Training

Supportive Environments for Effectiveness (SEE)

VMC is pleased to partner with reDirect, a Michigan nonprofit that provides funding to support organizations through cohort-based learning opportunities. In collaboration with reDirect, VMC will lead the third annual grant-funded learning cohorts focused on volunteer engagement from June through October of 2025. This interactive training is an opportunity to dive into volunteer engagement best practices with a cohort of nonprofit organizations using a specific, research-based framework for creating “Supportive Environments for Effectiveness” for both staff and volunteers.

As volunteer engagement professionals we want to bring out the best in our organizations and the people that power them. Supportive Environments for Effectiveness, or “SEE,” is a research-based framework that can be leveraged as a powerful tool to support nonprofits’ ability to effectively engage their team members. SEE offers a new way to think about volunteer engagement which considers how we support both our volunteers and our staff, making it easy to ensure that we’re considering the needs of all involved. When we use this framework and give people what they need to succeed, we see happier volunteers and more productive organizations with deeper and longer-lasting relationships between the two. Read more about how SEE can impact volunteer engagement in New Voices and Perspectives in Volunteer Engagement 2023 – “Creating Supportive Environments for Effectiveness.”

Want to learn more? Join VMC for a virtual, 1-hour “SEE 101” session and if you’re interested in diving deeper, stay for a 30-minute information session about the upcoming SEE Volunteer Engagement Learning Cohort grant opportunity. Participation in SEE 101 is a prerequisite for applying to participate in the learning cohort. We encourage organizational leadership to attend this session along with volunteer engagement staff, as SEE is a framework that can provide benefits to the entire organization, far beyond volunteer engagement. SEE 101 will provide an overview of the SEE framework, and the grant opportunity information session that follows will provide information about applying to participate in the grant-funded learning cohort to start applying the SEE framework within your organization. Register below, and contact VMC with any questions.

SEE 101 and Grant Program Info Sessions:

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – 11:00 am-12:30 pm Mountain time – Register here
Thursday, April 10, 2025 – 10:00-11:30 am Mountain time – Register here
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 – 11:00 am-12:30 pm Mountain time – Register here

Testimonials:

“[The SEE Volunteer Engagement Learning Cohort] gave me time to dedicate to focusing on our current state through the lens of improvement. The changes we plan to implement in our small experiments will greatly benefit our volunteers and the staff who work with them. It will help staff to better understand the ways in which they can use volunteers and engage with them.”

— Kelly Bockert
HR People & Culture Manager
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance
2024 Cohort Participant
” This process has broadened our perspective, allowing us to adapt and iterate based on volunteer input, ultimately fostering a more responsive and engaged environment. We believe that the small changes we’ve implemented in our department can empower other departments to explore this framework as well, fostering a collaborative culture that strengthens our overall mission and enhances our collective impact. As I shared with Traci, I have attended many cohorts throughout my career and this one by far was the best and most valuable. JFS is incredibly grateful.”

— Renee Newhouse
Director of Volunteer Services
Jewish Family Service of Colorado
2024 Cohort Participant
” I am approaching all volunteer engagement in a new way and think we can make it more meaningful for our volunteers. I think we are getting more buy-in from employees in supporting our volunteers more effectively.”

— Audrey Miklitsch
Community Engagement Coordinator
CASA of Jeffco and Gilpin Counties
2024 Cohort Participant
” I loved the manner in which things were presented. The pre-work, slides, and discussions with small groups allowed us to understand everything and see examples of how it could be used. I am a visual and experiential learner. This has allowed me to get our volunteer program restarted and to understand best practices to do so.”

— Shari Blake Schnee
Community and Family Engagement Director
Boulder JCC
2024 Cohort Participant
“This training opportunity came along at a perfect time, when we, like many organizations, were reviewing our post COVID environment. The SEE framework provided us with a renewed sense of purpose in designing and improving aspects of the volunteer experience. It has added to our thinking about small but effective changes that will enhance the volunteer experience for both the staff supervisors and the volunteers themselves.”

— Mary Kay Kisseberth
Volunteer and President of the Volunteer Council
History Colorado
Pilot Cohort Participant
“I really enjoyed the cohort model and the opportunity to talk with people from other organizations. I liked having both the time to talk with people outside our group and time to spend with our team.”

— Jillian Allison
Manager, Volunteer Events
Mile High United Way
Pilot Cohort Participant
“”Thank you for the opportunity to learn a new approach – and I appreciated having concrete next steps vs theory.”

— Siri Lewis
Program Coordinator
CASA of the Continental Divide
Pilot Cohort Participant
“To be able to use SEE to help both staff and volunteers see where and how they fit into the organization/program, have the tools they need to do their work, and understand how they are making a difference aids in meeting our mission and helps me in having a successful volunteer engagement strategy.”

— Emily Dobish
Director of Volunteer Engagement
History Colorado
Pilot Cohort Participant

Customized Training

VMC provides customized trainings for organizations, professional associations, and conferences. Contact VMC to discuss a customized training.