Skills based volunteering is an emerging concept both in non-profit and for-profit sector. In skills based volunteering, public and employees in for-profit organizations volunteer their skills to non-profit organization to help them achieve their goals and objectives.
In skills based volunteering, skills are matched with the desired activity that needed to be completed. Suppose, if someone has expertise in database development, and a non-profit has no budget for developing the database, so the non-profit organization can look for pro-bono services where employees from different corporations are donating their time for a range of skills. The skillets is unlimited and different on several websites (see the resources tab), which is quite helpful for both the volunteers and non-profit sector.
This kind of volunteerism has proved to be very beneficial as the employee is volunteering the skills that he has in a spectrum which gives an opportunity to enhance his/her leadership skills, provide an opportunity to network with new people from different industries, help promote their business and market their brands. This, not only benefits the person who is volunteer his/her time, but, also, promote the business or organization with which the person is working with.
Based on the need an organization can look for different model to adopt and to seek the opportunity of acquiring and donating skills. The interesting part of this concept is that both the parties are mutually benefited. These models can help you to launch your own pro bono platform too.
- Marathon model: In this model, an organization conduct their pro bono project within a short timeframe. This usually end in 24 hours, where a corporation dedicate majority of their employees to help non-profits in different task. Based on the employee skills, they help the non-profit with the relevant desired goals to achieve.
- Open ended model: In open ended model, organizations provide their services on a regular basis to a set number of non-profit organizations. This is a kind of informal contract between them to help a set of non-profits in verities of services.
- Micro-volunteering: In micro-volunteering model, organizations helps non-profit organizations with all type of schedules through mic-volunteering opportunities.
- Coaching and mentoring: In this model, experts are engaged in coaching and mentoring non-profit organizations and students on regular basis. If someone has expertise in something and have time to help other, so they can work with pro bon providers and can help non-profits and anyone in need.
- Standardized team projects: In this model, organization put their employees with a set of roles, responsibilities, and deliverable. The whole purpose is to achieve a set of goals with a stipulated time.
- Loaned employee model: Organization grants their employees with an approved and compensated of absence to offer volunteer services to a non-profit.
Following a model is not necessary, but the purpose is. Understanding a model is necessary for both the sectors, because on these models, one can develop their own to help prosper their mission, and achieve desired set of goals and objectives.
Mentioned below, are some organization where one can donate their skills and can look for pro bono services:
Note: This blog is based on the learning of the Service Unites conference by Points of Light.