So you would like to contribute your time and expertise to help social impact organizations working to tackle issues that you are passionate about. But how can you make the best out of the Connection Session to get to know more about the social impact organizations, so that you will know what kind of time commitment and skillsets you can offer? Read our interview with Amber Riley, a Skilled Volunteer of our Community Connections Program.
Why did you want to join Community Connections?
Community Connections was attractive to me because it facilitated an opportunity to find long-term and meaningful connections with social enterprises. I wanted to find an organization that I could contribute to by using my existing skills for a good cause. My husband is also happy to be involved by putting to use his IT skills so it is a project we could do together. Also, I saw joining Community Connections as an opportunity to also develop my own personal skills and expand into areas that I am not familiar with for example by potentially developing my business development and marketing/communication skills.
What motivated you to be prepared (including researching on the Community Partners, your elevator pitch, etc.) for the Connection Session?
We only had a limited time to connect initially with each Community Partner so I wanted to make sure I used that time as efficiently as possible by learning as much as I could about each Community Partner prior to the session. Researching about the Community Partners in advance presented a good opportunity for me to think about why I wanted to be involved, and what I thought I could contribute to the Community Partners so I could articulate this at the first meeting.
How did you prepare for the Connection Session?
I researched each of the Community Partners through their websites including what their focus was and how developed it looked like they were. I gave thought to which Community Partners interested me the most but also which ones I felt that I could bring the most to and assist with my existing skill-set. I also gave some thought to my skills and what I could offer to the SIPs and also what experience I had with each of the focus points of the individual Community Partners so that I could connect best with them.
How long did it take you to prepare for the Connection Session?
It really didn’t take that long and it was a really enjoyable experience finding out about each of the Community Partners. I would estimate I probably spent about two hours doing some background reading and it was very much worth it.
Community Connections connects skilled corporate professionals with social impact organizations tackling some of the biggest problems in the world. Corporate employees will have the chance to utilize their potential and develop more skills while working for a good cause.
Would your company be interested in joining Community Connections? Get in touch with us on communityconnections@shared-impact.com
