Reflections from theModern U.S. Service Movement

September 8, 2010

Agenda

• Historic Reflection

• Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.

• Points of Strength in the U.S. Movement

• Lessons Learned

• Emerging Trends

• Idea Generation

2

Historic Reflection

3

1990 1992 1994 1998 20002002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Points of Light founded in response to President George H. W. Bush’s vision of a “thousand points of light”.

Points of Light Foundation and HandsOn Network merge – creating largest volunteer organization in the country.

President Bill Clinton signs the National and Community Service Trust Act – creating AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National Service . The first 20,000 AmeriCorps members serve.

President Barack Obama signs the historic Serve America Act heralding the next phase of the nation’s renewed call to service.

President George W. Bush creates USA Freedom Corps in his State of the Union Address to build on the countless acts of service, sacrifice, and generosity that followed September 11, 2001.

President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation is formed to recognize the important contributions Americans of all ages are making within their communities through service and civic engagement including the President's Volunteer Service Award program.

Presidential Summit in Philadelphia. All living Presidents gather to call the nation to make a difference in the lives of children.  

Who We Are – Reach & ImpactTrends in Volunteering and Service in the United States (since 1989):

• The number of Americans volunteering increased from 38 million to 63.4 million (increase of more than 60%).

• The rate of volunteering increased by a third from 20.4% of all Americans to 26.8% last year.

• Since the 1970’s, Employee Volunteer Programs (EVP) have become the norm with 80%-95% of larger U.S. companies fielding formal programs.

• More than twice as many youth (16-24 year olds) are volunteering today (8.3 million vs. 3.5 million in 1989).

• Baby Boomers and older Americans are over 40% more likely to volunteer than the same age groups in 1989.

• Volunteering with religious groups is slightly down but remains the most common, while volunteering with educational and youth service organizations and with social or community service organizations is up significantly.

4

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.

4

25 million more Americans are volunteering today than in 1989.

5

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.

The Corporation for National and Community Service:

• Independent federal agency established in 1993 charged with promoting and supporting a culture of citizenship, service and responsibility.

• Proposed FY2011 budget of $1.4 billion and a staff of roughly 600 people.

• Provides grants and training and technical support to national and local volunteer organizations.

• Operates stipended national service programs including AmeriCorps, SeniorCorps and Learn and Serve America.

• Develops and cultivates knowledge that will enhance the overall success of volunteer and service programs.

Points of Light Institute was created by the merger of the Points of Light Foundation and Hands On Network in 2007. The result…

• Points of Light Institute has a global focus to redefine volunteerism and civic engagement for the 21st century, putting people at the center of community problem solving. 

• We are organized to innovate, incubate and activatenew ideas that help people act upon their power to make a difference.

• Points of Light Institute operates three dynamic business units that share our mission: HandsOn Network, MissionFish and the Civic Incubator which includes AmeriCorps Alums and our new global youth division, generationOn.

6

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.

7

Mission: To inspire, equip, and mobilize people to take action that changes the world.

Vision: One day every person will discover their power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant democracies around the world.

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.Points of Light Institute

Who We Are – Reach & Impact

• Largest volunteer network in the nation and includes 250 HandsOn Action Centers in 16 countries.

• Includes more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve and creating scaled impact.

• Provides programs for youth, parents and communities through generationOn’s school partnerships, clubs and youth volunteer programs driven by our on-the-ground Action Centers.

• Annually, the network delivers approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at $626 million.

88

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.Points of Light Institute

• With the purpose and promise of creating innovation in social change, the Civic Incubator brings together and supports emerging civic solutions and new ideas through social enterprise, mergers and joint ventures.

• Currently, we are incubating AmeriCorps Alums, a youth division called generationOn; global volunteerism; and ventures to redefine civic action online.

• AmeriCorps Alums – half a million strong nationally – develop into volunteer leaders mobilizing others to serve throughout the country and continue to make a meaningful impact throughout their lives.

• generationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. As the new youth division of Points of Light Institute, its mission is to inspire, equip, and mobilize youth to take action that changes the world and themselves through service.

9

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.Points of Light Institute

• MissionFish is a social enterprise of Points of Light Institute that provides people a vehicle to use their purchasing power to support causes that matter to them.

• In partnership with eBay, MissionFish enables people to designate a portion of their online sales and purchases to charity. 

• MissionFish UK has helped raise over £19m for 4,500 UK charities since 2006.

• Despite uncertain economic conditions, MissionFish UK realized 90% growth in funds raised from 2008 to 2009 and continues to experience impressive growth in 2010.

• Over one million users of ebay.co.uk have donated to UK charities through MissionFish in 2010 alone, raising over £500,000 for Haiti and £250,000 for Pakistan.

10

Across the globe, MissionFish has helped raise $200 million for good causes.

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.Points of Light Institute

Who We Are – Reach & ImpactPoints of Strength in the U.S. Movement • Consistent, visible, passionate presidential

support and call to action.• Bi-partisan support within the U.S. Congress.• Enabling government policies.• Investment in national service and volunteer

infrastructure and capacity building.• Creation of national recognition programs.• Growth and development of service learning

in schools.• Strong volunteer sector coalition that has

advocated for and helped inform increased federal investment.

• National service programs that have served as seedbed for social entrepreneurship.

11

Portrait of Service Infrastructure Today in the U.S.

11

Who We Are – Reach & Impact

• Sustained corporate leadership is critical to strengtheninga culture of service.

• The political need to create new programs can sometimes result in loss of momentum and duplication of efforts.

• While helpful at increasing awareness, national celebrity driven campaigns do not always drive tangible action or sustained service.

• Problems of nomenclature and branding of the service movement.

• National stipended service programs,community-based volunteer programs, and civic dialogue have greater effect when they build upon one another.

• Social innovation and entrepreneurship need to be married with broader, grassroots citizenship initiatives.

12

Lessons Learned

12

Who We Are – Reach & Impact

What’s Next…

• Better utilizing web, mobile and social media to enable people to self-organize, find volunteer opportunities, and serve in new and different ways (ex. micro-giving).

• Driving service to create social impact and documenting the results.

• Replicating and scaling what works through innovative public/private partnerships.

• Investing in the capacity of organizations to effectively utilize the time and talents of volunteers.

• More effectively engaging people in poor and marginalized communities to solve problems and work alongside outside volunteers.

13

Emerging Trends

13

Who We Are – Reach & ImpactWhat’s Next…

• Growing emergence of hybrids – social enterprises that are using the marketplace to create social good.

• Creating a national network of volunteer leaders in every community institution.

• Evolving corporate engagement – customized marketing programs, utilization of skills-based volunteers, leveraging customers/constituents to create impact (ex: Disney, eBay).

• Increased federal investment – planned expansion of national service programs and increased investment in social innovation and volunteer generation funds.

14

Emerging Trends

14

Example of Strategic Partnership:“Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.”

• First-of-its-kind program co-developed by Points of Light and Disney to celebrate the spirit and power of volunteerism.

• Goal: Inspire one million people to volunteer in their communities. Those that performed volunteer service for a participating organization received a free one-day admission ticket to a Disney theme park.

• Over 1,000,000 people committed to serve injust four months.

• Points of Light and HandsOn Network engaged over 10,000 nonprofit organizations tocreate millions of unique volunteer projects.

• Through our generationOn division, weengaged our network of parents, teachers andchildren in civic action.

15

Who We Are – Reach & Impact• Investing in volunteer infrastructure and capacity building.• Ensuring in private sector investment and partnership.• Decentralizing and empowering local decision

making and community-based problem solving.• Utilizing campaigns to create excitement and build momentum

(ex. leverage 2012 Olympics).• Creating a more enabling environment through policy change.• Developing a national recognition system.• Investing in evaluation and dissemination of lessons learned.• Building on and complementing what is working rather than

duplicating.• Involving citizens in framing the Big Society.• Approaching social cohesion and bridging social capital with

intention.• Creating conditions for the long term (ex. invest in youth

service.)

16

Idea Generation

16

“…Service isn’t separate from our national priorities or secondary to our national priorities – it’s integral to achieving our national priorities. Its how we will meet the challenges of our time...”

President Barack ObamaPoints of Light Institute’s Presidential Forum on Service

October 2009