← We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits
We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits
641. 7 Tips to Building a Thriving Volunteer Program - Nicole Stewart, Boston CASA
00:36:47
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A
Hey friends, you know we love powerful tech that tells a story of what's happening within your mission. But when that tech is incredible and free, we have to shout its buttery.
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B
Goodness from the rooftops.
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GiveButter is the easiest to use, all in one nonprofit fundraising platform that empowers millions of change makers like you to raise more, pay less and give better. Nonprofits use GiveButter to bring together multiple categories of tools including mobile friendly donation forms, fundraising campaigns, events, auctions, email marketing, a built in CRM, and so much more. And thanks to their 100% transparent tip or fee model, GiveButter's core fundraising features are free no matter how many contacts you have. Head to givebutter.com weareforgood to sign up for your free account today and get started in minutes. Hey, I'm John.
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C
And I'm Becky.
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A
And this is the We Are for Good podcast.
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Nonprofits are faced with more challenges to accomplish their missions and the growing pressure to do more, raise more, and be more for the causes that improve our world.
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A
We're here to learn with you from some of the best in the industry, bringing the most innovative ideas, inspirational stories, all to create an impact uprising.
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C
So welcome to the good community. We're non profit professionals, philanthropists, world changers and rabid fans who are striving to bring a little more goodness into the world.
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A
So let's get started. Hey, be what's happening.
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D
I am so excited because today y', all, this episode is for you. We have been doing some deep listening inside our community and we've heard from so many listeners and friends across the entire We Are for Good ecosystem that they're looking to grow volunteer programs. And boy howdy did we find an incredible expert to share what's working. So today we're going to be diving in how to cultivate strong volunteer relationships, centering equity and lived experience. Our favorite things and practical strategies for recruitment and retention. So you got to introduce our incredible guest, John.
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B
Yeah. I'm so excited for y' all to meet Nicole Stewart.
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A
She's the executive director at Boston's casa.
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B
And if you're not familiar with casa, it's a non profit that trains and supports volunteers to serve as court appointed special advocates for children. And Nicole brings such incredible rich experience. With more than 25 years in school administration and nonprofit leadership, she's literally dedicated her career to improving the lives of vulnerable children and advocating for systemic change through equity and lived experience. Nicole, what a delight to have you on the show. Welcome to the podcast.
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E
No thanks so much for Having me, John and Becky.
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B
Yes. I mean, okay, we are so impressed with what you've done professionally. But when you come to we are for good, we want to get to know the human. Take us into a little bit of your story, Nicole. What are some formative experiences of your growing up up that led you into this work you're doing today?
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E
So true. Disclaimer. And I'm going to date myself just a little bit, but I'm realizing that nothing in life is ever straightforward. And the funny part is when I was younger, I never thought I'd say this, but I've actually become a bit of a storyteller. But, you know, the truth is I've come to understand the importance of our journey and how every single step, even the painful ones, they really do shape who we are and how we show up in the world for others. So indulge me for a moment. Here's my story. So about 10 years ago, I was the executive director of one of the Boys and Girls clubs in Boston. And one morning before my staff and the children arrived, I walked into the conference room, which I would often do because it was a serene space and it had these huge floor to ceiling windows. And when you looked out, you could see a wide green field which was known as Franklin Field. And it's a popular public park and gathering space in Dorchester, which is in the inner city. And the park is often utilized for hosting things like youth sports and community events. But if you look just beyond the field, you'd see the Franklin Field housing development, which when I was growing up was called. They weren't housing developments, they were housing processes, projects. But that's where my story began. Franklin Field was home for me until I was around three years old, before being removed from my mother and placed into the child welfare system. So my parents were teenagers when I was born. My mother was only 17 and they were never married. They were both products of that same environment. And sadly, my mom, she struggled with alcohol and drug addiction nearly her entire life. And it's what she eventually succumbed to. And both she and my father spent time in and out of the prison system. But life there in Franklin Field was hard. You know, families face poverty, trauma, limited opportunities, and so for many, they it's hard to break that cycle. And it becomes a vicious cycle. And it's not uncommon to see generations of families who grow up in these housing developments. And yet there I was all of those years later, standing in that conference room, looking out the window, the executive director of a major community organization. And in that moment, my whole life flashed before me, and I thought about everything I had been through. By the time I was 16 and reconnected with my biological parents, I had already lived in at least six different foster homes. I had endured abuse. I had faced domestic violence, violence. I had attempted suicide beginning as early as six years old. But standing at that window, it was different. You know, something shifted at me, and it was a pivotal moment. Because no one, I will say, not even me, would have imagined that little girl from the Franklin Field housing development could have made it to where I was. And, you know, the truth is, I didn't make it there alone. My foster mother, in fact, she's the only person I've ever called mom, took me in when I was 5, until I turned 11 years old. And she changed my life. She taught me the value of hard work. She showed up for me all of the time and showed me the importance of education. I earned two master degrees. But more than that, she showed me what it meant for a child to have a consistent, caring adult in their life. And that is what changed everything for me. And so that day, looking out the window, I realized something. My passion for children, it really wasn't just passion. It was purpose. That I believe was calling me forward. And that purpose, eventually, is what led me to Boston Casa, where, where I've been leading for a little over three years. And right now we're on an ambitious growth path to triple the number of children we serve and double our budget by 2028. And today we have more than 200 volunteers serving over 300 children. And our goal is to reach over 500 children in the next couple of years, which means more volunteers, more staff, more resources. So when I think about that little girl from Franklin Field, when I think about her journey, and then I look at the work that I feel so blessed to do with over 200amazing volunteers who I can't wait to share more about, as well as an incredible staff, board of directors, and just a host of other stakeholders. It really does feel, feel like life has come full circle. Now. I, I, I know I was fortunate, I must say that. And, and I beat many odds. And for so many children in foster care, the outcomes are, they're heartbreaking. You know, statistically, only half will graduate from high school. Just 3 to 4% will earn a four year college degree. 50% will experience homelessness by age 76. 70% will be arrested at least once by that same age. So children, they don't get to choose their parents. You know, they don't get to choose the circumstances they're born into and when they're removed from their homes, it's traumatic. They may bounce from foster placement to foster placement, change schools over and over, see professionals rotate in and out of their lives. And this is where Casa truly can make just a significant difference.
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Hey friends, here's a bit of real talk. This movement doesn't happen without community and that includes our incredible ecosystem partners.
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Big gratitude to gift butter, RKD group, donor doc, feather whiteboard and so on. These aren't just sponsors, they're mission driven allies showing up to fuel change alongside us.
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A
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D
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B
You want to learn more?
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Head over to weareforgood.com Rex that's we are for good.com recs for VIP access to orgs and amazing humans doing really great work.
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D
This is probably one of the first times on the podcast I started tearing up in the first five minutes and I I just want to say, Nicole, I'm so glad you're here. I'm so glad you're in this work. That was a very powerful story. We've done quite a bit of focus on this podcast on the child welfare system and I love that we're talking about volunteers in this episode because it is a calling to come and care and be that consistent source for these kids. And I want to get in to your organization, which is absolutely incredible. And I also want to validate. You are one heck of a storyteller.
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B
Right.
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D
But I want to talk to you about this very important mission. What drew I mean clearly we know what drew you in. And because I love that we teased a little about the lived experience and how important that is in this work. John it's bringing me back to Sixto cancel over at Think of us, who's just brought so much knowledge to this community about kinship care and about how important it is for people working in this to have lived experience. Kirk Brown over at Handy has talked about this as well. Talk about what drew you in and how has your journey shaped your approach at Boston casa.
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E
Yeah, I mean, what drew me in? It's what I just talked about. I really do feel that I'm Living out my purpose. You know, I am a person of faith and I believe that things do happen for a reason. Our journey is our journey. And you know, I feel that it's really important to find. I think every executive director should do some work around. I've done work with my own executive coach around purpose driven leadership and making sure that I am leading with intentionality. And it just gives so much clarity to what you're doing and how you, how you lead. And it helps you to really lead with authenticity, which I think is really, really important, especially in the work of nonprofits. But I should just share a little bit more about what CASA is so that you know, and the work of CASAs to give a little bit. I really love to shine light on our casas and I would love to start just telling a little bit more about what they do. I call them my earthly angels because they are, you know, but casa, you know, it stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. And they're volunteers, they're everyday people from all walks of life. They're sworn in by family court judges and have the legal authority to advocate for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Casas, they're the voices for children in court. And it's actually how the program got started by a judge in Seattle who didn't feel like they were hearing that the children weren't allowed to go to court and wanted someone specifically there advocating and giving voice to that child. And so judges, they listen to our CASAs and our CASAs help them to make really critical, life changing decisions about a child's future. Each of our CASAs, they're assigned to just one child, which is very unique because everyone on the case has lots of children or youth who they're working with. But our CASAs can focus on just one child or sibling group at a time and often they become the only consistent adult in that child's life. Our casas, they, they, they visit their, their child or their youth at least twice a month. So it's a commitment. They teachers and social workers, attorneys, everyone involved in the case. They advocate for medical needs, educational needs, emotional needs. And one of the most important things that they do is they submit reports to the court so that the judge can make the most informed decision possible for that child's future. And so if I could just tell one story of a casa, we love stories. Bring it on to give some insight. So Chris is zakasa and he was assigned to a 13 year old boy. The boy's mother struggled with drug addiction, had recently and she had recently passed away. His father was absent. And with no foster placement available, this child was hotbedded is what they call it, for 30 nights straight. So he went from house, from bed to bed, home to home from, for 30 nights straight. Imagine that. And so, you know, he slept in a different foster home every single night. And by the time he arrived at a recovery center, he, you know, was anxious, he was withdrawn, he was barely speaking. And he was also facing 13 assault and battery charges. So at first, he didn't trust his counselor. Chris would show up and he's like, who are you? As most young people do. He thought Chris was just another adult telling him what to do, maybe even profiting off of him. But when he learned that Chris was a volunteer, someone showing up simply because he cared, that's when the walls began to come down. And slowly, trust grew. Through games of chess and uno and through quiet conversations about sports and movies, Chris kept showing up at football games, at basketball practices, always in the stands, often with his k, Kiddo's favorite Italian sub. But that consistency, it mattered. And over time, Chris worked with the youth's attorney to get all 13 of his charges dismissed. That meant fewer barriers when the youth was applying to schools or job programs or housing in the future. And when Chris reflected on it later, he said something beautiful. He said, the real work of a casa is in the everyday things. It's in being the adult who keeps showing up simply because you care. And that's the heart of casa. And the impact is clear, according to data. And it states that kids are more likely to do better in school if they have a casa. They're more likely to get the resources and services they need to thrive. They're more likely to find a safe and stable home. At least half are less likely to reenter the child welfare system. So when I think about, you know, my mom, my foster mother who took me in at 5, and being that adult who gave me a foundation that I could later return to, I may not have been able to appreciate different things at the time, but I was able to return to things that she had said or opportunities that have been provided for me. That is what makes a difference. And these young people who are in the foster care system, they often don't have that consistent adult in their life. And developmentally, like all kids, no matter whether you're in foster care or not, I have a 23 year old son. And, you know, developmentally, they all go through challenges, but they have, you know, someone, an adult who is there helping them and supporting Them and guiding them through those different stages of their development and helping them to make good choices. And a lot of our young foster children just do not have that. And our CASAs are able to, in some ways, fill that gap.
- [17:58]
B
Goodness.
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A
Yeah.
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B
I think what's amazing is that so many orgs rely on volunteers, but it is so intertwined in your mission. And so the people that you call human angels, or what was your exact phrase, Earth angels, earthly angels is such, like, a moniker for, like, how they show up. So, you know, we. We let in at the beginning of this saying we found someone that can teach us all the things about volunteers we weren't kidding. Like, the way that y' all recruit and find people that can step into such sacred spaces that create places of equity and kindness and trust with some of the most vulnerable humans in our midst too. I'm just so curious about your advice. Like, what does it look like to manage and engage volunteers like this? What advice could you give to someone listening that, like, wants to build and recruit and retain volunteers that have this level of impact at their organizations too?
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E
Well, a lot of it starts with your own organizational values and how our staff show up. They have to reflect also that which we expect, you know, so we've done a lot within our organization around our core values, you know, and our guiding principles and making sure that we live up to those, not just, you know, within our organization, but how we show up externally with partners or just various stakeholders, and importantly with our CASAs. And so, you know, it's a big commitment to be a casa. And so we really do acknowledge the level of commitment and sometimes the emotional toll that it can take on people who are encountering the court system sometimes for the first time. You know, a lot of our classes, they don't have the same backgrounds as our, as our kiddos. And it may be their first time experiencing, you know, the child welfare system and the family court system. And so I feel that really does start with your staff and having a really solid, good team. And then it comes down to, for us, you know, making sure that we provide CASAs with everything that they need to help to ensure their success. So, you know, as I said, it does take a commitment. You know, volunteers, they start with a virtual information session, then an application and an in depth interview. So, you know, that level of engagement very early on really shows the CASAs that we're invested and we care and we care about those who are interacting with our children. And then if it's a good fit, you know, they completed the 35 hour pre service training. So it's a commitment, you know, before they even assigned a case. And the training covers everything from understand the child welfare system to education, advocacy to support LGBQ2+ and you know, children who are impacted by domestic violence. And so I think really making sure that your volunteers are equipped, prepped, I feel that our training is top notch and it's ongoing, you know, the support is ongoing. So they just don't get trained and show up or show up for an interview, get trained and then they're off. But we also have in service training for the entire year. And we actually require our CASAs to have at least 12 hours of ongoing learning again to support. And most CASAs want that, they want that level of. It just shows that we care, right? And that we're invested in most CASAs once they're in the work and they see how complex it can be, they want that level of support. We provide peer groups, again, another mechanism of support. And our casas, they're all paired with a professional staff member who we call advocate supervisors and they guide and they support our CASAs through every single case. And you know, the cases are complex and the stakes are really high. And our children, they really do deserve the best that we can give them. And so we make sure that our CASAs are equipped to be able to live up to that standard. And at the same time, we ensure that our staff, that they're receiving the same thing to equip them to support our CASAs. And the last thing that I would say is just around communication and acknowledgement of your volunteers. Right? So we have a newsletter to keep our CASAs informed and engaged in the organization, to let them know that they are a part of our organization. They are not just a part, they are integral to the success of our organization. And we really try to send that message. We have a CASA of the month. We do things called volunteer mixers to show our appreciation of their work and their dedication. And so there's a lot, it's, you know, we have to invest in our volunteers and make sure that we're fueling them so that their tanks don't, don't run empty. And we're constantly finding different ways in which we can, we can do that.
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D
The way that you're coming at it, from the extreme training, which I very much support, to the connectivity, to the consistency to the support. I mean, I've been sitting here thinking, you answered it just a little bit. How do you keep that engagement high? How do you keep the Joy high and the connectivity, because I can imagine the burnout rate for something like this would be high. But the friends I know and the people I know that are in casa, and I got to give a shout out to Kim Van Biber, who is CASA of Oklahoma County Executive Director, very active in this community. People are joyful. They are so passionate about helping these kids. And you mentioned at the beginning, this vision you shared about scaling your impact, needing more volunteers. What does that strategy look like to increase volunteer recruitment? And I'm wondering what advice you would share with nonprofit leaders who are looking to recruit more volunteers. Because what I hear in you is lots of communication, lots of training, lots of interface. You're building community around them, you're giving them tools. And so it feels like there's very much a drumbeat. And I'm curious about how you increase that volunteer recruitment and how do you keep them for a long time? Because I would bet these are what we call rabbit fans. These are what we call believers. The they believe so deeply in the mission. Like, what have you got?
- [24:54]
E
Yeah. So since we're giving shout outs, I have to give a shout out to Community Action Partners. Awesome.
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D
Yes.
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E
They're pro bono consultancy from Harvard Business School and Kennedy School. And when I first started at Boston casa, because we wanted to scale the program, I applied and we were very fortunate to have our application accepted. And they are the ones who, for 10 months, it was very intense, but they helped us to put together a five year strategic plan. And so that also included scaling, you know, for our, our volunteers and staff. And of course, how do we increase our funding? And so we're in year three of this growth plan. And what I have found is that given the number of volunteers that we have, you know, I'm always just in awe of the number of people who want to do this. Like, we don't have to go out, you know, fishing for volunteers. They really do come to us. And so what's wonderful and beautiful about this is that it has helped me to recognize despite what's going on in our country, there are a lot of good people out here who want to do something good and want to get behind something good. And so this, this lends an opportunity. And, you know, the fact that like our growth plan, we want, we want to do more. And so people also want to get behind something, you know, they want to get behind something that's growing. So it's a positive message that we want to serve more children. This year, for the first time in Boston casa's history, we added a third volunteer training in order to meet the growth, you know, and the number of young people who we're serving. And when people hear that and hear, whether it's on the radio or on broadcast like this, that we want to provide and do more for some of our most vulnerable kids, they're like, sign me up. So I would say that having, you know, a positive message, you know, this is not to toot my own horn. I'm not that kind of person. But I do believe that leadership is important and your ability to be able to lead authentically in this space. And, you know, what's unique about me is that I come from this, you know, and so I can share the testimony that having a caring adult in your life, it really and truly can. You can look down the road now, 53 years. That's how old I am. Not shame.
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D
Don't look at it. You look amazing.
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E
But you can see down the road what your support could possibly look like. You never know the life that you're touching. And so I believe that having authentic leadership and having a clear vision that you are constantly rallying behind. I know it sounds like you would think that everybody does that, but I think that consistent, clear messaging about who you are, what you're doing, and why you're doing it, you know, is compelling for people to want to. You got to have something that they want to get behind. There are a lot of great missions out there, you know, but what would compel somebody to come to your organization? And it's not a competition, but I think it's just being able to. To tell your story, and I don't mean mine personally, but the story of your organization and to be able to share, you know, impact and what it means and how it affects the lives of whoever you're working with. In our instance, of course, is children and youth.
- [28:43]
B
Nicole, you're so awesome. You don't have to toot your own horn. We can toot it. Like, we're good with this. Like, we can go over here and say, the things you are saying matter so much. And thank you for stepping into the hard into this space, because it is modeling that to other people, and it is joyful. It isn't all hard. It is meaningful and deep and connected to us at such a human level. Okay. We spend time on this podcast being storytellers, too. We're obsessed with how moments happen in our life that maybe seem very small in a moment, but then they end up sticking with us for years. And we want to ask about a moment of philanthropy like that for you and your journey, it could be a small moment of philanthropy or a gift or just kindness along the way. What would you share with us?
- [29:29]
E
You know, my mom, the woman I met when I was just five years old, was the very first example I ever had of what it means to give of yourself selflessly. I wasn't her only foster child. She had two biological children and cared for many, many, many other foster children. And she didn't just care for us in the basic sense, but she worked tirelessly to open doors, to expose us to opportunities that could change the entire trajectory of our lives. And now as an adult and as a mother myself, I think about how difficult that must have been for her. She was an older single woman with maybe no more than a six, sixth grade education, and yet she poured everything she had into children who needed her. And I learned so much from her example. And both personally and professionally, I've really tried to live my life as a reflection of what she taught me. And that is to pay forward the opportunities that were afforded to me. And you know, that same spirit, that same selfless act of kindness and care, I see it again and again in our casas. And that's why I just hold them in such high regard because like my mom, they step in, they show up and they give of themselves in ways that can change a child's life forever.
- [31:07]
D
I just think these are the heroes doing the work, showing up, being consistent, modeling empathy, modeling integrity and love and those things that help us feel alive. And I don't know why the story is coming to me and I feel like I want to share it and it may be a little cheesy on that side, I'm going to share it, but it keeps coming back to me because I think because you shared your story at the very beginning. And I've had three year old Nicole in my brain this entire and I've been holding her in this conversation. I remember, you know, I was a big student council nerd growing up and my student council instructor really impressed this idea upon us that everyone, and not everyone, but every one single individual matters deeply. And he would tell this story about how this man was walking on the beach and there were just thousands of starfish that were on the beach and he was picking them up and he was throwing them back in. And you know, a man came up to him and said, there is no way you're going to be able to get all of these. Why are you doing this? And he says, because it matters to this one And I think about volunteering and how it matters to the 1. I think about when we all pool together and we take care of one, then the one becomes so many. And so I just want to give a shout out to anyone who volunteers in this lifetime. If you are someone who does it at your own org or you do it in another org, that you have to Nicole's point person, personal passion and purpose toward. But I also want to give a shout out to CASA who is standing in the gap for these kids who are scared to death and they are unmoored. And I want to thank you so much for helping the one in doing it times tens of thousands. So we got to distill it down to one good thing. Nicole, we end our conversation and we want to know from you, do you have like a secret habit, a quote you live by, maybe a piece of advice that you would leave for our audience? What's your one good thing today?
- [33:28]
E
You know, leading a nonprofit, it's. It's tough work, you know, but the impact we make is essential to the well being of society, to the world in fact. And what I've learned is this. You have to know what grounds you. And for me, it's my faith in God. It keeps me hopeful and it helps me to avoid burnout. It's like putting on your own mask first on a plane. You can't help others if you can't breathe yourself. So what I would encourage for listeners is to find your own practice, whether it's faith, reflection, time for renewal, and protect it. You know, let it fuel you because when you're grounded, you can lead with clarity, resilience and purpose, which is just so essential in leadership and to those who we serve, that's my one good thing.
- [34:30]
B
Dang, what a way to go out, my friend. The power of the practice. I feel like that really hits and resonates with me, especially with every new day waking up. You don't know all the uncertainty you're going to face, but you can cling to those things that you can kind of control and come back to and count on day after day. So thank you for that, friend. I know you all are looking for more volunteers in the Boston area.
- [34:52]
A
So let's definitely give a plug there.
- [34:53]
D
We are for good community. Get in there.
- [34:55]
B
Yeah, like what are the other ways to connect with casa? Definitely give a plug for help. Someone that could raise a hand maybe in their local community. And just how can people find you too? Where do you hang out? Online.
- [35:05]
E
Absolutely. So we serve in Boston two of the largest counties in Massachusetts. So we're called Boston Casa because that's where we started. So we serve Suffolk county and we also serve Middlesex county, which is the largest county in Massachusetts. So anyone in those areas, you can always jump on our website. And that's www.bostoncasa.org Boston CASA. All one word. And I don't hang out, like, anywhere. You'd have to email me. And so if you go, I'm not.
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D
On Instagram with her. Sweet dog.
- [35:44]
E
Oh, my goodness. Yeah, I need to get a life. So, yeah, if you get online and you want to learn more about our organization or you want to attend an info session, it is all on our website. If you want to reach out to me, you can grab my email off the website. But it's nicole@bostoncasa.org and Becky and John. I want to thank you for inviting me on this show. I appreciate you doing this work. It's really important. And so I appreciate the fact that you guys are taking the time to talk about important, good stuff.
- [36:25]
D
We agree that there are good people out there looking to do good, and we want to lift those stories as much as we can. And you are on the front lines doing it. And we just thank you so humbly for coming in here and for. And we have to say keep going. We are truly rooting for you every step of the way.
- [36:45]
E
Thank you so great. Appreciate you guys.