Last year more than 300 people from 190 local nonprofit organizations participated in the Community Works conference. Even more are expected to attend this year's tenth annual event on Monday, January 29, from 5 to 9:15 p.m., at the Frist Campus Center on the Princeton University campus.
Participants will choose two from a selection of 18 workshops and panel sessions led by leading members of local non-profits organizations. The goal is for volunteers and paid staff alike to sharpen their skill sets, find out what other organizations are doing, and to expand awareness of the multiple needs of the community.
"Community Works supports the partnership between volunteers and non-profit agencies by addressing three key elements of success: networking; increasing awareness of community resources; and training," said founder Marge Smith by phone from Utah.
In addition to its serious purpose, the gathering has a lighter side, as colorful photographs posted on the website gleefully attest (www.PrincetonCommunityWorks.org). These show Ms. Smith and friends engaged in sessions with stuffed circus animals and, bewigged and behatted, conducting hands-on workshops.
"It's about making a difference and about having fun at the same time," said Ms. Smith, who described the origins of Princeton Community Works. "As executive director of the Princeton YWCA for seven years, I realized that people in nonprofits are trying to do very important things, eliminating homelessness and drug addiction among them. Since there was very little training available at reasonable cost for nonprofit board members, I devised this event to give everyone in the community the opportunity to learn from one another."
Always on the look out for interesting attention grabbers to spark discussion and illustrate concepts in management, Ms. Smith reported that this year, instead of listening to a keynote speaker, conference participants will be treated to a demonstration of management principles by a group of young women performers from Trenton.
Led by Vertulie Massenet, the group will demonstrate the Double Dutch style of jump rope in illustration of the sort of timing, cooperation, communication, and teamwork that are necessary for any successful nonprofit.
"I'm very excited about it," said Ms. Smith. "People learn from experience rather than by being told and the jump rope performance should make a memorable impression."
Besides chairing Community Works, Ms. Smith will lead a workshop titled: "The Three Rs of Volunteer Management: Recruit, Retain, Recognize." A consultant to nonprofits — running retreats, facilitating searches, and designing workshops for boards and staff — she also designed and teaches the Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management at Mercer County Community College, which is where she met Ms. Massenet and heard about the Double Dutch style of jump rope — briefly described as a rope skipping exercise involving two ropes turned like an eggbeater with a jumper or sequence of jumpers taking turns in the center.
Ms. Smith is currently chairman of the Human Resources Commission of Princeton and a member of several local boards, including Childcare Connection, the Rotary Club, and Hands On Helpers.
Other local professionals lending their time and talents to the conference include Linda Meisel, executive director of Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Mercer County, who served as executive director of Corner House Counseling Center for a decade. Ms. Meisel, whose credentials also include service on the board of the Jewish Center of Princeton, Princeton Young Achievers, and the Princeton Nursery School, will lead this year's workshop: "Constructing an Effective Board: Blueprint for Success."
Volunteers and staffers at local nonprofits from Angels Wings and the Arts Council to Womanspace and the YWCA, Princeton are expected to attend and to discuss workshop topics including: how to run an effective meeting or an event, strategic planning, growing membership, board development, website improvement, legal/tax policies, public speaking, media marketing, fund-raising, grant writing, major gift solicitation, volunteer management, training interns, and stress management.
Workshop facilitators and panelists will include the Rotary Club's Joe Scandariato, a 37 year veteran of the scouting movement; Claire Jacobus, who has chaired several community organizations including the Princeton Adult School, the Senior Resource Center, and the Friends of (Princeton University) Firestone Library, and is currently President of the Friends of the Princeton Public Library; Nancy Kieling of the Princeton Area Community Foundation; Karen Woodbridge, director of community relations at Princeton University; editor Barbara Figge Fox of U.S.1 newspaper, among others.
Early pre-registration is recommended for Community Works as space is limited and workshops will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration is $28 per participant (includes box dinner), and may be made online.
For more information, contact Marge Smith at (609) 924-8652, or visit www.PrincetonCommunityWorks.org.