Welcome to vantage point onlineAt Volunteer Vancouver, our mission is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sectorOne of the ways we do this is through Vantage Point — our issue-based newsletter. This edition draws on the experience and expertise of Peter Brinckerhoff, author of Generations: The Challenge of A Lifetime for Your Nonprofit, Kathi Irvine, Principle of KLI Associates, and Trina Isakson, Volunteer & Service Learning Coordinator with SFU’s Work Integrated Learning Unit. Your comments are welcome — please email us at vantagepoint@volunteervancouver.ca. Does Generation Change Bring Opportunities or Just More Problems?By Peter C. Brinckerhoff While the economy and its impact on your organization and your community need to be your top priority, I would argue that it doesn't need to be your only priority, and that generation change brings many opportunities as well as some challenges. In fact, if you begin to work on accommodating to generation change now, your organization will come out of the recession stronger than ever. We Baby Boomers get what we ask for .... AgainBy Kathi Irvine The more I research generational differences in today`s workplace, the more I feel the need to remind the sometimes griping Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) that the younger employees, volunteers and new fellow board members are demonstrating behaviours and characteristics which were learned at home. Tapping Into the Millennial (Blood)streamBy Trina Isakson …understanding the interests, abilities, motivations and characteristics of the Millennial generation is crucial to the sustainability of the voluntary sector. Becoming New AgainBy Colleen Kelly …there are so many similarities in generations – way more than differences. We remain the same people throughout our lives, and often seem to want to call on another generation for doing just what we did, or will do. Brian’s Bookshelf Peter Brinkerhoff, Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for Your Nonprofit. St. Paul, MN: Fieldstone Alliance, 2007. The current recession is changing the world in which not-for-profit organizations are serving their causes. The smart ones will adjust astutely to those changes and one of the tools they will use in that adjustment is Peter Brinkerhoff’s brilliant guide to generational competency, Generations. About Volunteer VancouverThe mission of Volunteer Vancouver is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector. This publication is intended to be a medium of communication and information for the many organizations active in the volunteer and not-for-profit sector. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the Board of Directors of Volunteer Vancouver. Volunteer Vancouver |
