Alumnae Volunteering - Comments Please

[HelloKitty22]

I was reading my Trident, the official publication of Delta Delta Delta, and they had a new segment this issue which is for articles about the challenges the sorority is facing. One of this month's topics was: How do we continue to exercise the amount of control we historically have had over chapters with an increasingly small volunteer force? I hadn't really realized that we had a shrinking volunteer force but when I read the article I realized that it made sense. With people having busier lives and longer working hours and with more and more organizations competing for our free time as volunteers, GLOs have a tougher and tougher time recruiting people.

So I was thinking, what could your GLO do to increase the likelihood that you would volunteer? Any big ideas about changing the voluteering structure? or smaller things that would make volunteering easier?

I've heard rumors that our GLO HQs monitor GC... so I figure... let's give them some news they can use

[AGDee]

While I hope this thread gets some useful feedback, I'm afraid it may be a "preaching to the choir" type of thing because the women who post on GC, especially as alumnae, are often already volunteers. We also tend to have a stronger "greek identity" which is what led us to GC in the first place! I would love to see some good answers though, because recruiting advisors is the toughest part of my duties as a Province Director.

Dee

[TxAPhi]

I think perhaps the easiest and most underutilized way is to tap into the best of the best undergraduates.

As as advisor, I always talk to the best members, whether they are officers or not, about involvement with Alpha Phi after graduation. Recent "stars" that I have advised have gone on to advise at chapters in North Carolina, Depaul, MIT, have become alumnae panhellenic delegates, and have started alumnae chapters.

As an ELC, part of my report was to send in names of outstanding women from the chapters I visited to possibly be future consultants or other volunteers. These "name drives" can be very useful.

If your group has a volunteer survey, a good idea would be to have graduating seniors fill them out before they leave, and send them into the executive office. Wherever they end up, the office or regional volunteer coordinator would have some basic information on their skills.

Also, as an alumnae chapter president, I try to have women new to the area fill out this sheet. Even if they don't want to become involved right away, it can be an excellent resource for future special projects or chapter help.


The problem with these volunteer surveys often lies with how they are shared, since most are paper, they often don't get to the people at a local level who could benefit from them, or when they do the info may be outdated. So it is important that the group have an efficient way to request and share this information.


I really like the idea I read about TriDelta's InCircle program that functions like a friendster or facebook. This would be a dynamic resource to link up with other members and chapters and interested volunteers.

The member profiles could be set up with questions that are on the volunteer survey, basic interests, positions held. Could be a really great tool if a chat and or messaging function could be incorporated. yahoo groups are just so clunky and counter-intuitive......

[33girl]

Originally posted by TxAPhi
I think perhaps the easiest and most underutilized way is to tap into the best of the best undergraduates.

As as advisor, I always talk to the best members, whether they are officers or not, about involvement with Alpha Phi after graduation. Recent "stars" that I have advised have gone on to advise at chapters in North Carolina, Depaul, MIT, have become alumnae panhellenic delegates, and have started alumnae chapters.

And the other side of that coin is...just because a woman is from a "less successful" chapter or was not superinvolved in college doesn't mean she won't be a good volunteer.

Sometimes the "best of the best" were only that way because they ran roughshod over the rest of the chapter members, sucked up to national HQ and the rest of the chapter couldn't stand them. Sometimes really stellar and motivated women chose to join a less popular chapter because the "popular" chapters on their campus were full of the cattiness and backstabbing they got sick of in high school - but if the chapter underachieved, it's assumed everyone from it is the same way.

Just because someone didn't travel for the org, wasn't on exec for three years or has some disagreements with the national policies does not mean she wouldn't be a good volunteer.

I don't mean to pee in your Cheerios, but I think there are quite a few people on here who know exactly what I mean.

[winneythepooh7]

Well I know that DPhiE is working on creating "Advisory Boards" especially for "problematic" chapters so it isn't so time consuming for one person. Also, I think that undergrads really aren't taught that sisterhood is for a lifetime--not just undergrad life. I also think that all of our organizations need to bond together more to put an end to all the bad stuff that continues to plague or campuses and chapters at a local level, like hazing. I don't think that many active sisters realize that as chapters close for stuff like this, our organization continues to get smaller and smaller. And if DPhiE dies out on one campus for something like this and other orgs are doing it too, they are eventually going to die out too. And it is our alumnae who play a big role in creating a new wave of thinking, and turning things around, because active sisters will always look back to "what went on before them" as tradition. And from GC alone I have learned how hard it is to open up a new chapter of any organization. I don't think any of this hasn't been said before. I don't really have any great answers because I know overall, the majority of alumnae, especially those who are not active volunteers already, don't look at sorority to be something of a committment after college. They don't see things as being "mandatory" anymore.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by 33girl
And the other side of that coin is...just because a woman is from a "less successful" chapter or was not superinvolved in college doesn't mean she won't be a good volunteer.

Sometimes the "best of the best" were only that way because they ran roughshod over the rest of the chapter members, sucked up to national HQ and the rest of the chapter couldn't stand them. Sometimes really stellar and motivated women chose to join a less popular chapter because the "popular" chapters on their campus were full of the cattiness and backstabbing they got sick of in high school - but if the chapter underachieved, it's assumed everyone from it is the same way.

Just because someone didn't travel for the org, wasn't on exec for three years or has some disagreements with the national policies does not mean she wouldn't be a good volunteer.

I don't mean to pee in your Cheerios, but I think there are quite a few people on here who know exactly what I mean.

YEP.

I wasn't invovled at all as a collegian and DEFINITELY wouldn't have fallen into the best of the best category, but now look at me.

I also know of former CLC's who aren't involved at all anymore.

[navane]

Originally posted by HelloKitty22
So I was thinking, what could your GLO do to increase the likelihood that you would volunteer?

Here's a novel idea, when you advertise volunteer vacancies, and an alumna volunteers......TAKE HER UP ON HER OFFER TO HELP. It's simple I know.

.....Kelly

[kddani]

I think that creating more opportunities for sisters fresh out of college to be involved would be very beneficial. It would help keep them involved in their GLO, instead of their participation lapsing and then trying to get them to "come back from the dead" so to speak after some years. Especially in areas where there's an active chapter, but not an active AA (i.e. where I live)

[texas*princess]

One of the things they [the HQ] can do is make it easy for alumnae to let them know they are interested in volunteering.

One of the things I like about our HQ website is there are Alumnae Involvement forms you can fill out online & submit that lets them know who is interested, where they are currently located, and how they might be interested in volunteering.

I'm honestly not sure exactly how that information is routed, but I would imagine it's in a database or something that is easily accesable for the District Leaders to utilize when they need help in some capacity.

[winneythepooh7]

As an AA, we also have been reaching out to some of the local undergrad chapters in our area so they know we are around for after they graduate.

[polarpi]

Originally posted by HelloKitty22
So I was thinking, what could your GLO do to increase the likelihood that you would volunteer? Any big ideas about changing the voluteering structure? or smaller things that would make volunteering easier?

I'll agree with texas*princess about ADPi's Alumnae Involvement forms (formally know as "Will Serve" forms) - I filled one out as soon as I graduated, and that let the AA here in my area know that I was looking to help out (although it took me a little while to become "active" with the group, due to personal reasons)

Another resource (for me) was GC! After mentioning my involvement with the AA in my area, I was contacted by another GCer who was working as an IO to see if I'd be willing to help out with getting collegian-alumnae contacts to strengthen...the conversation from there turned to my willingness to serve as an advisor, which I honestly had never thought about doing when I contemplated my alumnae involvement. From there, I contacted the local chapter, who put me in contact with our Province Director, and here I am almost a year later and working on finishing my first year as an advisor for one of the collegiate chapters in this area.

I think having numerous resources (in the case of chapter advising, a large advisory board) helps with the dwindling number of volunteers in that if you find 6 people willing to take on the role of advisor, you can "lessen" the workload of the advisors versus a board of only 4 advisors. It's difficult, but I think a lot of it relates back to educating the collegians about the lifetime committment of GLO's and how their involvement can make a large difference!

[Tom Earp]

While I cannot speak for Sororitys, LXA does have many things in place for Alums who are willing to vollunteer.

I am on the Mentoring List so that I and New Associates or Active Members can contact each other.

While very active with My Chapter, I still keep update with our IHQ. There is a lot of information that can be put out on Cyberspace that was not able to be done before.

LXA is now sending out emails monthly for updates for those who sign up for it. This is in addition to our Cross and Cresent that comes out quarterly in hard copy.

But remember, Our Nationals or not Banks. So, the cheapest and easiest way to put information out is to do it via Cyber.

Love for what We did is the most important factor of why We are still here as Alums.

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by kddani
I think that creating more opportunities for sisters fresh out of college to be involved would be very beneficial. It would help keep them involved in their GLO, instead of their participation lapsing and then trying to get them to "come back from the dead" so to speak after some years. Especially in areas where there's an active chapter, but not an active AA (i.e. where I live)

Co-sign.

Regarding tapping the most "involved" members: that doesn't always work. The most involved people in my chapter were just as 33 described--they were micromanagers and ran the show, not wanting to be questioned. In short, it took up their entire lives, they had no lives outside of the sorority, and they gave it up as soon as they went alum.

I had other diversions (other activities, non-Greek friends, being an RA) that allowed me to do the sorority-related activities that interested me and where I could provide the most support. Unlke some of my sisters, I wasn't burnt out with sorority stuff when I graduated, and had the energy to become more involved.

[pinkyphimu]

i think the biggest thing is to show undergrads that being greek is not a "college" thing. now, in order to show that, you need involved alumni, so it is a tough thing to start with.

maybe it is important for hqs to focus on the little under-achieving chapters to get more alumni support. the chapters at huge state u who have been there for 200 years and have 7 zillion alumni probably have full advisory boards and alumni support. those at tiny university with 50 alumni who all graduated in the past 10 years need the orgs support at recruiting and keeping alumni as advisors and for support. this shouldn't be left up to the exec board of the chapter.

i agree with someone who said the orgs should take people up on their volunteer offers. there is a woman in my alumnae chapter who had been contacting our headquarters for 1.5 years trying to get info on the area alumnae chapter. funny thing is that she lived on the same street as our president...and didn't know it. info should be passed on in a timely manner and they should accept people's offers for small volunteer committments.

i also feel that it is important for all members to be aware that everyone else is busy, too. we all have jobs, we all have responsibilities, etc., but if everyone does just a little bit....then things go a lot smoother!

oh, and last but not least...there needs to be some appreciation for the volunteers that do exsist. it is really easy to burn out, and a thank you letter and a plastic cup with your letters on it goes a long way to remind people that their efforts are appreciated!

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by polarpi
Another resource (for me) was GC!

GC was also another resource for me. I had thought about joining the AA in the area, but didn't really do anything about it until I another GCer talked about the AA here. I'm really glad I joined up b/c it's a great thing