LifePath is pleased to announce that it has been certified by Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, as a Service Enterprise. Achieving Service Enterprise certification is a prestigious accomplishment for an organization. In fact, organizations that certify join the top 11 percent of nonprofits nationwide in volunteer management and organizational performance. Certification signifies that organizations have the capability and management expertise to strategically use volunteers to improve the performance of their organization. LifePath completed an extensive assessment—over 20 hours of training and coaching—and an extensive internal planning and change process to better integrate volunteers. By achieving this level of excellence and certification, LifePath is now better equipped to leverage the time and talent of volunteers and better meet our mission.
LifePath is the first nonprofit in Western Mass and the first Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) in Massachusetts to achieve the certification.
“LifePath provides opportunities for volunteers to contribute their time, energy, expertise, and life experience in support of programming serving the needs of older community members and those living with disabilities,” said Gary Yuhas, Executive Director, LifePath. “As a non-profit organization, LifePath experiences a number of resource challenges, and our dedicated and devoted volunteer corps steps up to help us initiate new, novel, necessary, and often unfunded programming that not only supports and strengthens our communities, but is also enriching, engaging, and rewarding for the volunteer.”
Achieving Service Enterprise certification is a prestigious accomplishment for an organization.
According to Susan White, Associate Director of Volunteer Resources, the process informed strategic planning for our numerous volunteer programs. “As a result of the rigorous expectations of this certification, we created and improved components of our volunteer programming, such as completing the first-ever LifePath Volunteer Satisfaction Survey and a Volunteer Handbook.”
Research conducted by the TCC Group, a national program and evaluation firm, found that organizations operating as Service Enterprises outperform peer organizations on all aspects of organizational effectiveness, and are more adaptable, sustainable, and capable of scaling their work.
“The Service Enterprise process allowed LifePath to take an objective look at our volunteer systems and identify and act on areas for improvement,” said Lynne Feldman, Director of Community Services & Planner at LifePath. “As an organization with a 49 year history, through the assessment and training process, we found many processes and practices in need of modernization, simplification, and improvement. As a result, our programs are stronger, volunteers are better supported, and consumers are more satisfied.”
The Service Enterprise program is a national change management program that helps organizations gain a greater return on volunteer investment to better achieve their mission. For further information regarding Service Enterprise, please contact Chris Woods, Program Officer for Volunteer Initiatives, Massachusetts Service Alliance. For more information regarding volunteer opportunities with our organization, please visit our Volunteer webpage or call 413-773-555 and ask for Volunteer Resources.
