Skills Development Workshop Listing

Full day skill based workshops (5-7 hours)

• Grant proposal writing
• Community organizing – mobilizing the grassroots
• Advocacy campaign development
• An overview of nonprofit NGO mgt skills
• Understanding hunger and poverty through simulations

Skills based workshops (2-4 hours)

• Volunteer mgt. for nonprofit NGOs and community groups
• Problem analysis and issue development
• Advocacy campaign development
• Developing coalitions and partnerships
• Nonprofit corporate partnership development
• Research and information dissemination
• Community needs assessment
• Developing educational programs that promote social justice
• Community organizing – mobilizing the grassroots
• Fundraising tips
• Incorporating as a nonprofit in Japan
• Intro to project cycle management
• Coordinating letter writing campaigns
• Presentation skills for nonprofit NGOs and community groups
• Basic PR and outreach for nonprofit NGOs and community groups
• Self-help and training instead of handouts: helping others help
  themselves
  

Issue-based seminars and workshops - for professionals & the general public (1-3 hours)

• An introduction to the Japanese nonprofit NGOs
• Being an educated consumer – smart shopping and fair trade
• The importance of coalitions and network development
• Global campaigns for gender equality
• Trafficking and migration practices
• Conflict resolution – talking about peace is not enough
• Disaster prevention and relief
• Understanding hunger and poverty through simulations
• An introduction to human rights
• Universality and the relevance of human rights issues for women
• The feminization of the Japanese labour force

Corporate Community Partnership Programs

Below is an outline of the types of corporate community programs I am trying to develop here in Tokyo. For more information on any of these, contact sarajeanrossitto at yahoo.com.

Project Purpose:
¸ Develop the corporation connection to community by facilitating staff involvement in community-based activities.
¸ Raise profile in community through CSR program focusing on disadvantaged youth and environmental issues.

My roles in projects include:
¸ Assisting in project creation and process definition.
¸ Introducing community-based organizations in the fields of interest.
¸ Serving as intermediary between the corporation and the nonprofit partner organizations.
¸ Providing advice and information as requested.

Types of program and projects
Below is an outline of projects, processes and ways in which corporations can becomg involved in community project development.

1. Community Project Funding – Proposal solicitation and selection
The corporation may decide to set aside funds to be granted to organizations based on specific project, issue and needs criteria. This may be done through either an open or closed request for proposal (RFP).

Process and preparation: The first step would include defining the granting process and goals of the grants themselves so that potential grantees may be identified, a selection committee be convened and a point person be identified to follow-up and/or monitor each grantee. It may be necessary to also hold a meeting or training session with community group(s) in order to ensure they are able to create “proper” proposals.

Similar program run with an international IT foundation in 2003 and 2004
- Two organizations were initially introduced each year to the funding organization interested in supporting specific types of projects.
- Spent 2 months working with each group on the creation of a proposal (Neither had experience or capacity in English language proposal development.)
- Applications were reviewed before final submission.
- Assisted community groups with reporting back to the foundation.
- Only one resulted in an on-going dialogue and support for activities.

Possible role and budgetary needs:
- Assist in development of process (approx. 3-4 hours)
- Introduce organizations, if closed process, introduce sites for distribution, if open process, assist with recruitment (approx. 6-8 hours)
- Assist committee with process of application review and selection (approx. 2-4 hours)
- Assist with grantee monitoring and reporting (approx. 4-6 hours depending on number of grantees)
Appox. Consulting cost: ¥200,000-250,000

- Training organizations for proposal, budget presentation and report development would take a minimum of 10 additional hours if groups have no experience.
- This would require an additional investment of \80,000-120,000 depending on how many groups and how much training they require.

2. Collaborative project days – short term volunteer events
By coordinating hand-on volunteer days, a set number of employees will have the possibility to participate in community events and be introduced to project work directly. Contents of the activities can vary greatly and will attract different types of people depending on the type of event and organizations. The corporation employees can be involved in activities such as helping develop an event, creating a fundraiser, teaching classes to youth etc. Organizations would need to be scouted out and then selected by corporate point persons.

Preparation steps: assessment of issues and activities of interest, finding appropriate organizations; training and/or assisting the community group(s) with preparation, outreach to encourage employee participation; confirmation of event details between partner organizations; follow-up with participants to assess next steps.

Similar program run with an international financial institution in spring 2006
- 10 organizations were initially introduced, 3 made presentations and 2 were selected to develop events.
- 15 and 35 company employees took part in community work and cooking days respectively.
- The two events were very different and attracted different types of people.
- Both resulted in an on-going dialogue between the organizations and company and also resulted in financial support for community activities.

Possible role and budgetary needs:
- Set up volunteer day criteria in collaboration with corporate partner (approx. 3-4 hours)
- Contact and Introduce organizations, prepare them for corporate presentation (PPT, presentation style etc.) (approx. 4-8 hours)
- Meet with community groups on a regular basis (approx. 4-8 hours)
- Devise day (s) events along with nonprofit and corporate partners (approx. 12-20 hours varies greatly by event.)

Appox. Consulting cost: ¥250,000-300,000

3. Ongoing employee volunteer program
Many want to be involved in community activities, but do not know how to do so and/or what organizations are doing projects. This projects aims to develop regular volunteering by the corporation employees, who get involved by contributing their time and skills on a regular basis to a specific organization. This may take place once a week, once a month over an extended period of time for the support of a particular campaign or project. Contents of the volunteer activities will vary greatly.

Examples of skill set needs: outreach and PR for fundraising and/or events; financial planning and record keeping; strategic plan development, project proposal development; networking; web design, translation.
Examples of volunteer work contents: joining a planning committee for a particular project, teaching at a free school, designing pr materials, drawing up and executing an outreach plan, coordinating a corporate council, be an active member of a fundraising committee.

Preparation steps: assessment of employee interests, skills and commitment; meeting with the potential nonprofit NGOs; training and/or assisting the community group to set up volunteer program; employee and organizational representative orientation and meeting; confirmation of work details between partners; follow-up with participants.

Possible role and budgetary needs:
- Set up volunteer program, criteria for orgs and volunteers in collaboration with The corporation (approx. 4-8 hours)
- Contact and introduce organizations, prepare them for corporate presentation (PPT, presentation style etc.) (approx. 6-8 hours)
- Introduce employees to the program, the nonprofit sector and needs (approx. 2-4 hours)
- Devise volunteer schedule and orientation (approx. 3- 5 hours)
- Monitor progress (approx. 5-10 hours varies greatly by number of employees involved.)

Appox. Consulting cost: ¥250,000-300,000

4. In-house discussions and/or seminars
In-house events aimed at introducing organizations and possible ways of getting involved in community activities. Representatives from 3-5 different organizations are brought into the workplace to introduce their work and introduce how employees can contribute. By holding these at lunchtime or in the evening in the work location, a larger number of staff has the potential to participate in the events and thus be introduced to project ideas.

Preparation steps: assessment of key themes, finding appropriate organizations, doing outreach to employees, training and/or assistance to the presenters, developing seminar details, follow-up with participants to assess next steps.

Similar program held at an international bank in Fall 2004
– 3 organizations presented at 2 separate events
– Approximately 35 company employees joined each.
– Each seminar featured a panel discussion followed by break out sessions where employees could talk directly with the representative working in their area of interest.
– Weak points – lack of engagement, staff were expected to find an organization with which to volunteer. However the promotion of such activity required follow-up on the part of corporate staff members who did not have the time to do so.

Possible role and budgetary needs:
- Introduce organizations; prepare them for corporate presentation (PPT, presentation style etc.) (Approx 6-10 hours)
- Arrange seminars in collaboration with corporate partner (approx 10-12 hours)
- Facilitate seminars (approx. 2-6 hours)

Appox. Consulting cost: ¥200,000-250,000

Monitoring and evaluation
– Survey of employees and nonprofit staff involved should be conducted during and/or upon completion of project

Program method and resources required for each project:
- A more detailed project outline can be submitted after initial meeting assessing corporate project details and needs.
- Budgets would depend on the type of project and length of time program coordination is necessary.
- Cost ranges are given, as much would depend on the specific project contents. The Estimates for time and costs are based on past project experience.
- Corporate partner should expect to cover the program costs that the nonprofit incurs for the development of a new program, if it is created/coordinated just for corporate employees. If employees join a monthly/regular event, participation fees and/or related costs would need to also be taken into consideration.
- Project facilitation service costs are usually paid based on an hourly rate basis.

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONAL VOLUNTEER NEEDS
Needs: Based on telephone survey conducted in summer 2003, the following is a list of needs organizations requested assistance with from Volunteers:
¸ Finance and accounting
¸ PR and marketing,
¸ Fundraising and corporate outreach
¸ Outreach methods and materials development
¸ Professional writing (reports, business letters, proposals etc.)
¸ Tutoring and teaching
¸ Translation
¸ Driving and delivery assistance
¸ Design (poster, web, etc.)

Concerns and challenges: these were cited by organizations in response to issues faced in the development of corporate community projects:
¸ Continuing commitment of volunteers - one time might be okay for events, but more regular support is necessary.
¸ Volunteers must understand that volunteerism is a commitment – and organizations need to have regular schedules.
¸ Volunteers and corporate volunteer events come with a cost – meaning events cost money.
¸ People with any skills are great to have if they are interested in the work the organizations are doing.
¸ It is often most necessary to have volunteers that can help during the regular business hours (10am to 7 pm)