Whether as an individual, a group/organization, or as a business/company, it’s great corporate volunteering etiquette to celebrate your accomplishments during the month of April.  This tip provides ideas on how to start:

National Volunteer Week runs from 18-24 April 2021
It’s dedicated to honoring volunteers and encouraging everyone in the U.S. (and why not anywhere in the world?) to volunteer to support not-for-profit community organizations and causes.

Celebrate Volunteer Recognition Day on 20 April 2021
Honor and celebrate all volunteers on this date. In fact, some companies use this day to announce an organization to which they have donated in the past year or plan to donate in the coming year.

5 December is International Volunteer Day
It’s a great day for all companies and organizations around the world to have fun dedicating this one day to corporate volunteering.  Coincidentally, this is also a day called Founder’s Day in Ghana, where Ghanaians are encouraged to develop an attitude of Volunteerism. We should, too!

So, is your company involved? Take these steps to take part:

• Use National Volunteer Week to encourage employees to volunteer just a little time on a monthly or annual basis. Perhaps establish or discuss a program where employees receive paid hours each year to volunteer some time to a specified organization.
• For Volunteer Recognition Day, throw a party to honor your corporate volunteering employees. Give out prizes to recognize their efforts, such as Most Volunteer Hours, Biggest Contribution, Traveled the Farthest to Volunteer, etc.
• On International Volunteer Day, organize one or more fun activities to benefit a non-profit. Try to get all employees to participate. For example, you could organize a holiday card-making day to benefit an organization that distributes cards to kids in hospitals. All each employee has to do is take 15 minutes to draw a card. It’s that simple!

If you work at a non-profit:

• Use National Volunteer Week to send out a “call to action” for volunteers. Build a fun campaign to fill lists of volunteers for projects throughout the year. People like to plan ahead. You might need extra volunteers, for example, in January to assist with updating your database or stuffing 1000 envelopes during your annual spring fundraising campaign and special event.
• For National Recognition Day, throw a party to honor everyone who has ever volunteered. Provide special recognition to those who have contributed. You can have fun prizes with it, too, i.e., the person who wins Most Injuries While Volunteering could get a nice first aid kit.  Yet, we must always remember never to drink alcohol to excess. Here are my 8 Ways to Stay Sober.
• By the time National Volunteer Day rolls around, organize a one-day activity where volunteers join together on a larger project that typically requires more hands on deck to accomplish. They might move furniture to paint all the walls in one day, for example.

Here are 8 tips on making volunteer experiences the most fun and enjoyable for all:

1. When receiving new volunteers, take a moment — whether as a group or individually — to share how important their volunteer efforts are to the organization and its big picture. Doing so connects them further.
2. Provide simple food and beverages (or water, at a minimum) for the volunteers when they work. Everyone enjoys being fed.
3. Especially if you are a manager or executive, check in with the volunteers often to thank them directly for their contributions
4. Feature volunteer stories on a blog and/or website
5. Reward volunteers with small tokens of appreciation
6. Organize annual volunteer awards events, honoring those who volunteer the most hours and contributed the most in different ways
7. At the end of each person’s volunteer experience, send him or her a simple, handwritten thank-you note by regular mail or email. It will acknowledge their volunteer work and establish a meaningful sign of gratitude
8. Keep a database of volunteers to invite to future fundraisers and other events at discounted prices or as a volunteer. Over time you will build a nice group of well-informed dedicated volunteers.

Click here to view the 50 quotes to inspire your corporate volunteering (Also at: https://discovercorps.com/blog/50-inspirational-quotes-volunteering/)

When it comes to celebrating those who volunteer their precious time, shower them with gifts of acknowledgment, appreciation, and recognition. Volunteering is something we do from the heart—without expectation of monetary payment or recognition.

When we volunteer we become a valued member in our society and community and we feel good about ourselves. We all become a part of a greater T.E.A.M., where Together Everyone Achieves More!

Happy Practicing!