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	<title>Volunteer Los Angeles</title>
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		<title>What&#8217;s a Service Enterprise and why should I care?</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/whats-a-service-enterprise-and-why-should-i-care</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/whats-a-service-enterprise-and-why-should-i-care#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:06:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nancy Olson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=868</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Great question!  And we’ve got a great answer. According to Reimagining Service, a national movement to build the impact of volunteering and service: “A Service Enterprise is an organization that fundamentally leverages volunteers and their skills to successfully deliver on the social mission of the organization.” Sounds simple enough – but research shows only 15% of our nation’s nonprofits are, in fact, Service Enterprises.  So what sets these organizations apart from the other 85%? This same research, conducted by Deloitte based on data provided by the TCC Group, Service Enterprises share a common set of practices and have organizational cultures committed to the strategic engagement of volunteers.  They take it seriously – from their organization’s leadership to program staff to administrators to, well, everyone!  And they put in the hard work of developing effective systems, because they know the return on their investment will mean they can do more for the causes they serve through the power of “human capital”. Volunteer LA believes one way to increase the impact of volunteering in our community is to encourage the creation of more Service Enterprises.  That’s why we’re one of just seven organizations across the state participating in the CaliforniaVolunteers Service Enterprise Initiative, providing intensive training and one-on-one consulting to organizations ready to take it to the next level. We held the [...]]]></description>
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		<title>A Bridge Between Military Service Veterans and Disaster Response</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/a-bridge-between-military-service-veterans-and-disaster-preparedness-and-response</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/a-bridge-between-military-service-veterans-and-disaster-preparedness-and-response#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2012 19:20:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gilbert Gonzales</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=834</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Monday, November 12th, Volunteer LA brought two different-but-related worlds together when volunteer members of the Emergency Volunteer Center team, primarily made up of veteran service members, came together for a five-hour exercise on activation of an Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC) and the management of spontaneous volunteers. Our Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC) program supports emergency response officials following a disaster by effectively and efficiently managing spontaneous volunteers. The EVC is designed to register those who want to volunteer to help their community recover, while at the same time identifying specific and appropriate disaster- related needs in the community, especially those of community-based organizations. Volunteer Los Angeles is leveraging its capacity to manage spontaneous volunteers by developing an EVC Team, a group of volunteers that are pre-identified, pre-trained in EVC operations, and will be on-call to support EVC activation if/when necessary. Our recruiting focus has been on military service veterans, especially those in the process of pursuing degrees and careers at local colleges like LA City College, East LA City College, and Pasadena City College. Since we began recruiting for the EVC Team in September, we have presented the EVC opportunity to approximately 50 individuals, trained a total of 18 individuals on EVC front-line operations and back-office management, and on Veterans Day we had 10 EVC Team members participate in setting [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Vets, Families and 150 Ways to Give Back Over the Holidays!</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/vets-families-and-150-ways-to-give-back-over-the-holidays</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/vets-families-and-150-ways-to-give-back-over-the-holidays#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2012 02:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nancy Olson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=830</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What a busy and meaningful and wonderful season!  I am so excited to share with you all we’ve been up to in the past couple of months, what I’m grateful for, and to introduce you to our friends at Big Sunday’s 150 ways to give back this holiday season. Let’s start with some things I’m particularly grateful for… In October, Volunteer LA launched SBV 1.0 – our “initial offerings” around Skills Based Volunteering.  We’ve begun training some of our best and brightest nonprofit partners on the best practices of engaging skilled volunteers, and will continue offering this training (free of charge!) on an ongoing basis.  (Need skilled volunteers?  We’re here to help!)  We’ll also be rolling out our SBV 1.0 volunteer orientation trainings early in the new year.  (Got skills?  We’ll help you put them to good use!) In November we hosted two amazing Days of Service – Veterans Day on November 12 and Family Volunteer Day on November 17. At our Veterans Day of Service we partnered closely with the Mayor’s Office and a wide variety of community partners, engaging more than 400 volunteers in service to and engaging with our community’s Veterans.   Volunteers served at California Veterans Home, Salvation Army’s Haven Program, Shadow Hills Riding Club, and Volunteer LA’s Emergency Volunteer Center disaster exercise.  Here are some media [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>Veterans Day, 2012</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/news/veterans-day-2012</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/news/veterans-day-2012#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:23:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Volunteer LA Admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News & Events]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=848</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Volunteer Center Helps Vets Posted November 12, 2012 &#124; Source: KNBC-Channel 4 KCAL-Channel 9 Posted November 12, 2012 &#124; Source: KCAL-Channel 9 KABC-Channel 7 Posted November 12, 2012 &#124; Source: KABC-Channel 7 KCBS-Channel 2 Posted November 12, 2012 &#124; Source: KCBS-Channel 2 KCBS-Channel 2 Posted November 12, 2012 &#124; Source: KCBS-Channel 2 KNX-1070 AM Posted November 12, 2012 &#124; Source: KNX-1070 AM UCLA Headlines November 15, 2012 Posted November 15, 2012 &#124; Source: UCLA Office of Media Relations]]></description>
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		<title>Volunteer for Veterans Day of Service</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/volunteer-for-veterans-day-of-service</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/volunteer-for-veterans-day-of-service#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:34:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jaren Sorkow</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=827</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Los Angeles is home to more than 350,000 Veterans, one of the largest Veterans populations in the country. Far too many of  our local Veterans are disabled, homeless, jobless, and/or addicted, and with dwindling resources, Veteran-serving organizations are finding it difficult to meet all their needs. Volunteer Los Angeles has had a long-standing commitment to serving Veterans and supporting Veteran-serving organizations.  This year, we are continuing with this tradition, and are excited to announce our partnership with the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to organize several volunteer events for Veterans Day 2012. We invite you to join us on Monday, November 12, 2012, when we will engage over 400 volunteers in a variety of projects, all of which will make an immediate impact for Veterans in our community.  Two project sites, the Shadow Hills Riding Club and the Veterans Home of California—West Los Angeles, have been selected for this important date At the Shadow Hills Riding Center, Veterans benefit from equine therapy as a vehicle for rehabilitation and stress reduction. Volunteers will work on creating accessible pathways for disabled Veterans, will help paint recreation and sleeping facilities, and will assist in a variety of gardening projects. The Veterans Home Of California —West Los Angeles is home to an 84-bed Residential Care Facility for older Veterans, and a 252-bed [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Volunteer LA Launches SBV 1.0</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/volunteer-la-launches-sbv-1-0</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/volunteer-la-launches-sbv-1-0#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2012 04:40:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jaren Sorkow</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=821</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Volunteer Los Angeles is excited to announce the launch of SBV 1.0, our initial offering of skills based programming to match talented volunteers with organizations ready to make great use of the skills they have to offer. A major component of SBV 1.0 is helping our partner agencies identify their agency’s needs for skilled volunteers. Beginning in October 2012, Volunteer Los Angeles will be hosting monthly SBV 1.0 trainings for nonprofits, which will focus on best organizational practices to engage skilled volunteers. Volunteer LA staff will also guide each organization through an agency skills assessment, which will help ensure that all skilled opportunities are realistic and meaningful. As a safeguard in finding the  “right” volunteer, prior to placement, all SBV 1.0 volunteers must register and complete their volunteer profile on Volunteer Los Angeles’ website. They’ll also be required to attend an SBV 1.0 training, where Volunteer Los Angeles staff will guide prospective volunteers through the process of creating a volunteer profile that accurately captures their skills. This process will help guranteee that the proper skilled volunteer is getting placed with the appropriate skilled opportunity. Staff will also review volunteer expectations and goals,  which will help in making the skills based experience a success for both the organization and the volunteer. After completing their volunteer profile and attending the initial training, volunteers will be [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/volunteer-la-launches-sbv-1-0/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>National Prepardness Month</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/national-prepardness-month</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/national-prepardness-month#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:02:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jaren Sorkow</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=818</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Since 2004, September has been observed as National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month encourages citizens to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities.  Through two key programs, Volunteer Los Angeles works with local government and nonprofits to help prepare and support the community in the times of disaster and/or emergencies. Our Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC) program is designed to support emergency response officials following a disaster by managing ‘spontaneous volunteers’, the everyday citizens who are galvanized to service when their community is in need. The EVC is designed to register those who want to volunteer to help their community recover, while at the same time identifying specific and appropriate disaster-related needs in the community, especially those of community-based organizations.  The two are matched based on skill, experience and geography, leveraging the resource of volunteers to have the maximum impact on the community’s recovery. To carry out this role, Volunteer LA itself needs to prepare, and this month is a great example of how we are doing that. We are swiftly finalizing our physical and virtual EVC plans and infrastructure so that we know exactly what to do and how to do it when disaster strikes. We are in the final stretch of a partnership agreement with American Red Cross – Los Angeles Region [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/national-prepardness-month/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>Finding Hope In Los Angeles</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/finding-hope-in-los-angeles</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/finding-hope-in-los-angeles#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 May 2012 20:38:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nancy Olson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=762</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Brad Jamison, Thirty Days of Service People keep asking me why I wanted to do Thirty Days of Service and my first response is “why not?”  I have time on my hands right now, so why not use it to do something good and help my community.  When I look at my life, I realize how fortunate I am and I truly believe that to whom much is given, much is expected.  So, that’s part of why I did it. I also did it to learn about myself and all of the organizations I served.  But, I didn’t anticipated how much I would learn about Los Angeles.  When you get out there into the community and do things you wouldn’t normally do, meet people you wouldn’t normally meet, you start to see your city in a different light.  Some of what I saw made my heart ache, some made me laugh and some left indelible memories. What I witnessed over thirty days could have left me hopeless.  But, I actually came away with a great sense of hope.  There are great organizations in this city working tirelessly to make life better for those in need.  And, they are all supported by volunteers who give of their time to build a stronger community.  So, I walked away with a renewed sense [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/finding-hope-in-los-angeles/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>Thank You to Volunteer Los Angeles&#8217; Senior Corps Volunteers</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/thank-you-to-volunteer-los-angeles-senior-corps-volunteers</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/thank-you-to-volunteer-los-angeles-senior-corps-volunteers#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2012 18:25:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jaren Sorkow</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=752</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Volunteer Los Angeles’ 1100+ Senior Corps Volunteers Address Critical Community Needs and Represent a Powerful Community Resource.   &#160; May 7-11 is Senior Corps Week, a week dedicated to honoring the more than 330,000 volunteers nationwide age 55+ who are serving through Senior Corps’ three programs—Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and RSVP. Volunteer Los Angeles is fortunate to manage all three Senior Corps programs, and all three have a long and storied history of placing volunteers in impactful roles.  Our Foster Grandparents volunteer in schools that are located in some of the most underserved regions of Los Angeles, working directly with preschool, elementary and middle school students, focusing on improving students&#8217; literacy and language skills. Our Senior Companions enable frail and elderly adults to live independently in their own homes by transporting them to medical appointments, shopping for groceries, assisting with bills and paperwork, and offering respite care.  Finally, our RSVP volunteers work includes tutoring and mentoring children, working to improve the environment, providing business and technical expertise to nonprofits, and offering safety patrol for local law enforcement, allowing officers to focus on the most pressing community needs.    Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service states, “At a time of increased need and declining resources, volunteers age 55 and over are stepping in to fill the gaps,” [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Free Volunteer Management Training</title>
		<link>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/free-volunteer-management-training</link>
		<comments>http://volunteerlosangeles.org/blogposts/free-volunteer-management-training#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:32:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Pedro Barrientos</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://volunteerlosangeles.org/?p=739</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Celebrating Nonprofits and Public Agencies for National Volunteer Week 2012 As nonprofits and public agencies in Los Angeles cope with the ongoing effects of economic hardship, they need to generate creative solutions to be able to continue delivering services to their community, including establishing new partnerships and more strategic ways to engage volunteers. National Volunteer Week—April 15-21, 2012—is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. Thousands of people give their time, talent and energy to help strengthen communities across Los Angeles.  Volunteers range from children to older adults, to businesses and community organizations, and all share in common the act of choosing to make a difference.  Nonprofits and public agencies drive change by engaging these volunteers to achieve community impact. In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Volunteer Los Angeles presents a series of 2-hour, cost-free Volunteer Management trainings for nonprofits and public agencies to learn how to strategically engage volunteers for maximum impact. Training Sessions 1. Skill Based Volunteering: Learn how to engage skilled volunteers including identifying skill-gaps at your organization, creating high-impact volunteer opportunities and preparing to work with skilled volunteers (4/16 @ 1 pm, Hollywood) 2. Engaging the Entertainment Industry: [...]]]></description>
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