State Conference on Service and Volunteerism Focuses on Living, Giving and Serving
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Community Service Commission, the State’s lead agency on volunteerism, will host the 2024 Michigan Conference on Service and Volunteerism on Sept. 26 to bring together Michigan thought leaders, service champions and change makers to explore solutions to the state's most pressing issues and pursue the foremost opportunities for growth and development.
“To grow Michigan, we need to draw upon our collective spirit of Living, Giving, and Serving,” said Michigan Community Service Commission Executive Director Ginna Holmes. “We are excited to connect Michigan organizations and foster collective action.”
The conference with the theme, “Synergy–Living, Giving, and Serving,” will take place from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Lansing Center. The statewide conference highlights the importance of joining together to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of separate efforts. Participants will have the opportunity to explore ways to improve community engagement and service delivery through enhancing organizational management, accessing resources, improving workforce development strategies, and engaging volunteers and AmeriCorps members.
The statewide conference is open to all individuals and organizations interested in positively impacting their communities. This includes staff from faith-based organizations, community centers, municipalities, schools, colleges/universities, state departments, as well as volunteers and AmeriCorps members. The day will include opportunities to share knowledge, build capacity and network. Attendees will also be the first to hear special announcements about new resources launching this fall.
The keynote speaker will be Traymone "Tray" Deadwyler, the Founder and Executive Director of the capacity building nonprofit Think for Good. Think for Good supports individuals and organizations as they increase their efficacy through creative ideation, planning, and implementation.
Workshop topics will include the following and many more:
From Funding Resiliency to Funding Prosperity
Empowering Volunteers: Effective Training and Support Strategies
Breaking out of Isolation: Volunteer Coordinators Creating and Fostering Community
Trauma's Impact on Employee and Volunteer Retention
Cost to attend is $75 for partners and AmeriCorps members and standard rate of $150 with a $100 early bird discount rate if registered by Aug. 31. Register for the conference at the event website.
The Michigan Community Service Commission will also be launching a listening tour prior to the conference from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 25 at the Lansing Center. The listening tour will allow individuals to share thoughts on how to expand service and volunteerism to address the state’s most pressing issues and learn about resources available. Participants will discuss community challenges and ways to improve the quality of life for residents. The input gathered from the tour will help shape the future of Michigan volunteerism and national service as participants will generate ideas to include in a new State Service Plan.
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Background: The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) utilizes service as a strategy to address the state's most pressing issues and empowers volunteers to strengthen communities. The MCSC is leveraging more than $21 million in federal funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities. Visit www.michigan.gov/volunteerfor more information.
