Volunteer Resources

Shifting from Program to Strategy: Embracing Volunteer Engagement to Fulfill Mission

Featured Speaker

VELS-Headshot-TemplateB-BestS
Learn More

Beth Steinhorn
President
VQ Strategies

Session Description

Organizations that truly embrace volunteer engagement strategy do so from the top, down – executives who understand how volunteers increase impact, as well as the position of influence volunteer engagement leaders have in the organizational chart. Designating a seat at the leadership table for these force-drivers occurs when organizations understand the practical applications of volunteer engagement, incorporate it into their strategic planning, and take other intentional paths of advocacy. Dive into real-life case studies of increasing impact through volunteer engagement and positioning volunteer engagement leaders to be change-makers for your organization.

Purpose-Driven Volunteer Impact

Session Description

Volunteers contribute to mission, labor, fundraising, awareness, and reputation. Often, reports about volunteerism omit these contributions and only highlight volunteer numbers, hours, and financial values. To bridge this gap, we’ll integrate research with practice to guide you in identifying meaningful ways to capture volunteer value. This session will provide a holistic approach to demonstrating volunteer impact by connecting it to an organization’s mission and audience. Gain practical tools and apply learnings to your organization!

Featured Speaker

VELS-Headshot-TemplateB-SueCarterKahl
Learn More

Sue Carter Kahl
President
Sue Carter Kahl Consulting

Executive Roundtable: The Pivotal Role of Volunteer Engagement in Thriving Organizations

Featured Speaker

Elizabeth Simonton
Co-Founder & CEO
ICU Baby

Featured Speaker

Elyse Cornelison
Director
Junior Achievement Big Bend

Session Description

Join Volunteer Florida for a candid, informative conversation with executives who comprehend the integration of community members and leaders into their strategic planning for mission success. Get the scoop directly from leaders who will share the ways in which they harness volunteer value, their innovations and challenges, and approaches to advocate and amplify volunteer impact in their organizations.

You’ve Got This! Unique Competencies and Professional Ethics for Leaders of Volunteers

Session Description

A skilled, trained and professional leader of volunteers can create maximum impact when partnering with communities that are rich in diversity and complexity. This interactive, virtual session will introduce you to two resources that establish credibility for the profession of volunteer engagement and boost confidence amongst leaders of volunteers. Participants will learn about the CCVA Body of Knowledge and Competencies which clarifies and defines the full range of tasks involved in the professional management and leadership of volunteer engagement. The session will also review Professional Ethics in Volunteer Administration which is a useful tool when working through ethical dilemmas with diverse populations.

Featured Speaker

Faiza Venzant
Executive Director
Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration

SERVING DURING DISASTERS

When disaster strikes, Floridians immediately search for ways to serve affected communities. You can support disaster relief efforts by connecting to available volunteer opportunities through Volunteer Connect. 

STEP 1: BROWSE VOLUNTEER CONNECT FOR OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
Complete the Location and Distance fields for possible opportunities in your area.

STEP 2: PLEASE DO NOT SELF-DEPLOY
For your safety and to support trained emergency response teams, please confirm with a disaster relief organization the need for volunteers and approval for your participation.

STEP 3: REMEMBER TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK*.
Be sure to have a clear understanding of volunteer assignments, safety measures and points of contact.

WHAT YOU ALSO NEED TO KNOW:

  • Immediate assistance for affected areas is provided by first responders, government groups, disaster relief organizations and affiliated volunteers who have already trained to serve.
  • Each organization that mobilizes volunteers during disasters has its own process for accepting and managing unaffiliated volunteers.
  • As our partner organizations assess needs and evaluate resources, they will begin to organize volunteer opportunities for unaffiliated (individuals who are not already connected to an organization) volunteers.
  • Remember that recovery work continues for weeks, months and even years after disaster events occur. Organizations may have a significant need for volunteers in the weeks and months ahead.

*Volunteer Florida does not vet volunteer opportunities, but serves as a connector between organizations with volunteer needs and individuals who wish to serve. Please see Volunteer Connect Terms and Conditions here.

Beth Steinhorn

Beth partners with organizations and their leadership to increase their impact through strategic and innovative engagement. The author of multiple books and articles on strategic volunteer engagement, she is a popular speaker and trainer, known for her interactive and inspiring presentations. As a thought leader, Beth regularly participates in the national dialogue about volunteerism and engagement. As a Service Enterprise Trainer, she has also trained and supported dozens of organizations to become certified Service Prior to becoming a consultant, Beth worked as an executive director and marketing director for education and faith-based organizations and spent years working with museums as an educator, manager, and anthropologist. She draws upon her anthropology experience still, helping organizations through the culture-shift process—from viewing volunteer management as a program to embracing engagement as a strategy to fulfill mission.

Sue Carter Kahl

Sue Carter Kahl is the President of Sue Carter Kahl Consulting and has 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Her facilitation, writing, and research are infused with lessons learned as a nonprofit executive, board member, state service commissioner, volunteer, and researcher. She has a PhD in Leadership from the University of San Diego where she studied the value that volunteers contribute to organizations for her dissertation. Sue blogs at Volunteer Commons and is committed to bridging practice and theory in the nonprofit sector.

Elizabeth Simonton

Elizabeth Simonton is the Co-Founder and CEO of ICU baby, the largest volunteer-based organization in Florida to support families with a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  Elizabeth is an attorney and former small business owner, who started the NICU Families Fund with her Husband in 2014 after having a NICU experience of their own. ICU baby was developed in 2015 to broaden and extend the mission of the NICU Families Fund. Elizabeth received her B.S. from Furman University with a double major in psychology and political science and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Richmond Law School in 2005. Elizabeth won the 2021 Director's Award from the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative Committee, was named a 2019 Miami Leader by the Miami Foundation and is a graduate of Radical Partners’ Social Entrepreneurship Bootcamp’s Cohort 6. Elizabeth is also a member of Leadership Miami’s Cohort 42 and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.

Elyse Cornelison

Elyse Cornelison has 17 years of experience working with non-profits. Elyse’s previous non-profit work solidified her dedication to make sure children of all ages are given every educational opportunity. When she joined the Junior Achievement Big Bend team in 2018, it was a continuation of her commitment to help educate the next generation, this time to learn about financial literacy and empower them to own their own economic success. She has also volunteered with various area non-profits, and it has given her a greater appreciation of what community volunteers do. The great part of being with JA Big Bend is working with the dedicated volunteers of the business community.

Faiza Venzant

Faiza Venzant CVA is the Executive Director of the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration. With 20 years of leadership experience in volunteer engagement, she continues this work with a goal of centering community amongst the profession, improving equity and access to volunteerism and increasing diversity amongst professional leaders of volunteers.  In 2018, Faiza published her first children’s book entitled, My Mamma Wants to Eat Me Up!  As a mother of two young boys, she has not actually eaten any of her children up.

sign up for
our newsletter

At Volunteer Florida, we want to make sure you receive emails with news that is important to you and/or your organization. Please click the button below and let us know which types of emails you would like to receive.

I would like to receive the following:

(Please choose all that apply)

Stay up to date with everything that’s going on at Volunteer Florida, including press releases and regular newsletters from our CEO, Corey Simon.


Learn more about AmeriCorps and the Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) through our grant opportunities and funding announcements.

Get the latest news about Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), the Florida Disaster Fund and volunteer and donation management training.


Receive the latest info on Volunteer Connect, our statewide volunteer opportunities platform, upcoming volunteer management trainings, and more.


Receive all updates from Volunteer Florida.

Stop receiving all updates from Volunteer Florida.