Am I Making the Right Decision? The Role of Ethics in Volunteer Engagement

Description

We all encounter ethical dilemmas in our daily work with and for the community, but organizations rarely focus on ethics related to volunteer engagement. This session offers practitioners the opportunity to understand the distinctions between personal, organizational, and professional ethics. Our presenter will focus on the core values and principles identified by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA). 

Participants learn basic ethical decision-making processes and then apply their learning through practical exercises, using real-world scenarios from the field of volunteer engagement. Finally, several specific strategies are offered to increase organizational ethics awareness among volunteers and staff, enabling them to become more effective in handling ethical dilemmas. 

Ethical standards are a hallmark of every recognized profession, and the CCVA supports Volunteer Engagement Professionals in pursuit of these core standards. Those who lead and support volunteers must be committed to the following core ethical values: 

1. Citizenship 
2. Respect 
3. Accountability 
4. Fairness 
5. Trust

Candidates for the CVA certification are required to affirm their intent to uphold these ethical standards. Volunteer Engagement Professionals and leaders of volunteers (paid or unpaid) should base their decision-making on these five core ethical values to: 

• be accessible to diverse groups 
• operate ethically with all stakeholders 
• maintain public trust 
• sustain a helping environment
• minimize the risk for legal actions
• promote continuous improvement 

Register HERE

Speaker Bio: Heather Jackson is the Manager of Volunteer Services at UCHealth Greeley Hospital in Greeley, Colorado. She has a degree in Human Services and obtained her CVA in 2016 (with renewal in 2021). She began working with volunteers in 2010 and enjoys finding ways to create purpose and a sense of belonging for the volunteers in her programs. She has previously worked for the Denver Rescue Mission, where she managed volunteers and interns at their two Northern Colorado facilities, as well as at Volunteers of America, overseeing their AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. Heather is active with the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA), serving on their Ethics and Outreach Committees, and also with DOVIA Colorado as a member of their Education Committee. She loves collaborating with others in the field and mentoring those new to volunteer management. In her free time, she loves to hike, listen to live music, sit on a patio (with beer or wine in hand!), and travel.