While some believe charity begins at home, it doesn’t have to stay there. In fact, offering volunteer opportunities can entice people to leave home and attend an event. Resourceful planners recognize the growing corporate social responsibility trend and are capitalizing on the popularity of voluntourism. And that’s a win-win-win, scoring attendance numbers, building teams, and helping local communities.
The portmanteau “voluntourism” refers to volunteering and tourism, but it isn’t limited to vacationers. Business travelers want to give back while traveling, too, and many companies encourage goodwill campaigns not only to contribute to society but also to project a positive public image. For attendees, volunteer opportunities create a lasting impression, immersing them in the host community and leaving them feeling good by doing good.
Opportunity knocks
Consider selecting a destination based on a charitable event or organization. For example, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is synonymous with Memphis, Tenn. And Habitat for Humanity has ongoing building projects all over the South. Take into account the time of year; for example, a fall gathering might incorporate a back-to-school supply drive.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and explore uncharted ideas. Local CVBs, such as Visit Galveston in Texas, can help arrange beach cleanups. Convention center staff can suggest area organizations that would welcome volunteer help; for example, Georgia World Congress Authority in Atlanta matches convention attendees with charities based on the group’s specific interests. Hotel and resort staff also can suggest local charity projects.
Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Ga., offers a Build It for Charity category in its guide to group teambuilding activities.
“Our two activities are Build a Bike and Build a Doghouse,” says Kelly Mattox, the resort’s director of catering and conference services. “The Build a Bike activity gives back to our local Boys & Girls Clubs. Our Build a Doghouse program gives back to the local Humane Society and surrounding local shelters.
“Both activities include a fun scavenger hunt to find the parts of either the bicycle or doghouse prior to actually breaking into teams to build the items. This offers a great icebreaker and prepares the group to have a little creative, active fun exploring the resort before jumping into the build.”
Starting a group activity with a scavenger hunt serves another purpose, Mattox says. “Facilitators can see the competitive level of the members of the individual teams,” she says. “Once this is established, it helps to designate the different roles the team members will play in building these items.”
Another tip from Mattox: “Incorporating food and beverage is always welcome to keep everyone happy, hydrated, and fed along the way.”
Know your audience
The first step is to ask attendees what type of volunteer services interest them. “Know your audience, and do your research,” says Corie Jones, deputy director of public relations for the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service, known as Volunteer Mississippi, based in Jackson.
“Sending quick surveys to attendees beforehand is helpful. Discover what their interests are and begin building the groundwork.”
Mattox agrees customizing voluntourism opportunities for each conference or group is a good idea. “Our conference services managers work with clients to support individual goals they may have in line with their own company’s mission, vision, and values,” she says. “We have partnerships locally with groups like Backpack Buddies if groups want to go into the community to prepare food packages for children to take home from school on the weekend. One group is conducting their own Lego drive, encouraging their attendees to pack these small items that can easily fit in a carry-on.”
Disaster relief generates the most interest among volunteers, Jones has found, and unfortunately, the South has seen more than its share of natural disasters. Second and third on the list of most popular projects are feeding low-income families and visiting nursing homes. Planners can help those two demographics post-event by donating floral arrangements to senior centers and leftover food to food banks. There are all kinds of deserving organizations that could use a helping hand. As Jones says, “We help promote volunteer opportunities statewide, from disaster relief to food distribution and everything in between.”
Find the right fit
Once you’ve determined what kind of volunteer work interests your attendees, find the right fit. In addition to asking CVB, venue, and hotel staff, a search of the Internet will return lots of websites noting specific volunteer opportunities. Some organizations will help coordinate the event from start to finish.
Outback Team Building & Training, which manages group experiences, offers several ideas on its website for charitable and philanthropic activities, including the Do-Good Games, Random Acts of Kindness, and Military Support Mission. The firm also has a library of free downloadable engagement guides and can create custom voluntourism events to encourage group bonding. “Working together on charity and philanthropic teambuilding activities with your group will foster deep connections,” its website notes, “both connecting on another level outside of the office, as well as coming together for a cause bigger than yourselves.”
Best Corporate Events & Teambuilding organizes events for groups of 25 to 6,000 and has locations in more than 50 Southern cities. The company’s website includes a list of more than 20 charity teambuilding events, such as Build-a-Wheelchair, Putting for Pets, and Earth, Wind & Solar in which groups build and race solar-powered vehicles and donate science kits to children through nonprofit organizations.
The Volunteer Mississippi website includes a list of volunteer opportunities in the state that are searchable by location and category. “Our goal was to simplify the process, and we were able to accomplish that,” Jones says. “Volunteer Mississippi is truly connecting volunteers with opportunities.”
Make use of local resources. “Don’t be scared to reach out to your state’s volunteerism office,” Jones advises. “We are here to connect volunteers with opportunities and look forward to working with you and your organization. Utilize this great resource.”
From selecting the volunteer activity to assessing its success—which helps measure ROI if you have an activity sponsor and informs future volunteer activities—Jones suggests the following: “Do these steps: research, planning, implementation, and evaluation. That is the process that we follow for everything. It helps keep us on track, organized, accountable, and successful.”
Invite the media, and get local buy-in by partnering with business owners, organizations, and civic groups. “Don’t just allow it to be a transaction,” Jones says. “Instead, make it mean something. Create lasting relationships so volunteers will continue to serve even after your event. Make a difference, not a deal.”
