebted to:
- Mike Marshall at eastsleepthink who helped me immeasurably by designing my logo. If ever you need design work doing, Mike's your man.
- David Swann and Nathan Hopkins at Greenstones, my amazing accountants.
- Kate Moss (yes, really!) at Barclays for getting the bank account set up.
- My brother-in-law David Byworth who helped me learn how to build a website.
- My great friend Susan Ellis of Energize who has been a constant source of support and challenge.
March was an emotional month, closing down projects that had occupied me for the previous 3-5 years, saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, and having to make others redundant whilst getting set to leave myself.
On the upside I had the chance to kiss goodbye to five years of commuting over 100 miles from Lincolnshire to London and back for four days a week and to the season ticket that cost £6,000+ each year!
And so my journey as Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd started.
I can honestly say I have never looked back.
I've had great fun this year, both in establishing a new business and in meeting & working with some amazing people. Some of the highlights and thanks owed are, in no particular order:
- Working with the amazing Sue Jones of Volunteer Centre (VC) Warrington. I've known Sue for many years and have had too few opportunities to work together before 2011. We put that right this year and will hopefully collaborate even more next year.
- Developing and delivering the Turn Your Organisation Into a Volunteer Magnet tour with Martin J Cowling of People First Total Solutions. We'll hopefully be bringing the tour back next year and are discussing some exciting developments for early 2013. Thank you Martin for your friendship and support.
- Working with two other old friends, Lynn Blackadder and Moyra Weston. We have exciting plans for 2012 - watch this space.
- Being asked to re-work Essential Volunteer Management into a new Complete Handbook on Volunteer Management for the Directory of Social Change (DSC). Particular thanks to Rick Lynch and Steve McCurley, the book's authors, for the opportunity and to John Martin at DSC for his support and patience.
- Working for and with some amazing clients. In just nine months we've had over 20 clients, more than I ever dreamt we would have had by the end of 2011. Thank you all.
- Getting to be a part of the Volunteer Squared team as their UK representative. Thanks in particular to Tony, Anne and Andrew.
- A big thank you to Gemma Quainton at Third Sector online for asking me to be their blogger on volunteering issues.
- Thank you to everyone who has read this blog. As I write we've had 8,279 views of 29 posts (this is my 30th). That's just over 900 views a month. The most popular post was my analysis of Pathways Through Participation.
- Travelling around Europe during the European Year of Volunteering 2011. I've been to Dublin (thanks to Volunteer Ireland), Budapest (twice), Brussels (three times) and Warsaw (once). I've met and worked with some great people and become even more convinced of the value of volunteering organisations in the UK linking up with our fellow European colleagues across the EU. You can read my thoughts about the European Year of Volunteering in my latest blog for Third Sector.
- Thanks to our newsletter subscribers, the 400+ people who follow the company/me on Twitter and everyone who follows me or I have interacted with on Facebook, LinkedIn, , Flickr and YouTube.
At the risk of this becoming rather like the Oscars, I am sure there are people I haven't thanked. That's because so many people have been hugely supportive of me and the business in just a short period of time.
To all of you, a very sincere and heartfelt thank you.
And so 2011 comes to a close. It has been a rollercoaster ride that I have thoroughly enjoyed.
In my next post I want to share some of my thoughts about volunteering in 2012.
Have a great Christmas and New Year.
Rob
Friday, 2 December 2011
Volunteers, stationery supplies and an apology
First of all, the apology.
It has been five weeks since I last posted to this blog. Whilst I have had my monthly Third Sector blog published during this time and I have written a post for The Cowling Report which will appear on 5th December I haven't gotten round to posting anything new here.
The main reason for this has been a really busy November travelling around the UK training and speaking at conferences. This busy period has been very welcome given Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd is a new business in a tough economic climate but it has kept me from having time to write anything here. So my apologies.
What then has prompted me to write something now. Well, I am currently attending the closing conference of the European Year of Volunteering 2011 in Warsaw, Poland, and in one of the sessions this morning a speaker talked about her organisation using volunteers. I immediately turned to a colleague and we both grimaced.
Why?
I feel very strongly that we should never talk about using volunteers but involving them.
Yes, volunteers are a resource that contributes to the fulfilment of organisations' missions just like paper clips, photocopiers, staples, staplers. But volunteers are people, they take an active role in fulfilling our missions. They are engaged and involved, not used.
In my experience, all talk of using people is in a negative context.
We use paper clips, not people.
Now some of you may be thinking this is mere semantics and that there are bigger issues to be concerned about. In fact, this is what another colleague said to me this morning.
I think the language we use (!) around volunteers and volunteering speaks volumes about the way they are viewed, regarded and respected in our organisations.
If we talk of using volunteers, putting them on a par with the office photocopier, then we should not be surprised if volunteers are seen as providing a far from meaningful contribution to our work. If, however, we talk about involving them then there is implied within that a much more constructive, positive and meaningful attitude to the contribution volunteers provide.
So I hope you will join me in challenging anyone who talks of using volunteers and help them to understand why such language is unhelpful. Please share stories of doing so in the comments below and give others confidence to do so as well.
And of course if you disagree, please leave a comment telling me why.
It has been five weeks since I last posted to this blog. Whilst I have had my monthly Third Sector blog published during this time and I have written a post for The Cowling Report which will appear on 5th December I haven't gotten round to posting anything new here.
The main reason for this has been a really busy November travelling around the UK training and speaking at conferences. This busy period has been very welcome given Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd is a new business in a tough economic climate but it has kept me from having time to write anything here. So my apologies.
What then has prompted me to write something now. Well, I am currently attending the closing conference of the European Year of Volunteering 2011 in Warsaw, Poland, and in one of the sessions this morning a speaker talked about her organisation using volunteers. I immediately turned to a colleague and we both grimaced.
Why?
I feel very strongly that we should never talk about using volunteers but involving them.
Yes, volunteers are a resource that contributes to the fulfilment of organisations' missions just like paper clips, photocopiers, staples, staplers. But volunteers are people, they take an active role in fulfilling our missions. They are engaged and involved, not used.
In my experience, all talk of using people is in a negative context.
We use paper clips, not people.
Now some of you may be thinking this is mere semantics and that there are bigger issues to be concerned about. In fact, this is what another colleague said to me this morning.
I think the language we use (!) around volunteers and volunteering speaks volumes about the way they are viewed, regarded and respected in our organisations.
If we talk of using volunteers, putting them on a par with the office photocopier, then we should not be surprised if volunteers are seen as providing a far from meaningful contribution to our work. If, however, we talk about involving them then there is implied within that a much more constructive, positive and meaningful attitude to the contribution volunteers provide.
So I hope you will join me in challenging anyone who talks of using volunteers and help them to understand why such language is unhelpful. Please share stories of doing so in the comments below and give others confidence to do so as well.
And of course if you disagree, please leave a comment telling me why.
Monday, 25 July 2011
Why I write and why I want to encourage you to write too
One of my aims when I started Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd was to write more. For many years I'd been working in organisations where my workload meant that I didn't have the time to do any writing about volunteerism or volunteer management or any of the other topics I felt moved to comment on publicly. It sometimes became difficult as my views didn't always agree with organisational policy and, if expressed, could have caused problems for colleagues working to support and influence others.
Since starting the business in April 2011 I have written numerous blog posts as well as a guest Hot Topic for OzVPM, an article for ArtsProfessional Magazine online, a piece for e-Volunteerism.com and a regular blog on volunteering for Third sector magazine. I've also started work editing a new edition of the Complete Volunteer Management Handbook (formerly Essential Volunteer Management) for the Directory of Social Change and the first UK edition of Susan Ellis' popular book, From The Top Down.
But why do I write and, more importantly, why should you? Why should leaders of volunteer programmes put finger to keyboard and share their views, opinions, insights and thoughts on volunteerism?
Four reasons why I write
- To contribute to and build up the field. For most of my writing I don't get paid; I do it as a volunteer. Why? Because I am passionate about volunteering and the invaluable work of those who lead and manage volunteers and volunteer programmes. When I started in the field I benefited hugely from the writings of others, leaders like Susan Ellis, Steve McCurley, Rick Lynch, Jayne Cravens, Ivan Scheier and Linda Graff (to name just some). Now I can share the insights and experience I have developed since 1994 and contribute to the field myself. “Pay it forward” in action.
- From personal experience, I know how busy the day-to-day life of a volunteer manager can be. It can be an isolating role with demands mounting up daily from volunteers, colleagues, managers, prospective volunteers and organisational leaders. Consequently it can be hard to carve out thinking time during the day - time to muse on some of the big issues facing volunteerism. And if we do manage to carve out the time, what are the big issues?
Through this blog I hope to provide some food for thought for colleagues in the volunteering field. I hope I am writing on issues relevant to people in their busy professional lives. I hope that what I say might ultimately lead to some action that helps volunteers to have a more rewarding experience as they make important contributions to organisations' missions and society's needs.
- One of the things I think we lack in the
Of course I hope what I say helps but, no matter what, at least someone is saying it (and I also provide a forum to allow you to say it with me!).
- Whilst my main motivation for writing is to give back to and build up our field, I also do it because it can be great marketing for my business. I say this honestly and unapologetically. Having taken the risk to go out on my own makes it important to be known so that I can earn a living and keep on speaking out. As of today, there have been over 3,500 views of my blog from people in more than ten different countries. I hope the people who read what I write like it, feel challenged or inspired by it and so might hire me to work with them as a consultant, a trainer or a speaker at their events. Ultimately, someone will hire me because of my publicly shared opinions, which becomes an upward spiral: I will continue to experience the real-world issues of our field through my clients, write more, and stay on potential clients’ minds.
Four reasons why you should write
- Writing things down forces you to think about what you want to say. Whether it is sharing an insight you have, a response to a news story, or something you feel passionate about, the process of getting what's in your brain down into written form forces you to have an opinion. Not enough people working in volunteer leadership and management roles have opinions about the strategic and operational the field faces. And If they do have an opinion, they often don't share it for others to read and think about.
Just to clarify – I am not urging you to go write a book – although perhaps you might. But what about replying a blog post (like this one!) or to an article in an online magazine (as you are increasingly invited to do)? - Which leads me to my second reason more people in the volunteerism field (you!) should write. Once you have an opinion and you share, it you open the possibility for others to engage in debate over your views. Such debate forces us all to think, to sharpen our understanding, challenge our perspectives and advance the theory of volunteer leadership and management (and ultimately the practice, for there is nothing as practical as a good theory). My own views on working with volunteers have developed significantly (and continue to do so) from reading and discussing the thoughts and insights of others. I haven't always agreed with them but I have always learnt something.
What could you help others learn today? - Which brings me to my third reason why you should write. I want to know what you think. So do others. It isn't just the 'leaders' in volunteerism from whom we can learn. All of us have something to share. That's why I started UKVPMs over ten years ago: as a forum for people in the trenches of volunteer management to ask questions, share tips and ideas and advance our collective knowledge. That's why I got involved in co-editing the free Turn Your Organisation Into A Volunteer Magnet eBook, in which forty people from across the field of volunteer management around the globe (contributions come from Australia, Britain, Canada, Italy, New Zealand and the USA) share what they have learned about making your organisation attractive to volunteers. You have fabulous treasures of knowledge others could benefit from, so please share.
- My final reason for encouraging you to write is that it has never been easier to share your ideas and insights. Blogging, social media and the overall growth and development of the web have revolutionised the provision of and access to information on volunteerism. You can even tweet your thoughts in under 140 characters, so there is no longer as excuse for not having the time to comment.
Susan Ellis has written that the web means no volunteer manager should ever feel isolated again. This is true, but the more people write and contribute to the ever growing library of knowledge online, the richer we all become.
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Six Key Trends (and what they might mean for volunteerism)
I recently came across a good resource for small businesses called Start Up Donut. Their blogs and articles are helpful and I can reccomend following them on Twitter for their best links and bits of bit sized wisdom.
Last month, one of their articles caught my eye, "Six key trends to bear in mind when planning your business". I thought the issues highlighted were potentially transferable to leaders and managers of volunteers so this blog aims to draw out what those parallels might be.
The tyranny of speed
We live life at a faster pace than before. We used to be content with 28 days delivery and now get stressed if delivery isn't available next day. The expectations of volunteers and those seeking to volunteer are equally high. We need to respond quickly, making people wait wil communicate that we don't care and they'll end up going elsewhere. Even if all we do is acknowledge (and thank!) volunteers for getting in touch and advise them of when were likely to give a fuller response.
Like it or not, speed is of the essence.
The impossibility of controlling the market
We're starting to see websites that allow volunteers to rate their volunteering experiences (e.g. Timebank and Charity Republic). We're likely to see more of this in reponse to encouargement of such initiatives in the recent Giving White Paper.
The broader policy agenda of Big Society and associated deregulation efforts are encouraging more people to take action to meet social needs. Alongside this we have the growth of social entreprenurship and shifts to more volunteers wanting a say over their volunteering and having considerable skills to bring to the party.
We have less and less control over how people engage in volunteering and what they tell others about it. We need to be more agile, more flexible, more adaptable. We need to offer better experiences for volunteers and focus as much on their needs as what we want from them.
Be authentic in whatever you're planning
Following on from the previous trend, if we market volunteering as one thing and then deliver something very different people will glady share their bad experience with others. Using social media such messages can quickly travel far and wide leaving our reputation damaged.
We need to be able to walk our talk and deliver on what we offer volunteers. This authenticity and integrity is critical if we want to run a succesful volunteer programme.
Add more choice
When I was a child we had three TV channels. Now we have nearly 600 available in the UK
We need to reflect this comfort with and desire for choice in the volunteering opportunities we offer. People don't want to see that they can do a couple of things with you, especially if they want a variety of experiences. So evaluate what your organisation's needs and desires are and explore the potential for a wide variety of ways for people to give you their time and skills.
Can you outsource any skills or processes?
As I mentioned earlier we have a richness of skills possesed by volunteers and potential volunteers like never before. From baby boomers with long high powered careers to some amazingly bright young people.
Many organisations have less money than in the past, especially with the cuts hitting public and voluntary sectors hard at the moment. Yet demand for services is increasing.
Faced with such challenges we have the opportunity to re-evaluate what volunteers can bring to the table. We mustn't limit our vision to that which we can afford to pay people to do. We have to look at the needs we must meet and decide how best we can meet them, incuding the powerful potential of volunteers.
The definition of scarcity has changed
The things we have a more freely available than ever before. The demands on our lives are greater than ever. Today, time is scarce. We all have the same amount each day but it is under pressure like never before. Even in this challenging financial season, our time is our most valuable resource.
So when people freely pledge their time to us we must not waste it. We need to make sure our volunteers have a rich experience and make a real difference to our causes.
So, those are my thoughts. Please share yours by making a comment below.
If you'd like to discuss what these trends might mean for your organistion then please get in touch to see how Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd might be able to help you.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Quality volunteering and the European Year of Volunteering 2011
At the end of 2010, whilst working for Volunteering England (VE), I applied to be a part of a working group looking at the issue of quality volunteering for the European Year of Volunteering 2011 (EYV2011). The EYV2011 Alliance organising the six working groups then invited me to co-chair the group with a representative of the French Red Cross. An invitation I eagerly accepted and a role I am continuing on behalf of VE now I have left their employment.
Perhaps because people know of my role as co-chair of the quality volunteering working group, as we come up on the halfway point of EYV2011 people are increasingly asking me what is happening.
On the home front things have been very quiet. There isn't much information available from VE (although they do have some helpful pages on their website) or its sister bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. My take on this in England is that the paucity of news and activity is a consequence of the Office for Civil Society (OCS are the 'coordinating body' in the UK) being incredibly slow to get themselves organised and get out funding for activity during 2011. You can argue that OCS have had other priorities in their first few months under a new government and so it was inevitable that EYV2011 took a bit of a backseat. Personally, I think EYV2011 could be a huge opportunity for volunteering, as we saw in the UK year of volunteering in 2005 and the UN year of volunteering in 2001. I think OCS have missed a bit of a trick up until now and I hope their efforts to promote the year improve in the next few months, especially now funding has been distributed and delivery partners are starting their activity.
But I am not writing this post to bleat about missed opportunities. Instead, in the absence of any other information on activity in EYV2011, I wanted to share some of the work I have been doing with the amazing team of people from across the EU who form the Alliance's working group on quality volunteering.
When we met for the first time in Budapest in January this year, it was very apparent that we were coming at the issue of quality volunteering from a very diverse range of perspectives (see this article by Susan Ellis and Steve McCurley for a quick insight into the challenges of defining quality volunteering). In fact, we quickly discovered that we didn't always share a common understanding of volunteering, such are the national, cultural and historical contexts in which the act of giving time which we call volunteering has been shaped across member states.
So we took the step of communicating with an array of networks from which working group members were drawn in order to source a wider range of views upon which to base our work. The input received was brought to and considered at the second meeting of the working group in March. At that meeting we agreed that there were four key drivers of quality volunteering that we needed to focus on:
These were helpfully set out as the wheel of quality:
Following the March meeting the working group members split into four sub-groups, each tasked with reporting back on the four aspects of quality volunteering in time for the next meeting of the full working group which takes place on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May 2011. The sub-groups were asked to:
The working group meeting at the end of this week will be a key stage in the process. The required outcome of the meeting is a three page report to the EYV2011 Alliance that will form the initial basis of an EU policy agenda on volunteering. In this short report we will have to present a concise, coherent and powerful position on our understanding of quality volunteering, the current position across Europe, our desired vision for the future and our proposals for how to make it happen.
Following the May meeting the Alliance and its Steering Group will collate and refine the output of all six working groups and, over the summer, prepare a draft of the intended policy agenda. This will be considered by all working groups at the end of September ahead of the final conference of the year in Poland where the proposals will be presented as the finished policy agenda to the European Commission.
So that's the process, what about the content?
Well, I don't want to share too much with you at this stage as I don't wish to prejudice the outcome of what I hope will be a focused and fruitful discussion in Brussels at the end of this week. However, I am happy to share with you my own thoughts in preparation for the meeting which I hope will prompt comments and discussion via this blog.
I have drafted my own definition of quality volunteering and my personal assessment of the current situation and vision for the future. These are:
Definition
Quality volunteering is further enhanced when it is effectively supported & resourced by the volunteer involving organisation and enabling frameworks & policies exist through the likes of funders, governments (at all levels) and wider civil society.
Current situation
As I say, I do not share these thoughts in order to influence the outcome of the collaborative work of the working group. Rather I offer them here to help give an insight into this important aspect of the European Year of Volunteering, to inform about what is going on during the year and to encourage you to share your own thoughts and ideas below.
Over to you.
Perhaps because people know of my role as co-chair of the quality volunteering working group, as we come up on the halfway point of EYV2011 people are increasingly asking me what is happening.
On the home front things have been very quiet. There isn't much information available from VE (although they do have some helpful pages on their website) or its sister bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. My take on this in England is that the paucity of news and activity is a consequence of the Office for Civil Society (OCS are the 'coordinating body' in the UK) being incredibly slow to get themselves organised and get out funding for activity during 2011. You can argue that OCS have had other priorities in their first few months under a new government and so it was inevitable that EYV2011 took a bit of a backseat. Personally, I think EYV2011 could be a huge opportunity for volunteering, as we saw in the UK year of volunteering in 2005 and the UN year of volunteering in 2001. I think OCS have missed a bit of a trick up until now and I hope their efforts to promote the year improve in the next few months, especially now funding has been distributed and delivery partners are starting their activity.
But I am not writing this post to bleat about missed opportunities. Instead, in the absence of any other information on activity in EYV2011, I wanted to share some of the work I have been doing with the amazing team of people from across the EU who form the Alliance's working group on quality volunteering.
When we met for the first time in Budapest in January this year, it was very apparent that we were coming at the issue of quality volunteering from a very diverse range of perspectives (see this article by Susan Ellis and Steve McCurley for a quick insight into the challenges of defining quality volunteering). In fact, we quickly discovered that we didn't always share a common understanding of volunteering, such are the national, cultural and historical contexts in which the act of giving time which we call volunteering has been shaped across member states.
So we took the step of communicating with an array of networks from which working group members were drawn in order to source a wider range of views upon which to base our work. The input received was brought to and considered at the second meeting of the working group in March. At that meeting we agreed that there were four key drivers of quality volunteering that we needed to focus on:
- The quality of the work volunteers do
- The quality of the opportunities volunteers undertake
- The quality of the management of volunteers
- The enablers of quality volunteering e.g. funding, policy etc.
These were helpfully set out as the wheel of quality:
Following the March meeting the working group members split into four sub-groups, each tasked with reporting back on the four aspects of quality volunteering in time for the next meeting of the full working group which takes place on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May 2011. The sub-groups were asked to:
- Define the aspect of quality volunteering they were addressing
- Outline the current status i.e. what already happens in that aspect of quality volunteering
- Make recommendations to the EU, Member States (i.g. national, regional and local governments), Social Partners (such as business and trade unions) and Civil Society.
Following the May meeting the Alliance and its Steering Group will collate and refine the output of all six working groups and, over the summer, prepare a draft of the intended policy agenda. This will be considered by all working groups at the end of September ahead of the final conference of the year in Poland where the proposals will be presented as the finished policy agenda to the European Commission.
So that's the process, what about the content?
Well, I don't want to share too much with you at this stage as I don't wish to prejudice the outcome of what I hope will be a focused and fruitful discussion in Brussels at the end of this week. However, I am happy to share with you my own thoughts in preparation for the meeting which I hope will prompt comments and discussion via this blog.
I have drafted my own definition of quality volunteering and my personal assessment of the current situation and vision for the future. These are:
Definition
Quality volunteering results when organisations provide opportunities that accommodate the needs & motivations of the volunteer whilst allowing them to make meaningful impacts on the organisation itself and its beneficiaries.
Current situation
One of the sub-groups summed it up best when they said that it is “difficult to establish a Europe-wide list of current practice in the voluntary sector”.
Understanding, practice, policy, awareness and resources around the issue of quality volunteering is currently so diverse across member states that it is incredibly hard to engage in common dialogue. This makes it equally hard to agree common actions that will drive up the quality of volunteering across the EU.
Vision for the future
There is a common understanding of the key principles and components of quality volunteering with all key actors (EU, member states, civil society and social partners) working to apply these in a contextually relevant way. With funding, policy and practice aligned to these key principles and components quality volunteering will become the norm across the EU.
I would also add that I see the following recommendations as being important (some are mine, some come from others in the group) and will be discussing these and others with the working group later in the week:
- EU funding needs not to be based on the number of volunteers but on the quality of the opportunities available to them i.e. fund quality volunteer opportunities and people will be more likely to volunteer which will result in more volunteers. (NB – this could apply to all funders).
- Trade unions should work with civil society to agree principles that allow volunteering to flourish and contribute effectively to society but which do not undermine the rights of paid workers.
- All civil society organisations throughout
- Civil society organisations must invest resources in the effective leadership and management of volunteers and volunteer programmes so as to deliver quality volunteering experiences.
As I say, I do not share these thoughts in order to influence the outcome of the collaborative work of the working group. Rather I offer them here to help give an insight into this important aspect of the European Year of Volunteering, to inform about what is going on during the year and to encourage you to share your own thoughts and ideas below.
Over to you.
- How would you define quality volunteering?
- What would your vision for quality volunteering in the EU be?
- What recommendations would you make, to the EU, to member states, to social partners and to civil society?
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Blogging, Tweeting and LinkingIn
Anyone who has visited our website will hopefully know that we’re trying to embrace the social media revolution at Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd. To date we have this blog, a Twitter account, a LinkedIn page and YouTube channel. However, I am acutely aware that despite all the benefits and pleasures they bring, all these new social media toys can be an enormous time sucker, distracting people away from doing real work and making a real difference.
So, why are we using them?
I want to focus on three aspects of our social media presence – the blog, LinkedIn and Twitter. I’m going to save YouTube for another day, simply because it is the area we have put least effort into so far (as you’ll see from the less than perfect introductory video I have uploaded to the channel!).
Blog
One of my goals having started the business is to write more. Writing is something I have been encouraged and inspired to do for many years by peers in the volunteering movement. Volunteerism leader Susan Ellis in particular has been encouraging me to write for many years. Why? As she wrote thirteen years ago:
“My reputation for nagging people to WRITE about what they do is probably unparalleled. But too many of us are so busy ‘doing’ that we won't make time for reflection, new learning, and sharing with others. True professionals keep themselves informed. And career ladders are built by gaining recognition through published articles.”
Its not that I haven’t written, I have – particularly for www.e-volunteerism.com where I am part of the editorial board – but I haven’t given it the time or focus I would like. With Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd that’s changing, not least because I am working on two writing projects to bring excellent existing volunteer management books into UK
This blog is a key part of my writing plans. My goal is to produce at least two posts a month. I’m also planning to guest blog for Martin Cowling’s The Cowling Report, Andy Fryar’s OzVPM site, DJ Cronin (whose blog is currently up for an award) and Susan Ellis’ Energize Hot Topics.
So far the blog posts I’ve written have focused on getting the business up an running. But I am going to start moving on to talk about issues affecting volunteering and the voluntary and community sector, mostly here in the UK
This is something I’m incredibly passionate about. In the past my voice has sometimes been constrained by working for organisations where for me to speak my mind might not have been the most helpful course of action. Although not quite this badly!
Nobody was censoring me but it just wouldn’t have been wise for me to speak out as it would have potentially damaged my employer and, in some cases, the wider volunteerism field.
Not so anymore. I don’t think there are enough people writing and speaking out about volunteering issues in the UK
So look out for posts in the future on topics like microvolunteering, online volunteering brokerage, developing volunteer opportunities, customer service for volunteer programmes, volunteering infrastructure, job substitution, government policy on volunteering and wider topics for the voluntary & community sector like mergers and the Big Society.
I have two Twitter accounts. One is a personal one which I mainly use to keep up with friends and to keep informed on the latest news about the various different kinds of motorsport that I love and follow. The work account I use for the following key reasons:
- To keep people who are interested in what I do informed of what I am doing (for example I will promote this blog post via Twitter)
- To share information I come across that I think has particular relevance to people working in the fields I engage with
- As a key source of information and news for me on what’s going on in the environment the business operates in
- To make new contacts and expand my networks
For those of you sceptical about the value of Twitter, here’s one example of how it has helped me.
Two weeks ago I asked a question to my network on LinkedIn as I was trying to source recommendations for providers of professional indemnity insurance for consultants. As my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts are connected a firm called PolicyBee saw my question and got in touch. To cut a long story short I went with them for my insurance, securing better cover for a lower price.
You will have noticed that I haven’t mentioned Facebook in this post. That’s because I’m steering clear of Facebook for the business, for now at least. Partly because I want to keep Facebook for me personally but largely because I think I’m better off getting involved in a social network aimed more at a professional audience, namely LinkedIn.
For me, the advantages of LinkedIn are that I can maintain a profile for the business in the same site as I have a version of my well established email network group for volunteer managers, UKVPMs, and my own personal profile which serves as an online CV. Add to that the link between Twitter and LinkedIn that I mentioned earlier makes me believe this is a more powerful business social networking tool than any of the others.
Let me share a practical example. I’ve recently been working on key result areas, objectives and milestones for the business. Part of that work involved exploring ways I could effectively and easily measure how happy clients are with what I do. So, one quick question posted on LinkedIn and just a few minutes later I have two examples of online surveys that people in my network use with their clients.
Conclusion
As I said at the start of this post, I am all too aware that social media can become a time-sucker getting in the way of productivity. That’s why it is important to have a clear sense of why you want to use social media and what you want to achieve from it. This is something to be particularly careful of in the volunteering arena as we are increasingly encouraged to embrace without question the potential of social media to revolutionise volunteering, in the face of little evidence that trendy concepts like microvolunteering make any meaningful difference to society (a topic to which I will return in future but for now read the ever excellent Jayne Cravens’ recent thoughts on the concept).
So, as I build the marketing strategy for Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd over coming weeks, I will be developing and refining key objectives for our use of these new media and monitoring whether it really helps with our work or gets in the way.
I’ll let you know how I get on.
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