Pro Bono Volunteering Pt 3 | Success factors and results
After we read about the reasons for Ryan and Ivan’s participation in the last blog post, we will now look at success factors for pro bono days and their individual perceptions.
Success factors for Pro-Bono-Days
1 | Setting the tone!
The first thing that Ryan mentioned was this: ”The meeting surpassed all expectations. I felt welcome in the Zalando offices from the minute I arrived and the informal, focused atmosphere provided optimum conditions for a productive day. We began with a round robin and brief introduction of all organisations who were in the room. It was great to see such a wide variety of non-profit organisations working for the social good getting dedicated support and solutions from colleagues at Zalando”.
2 | Organisation is key!
Key factors that Ryan mentioned such as the environment, the participants and the motivation are all elements that can be positively stimulated with a well thought-out organisation. Ivan supports this by saying: “When organised and done well, pro bono days create value for all participants involved. But the actual outcome of pro bono days heavily depends on the organisation, structure, and people involved.”
3 | A leader for the day!
We believe that every Pro Bono Day needs a responsible person who is leading the day and can support each match. Beginning the day with an introduction round creates an atmosphere of productivity, common ground and a mission for the day. The leader can also stimulate the motivation of participants by emphasising how beneficial the day can be with the right mindset. A clear structure for the day and someone taking care of everything in the background, gives the participants the freedom to solely concentrate on their tasks of the day.
Pro Bono Days – What are possible outcomes?
Now we know why everyone should try Pro Bono activities at least once in their lifetime and what key factors determine the success of those collaborations, but let us now give the word back to Ryan and Ivan to hear what their take-homes after the Pro Bono Day at Zalando has been.
RYANS Conclusion
Ryan, who began the day with a challenge for his organisation, described the outcome like this: “Personally it was a pleasure to work with Ivan for the day and I certainly ended the week with a greater degree of knowledge and insight into effectively managing change internally. From an organisational perspective, the session has served as a catalyst for the formation of an internal task force who are now working to ensure the process of change is a success. Crucially, the engagement doesn’t end when you say goodbye at the end of the Pro Bono day. Since the meeting I have kept in touch with Ivan and he has kindly provided a link with contacts at Zalando with a view to enabling future cooperation in areas of mutual concern”.
The fact that Ryan states that he still has contact with Ivan and he provides further knowledge to him and his organisation shows that 1:1 consulting for social organisations and employees are not only highly valuable for one specific challenge, but can be the start of a long lasting collaboration.
IVANS CONCLUSION
Ivan even takes a step further: ”I am happy to say I am committed to participating in pro bono days again. I would recommend this experience to anyone who wants to help the community around while boosting their professional development. Because in order to live in a better world, we need to take part in the building of it. Participating in pro bono days makes me confident that my skills are used for the bigger good for all.”
Yes, yes, yes! If you want to be part of creating a better world around you, you can do so by using your individual professional skills in a new context!
Interested in hosting a Pro Bono Day at your company, just send us a message!
Your corporate volunteering team from vostel.de
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