>Volunteers' learning: key topics and resources-reply to LO28644

From: Dick Webster (webster.1@osu.edu)
Date: 05/28/02


Replying to LO28603 --

Marjoline--and LO colleagues:

1. What's your take on "learning" for "continual improvement" (those
into "quality" probably prefer "continual quality improvement--CQI,"
arguing that "quality" covers ALL aspects of enterprise including
internal plans and operations; and products, information, and other
services provided for external customers) as cornerstones for
leadership--including each and every leader's responsibility to have an
active program of CI/CQI--for the leader and ALL other members of the
work group?
2. From this vantage point, logic and experience propose the following
useful topics for CAVR members' learning--for each person's professional
and personal development, and to provide improved service for their
clients: (a) servant leadership (Bob Greenleaf's modality), (b) quality
improvement, (c) facilitation, (d) project management, (e) process
improvement, (f) "organizational learning and building learning
organizations and communities" (within and across enterprises--OL/BLOC
for short), (g) knowledge management (KM), and (h) continual improvement
for constructive change (CICC).
        (2a) The Greenleaf Center (Indianapolis, IN) forwards servant leadership--no
electronic learning resources that I know of. Web site <www.greenleaf.org>
        (2b) American Society for Quality (ASQ) has electronic resources for
CQI tools learning, and certification in several areas. No other
professional organization I know about
(including ASTD, AQP, ISPI, ODNetwork, SHRM, and SoL) has the range of
learning programs (unfortunately ASQ still calls them "training
programs," but we're trying to help them understand the real and
important differences between "training" and "learning") and
certifications for demonstrating learning and application on-the-job.
ASQ also sponsors and works to support "Community Quality Councils" to
identify and help to solve real and pressing problems in local
geographic communities. ASQ's CQC Committee is chaired by Barry Colby.
Barry will likely have more ideas and resources for your consideration.
Web site <www.asq.org>
        (2c) There are well-developed electronic learning resources for facilitation:
"Facilitation Institute" or some such name. I'm sure LO colleagues can
supply the web cite.
        (2d) "Every problem can be a project" some wise person pointed out.
Project management learning can be had from "Project Management
Institute," PA headquarters I believe. Web site is ???
        (2e) "Every process (and therefore every system) can be improved--those
doing the work know how." Tons of materials on process mapping,
improvement, software for process management, etc. Check ads in ASQ's
_Quality Progress_ journal for LOTS of vendors.
        (2f) OL/BLOC learning should be led by the Society for Organizational
Learning--SoL, headquarters in Boston, web site
<http://www/solonline.org>. SoL, in my view, is not getting it
done--failing to take assertive leadership in proactively bringing to
the world the learning / consultation resources to forward OL/BLOC--the
good stuff written about in _Dance of Change_, etc.
        (2g) The knowledge management (KM) people are busy organizing and
setting standards. They appear to deal with "learning" by simply
assuming that it's part of the KM process. No specific concern with
OL/BLOC, communities of practice (COPs), etc. that I have noticed.
        (2h) As for CICC: an "ideas program" is the easiest, quickest, most
economical and effective resource to begin attending to continual
improvement of enterprise. There are five or six "ideas programs"
available--each is limited by an absence of linkages to available
resources for
high-involvement, high-performance managerial leadership.
                We are building "CI3"(tm) to overcome these deficits: "Creative Ideas
for Constant Innovation and Continual Improvement"(tm)--and therefore,
of course, for constructive change. Every volunteer program leader can
benefit from engaging volunteers in a CICC program. Our CI3 team seeks
beta test sites with not-for-profit enterprises on a cost-recovery
basis. Let me know if this might be of interest to CAVR members--or
your U.S. counterpart organization--would you kindly advise me how to be
in touch with them?

Good learning for you and your CAVR colleagues,

Cordially - Dick Webster

Richard S. Webster, Ph.D. - President
Personal Resources Management Institute (PRMI)
709 Wesley Court - The Village Green - Worthington, OH 43085-3558
eMail <webster.1@osu.edu>, tel 614-433-7144, fax 614-433-71-88

>>> on 5/25/02 Marjolaine Lalonde <marjolainelalond@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
        As I was reading in "Dance for Change", I took special interest in the
> chapter on "On- line Engagement". I am completing a reflexion piece in the
> framework on management post graduate studies at McGill University in
> Montreal more specifically in the field of non-profit sector. My reflexion
> is on the learning organization concept as it applies to my specific
> organization: the Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources(CAVR).
> ...-snip-
        CAVR also has a web site connecting with different other
> organizations.(www.cavr.org)
>-snip-
        We essentially screen,
> select, train, coach and recognize volunteers active in all sectors in
> Canada and build programs that respond to our institutional needs.
        Our association provides a certification program to our members to support
> their professional development; we promote the use of management tools
> such as a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice developed by CAVR. We
> organize annual conferences, adocate for our profession and for
> educational opportunities. We also are in contact with 10 provincial
> associations of managers of Volunteer resources.
        We are currently conducting a national survey on volunteers' contribution
> in our milieus, on the compliance to our standards of practice and on
> educational issues.
> -snip-
> I read about computer conferencing systems and other possibilities. I am
> interested in the actual tools but also on what technology can do for
> CAVR. Any thoughts would help us to advance our own thinking..
>I thank you for receiving this inquiry note,
>
> Marjolaine Lalonde - Coordinator, Volunteer Support <marjolainelalond@hotmail.com>
> The Montreal Children's Hospital of
> The McGill University Health Centre
> 2300 Tupper Street, D-559
> Montreal, Québec
> Canada H3H 1P3
> (514) 412-4400, ext.:22764
> President, Quebec Association of Administrators of Volunteer Resources
> Vice-President of the Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources (CAVR)
>-snip-end-

-- 

Dick Webster <webster.1@osu.edu>

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