Last February I had the opportunity to participate in the annual meeting of leaders of the Points of Light network, held in Manila, Philippines.
Since 2013 Volies has been a member of this organization, the largest in the world dedicated to volunteerism. In partnership with organizations and individuals, it builds a society where no one is left out.
Representatives from 24 countries came together with a common purpose: to empower volunteerism globally.
A hands-on start
Before diving into the work agenda, we got down to work (or rather, in the mud!) making almost 2,000 Bokashi balls, balls of mud and ferments that, when thrown into the water, help to regenerate ecosystems thanks to their microorganisms. A fun activity, with a tangible impact on the environment, which set the perfect tone for our meeting.
Bayanihan and corporate impact 💡
We participated in an inspiring conference organized by HandsOn Manila: “Exploring Bayanihan & Corporate Impact”. Bayanihan is a Filipino concept that reflects the spirit of helping each other without expecting anything in return, especially in difficult times. We explored how this value can be applied to corporate volunteering, its impact on employee motivation and discovered innovative cases of impact measurement.
Challenges and targets for 2030 🚀.
The work agenda focused on defining a common medium-term strategy with a major challenge for 2030: doubling the number of volunteers mobilized. We also addressed key issues such as:
✅ Impact measurement methodologies.
✅ Hybrid team management (remote and face-to-face).
✅ How to promote corporate volunteering in countries where it is still incipient.
✅ Relay planning in organizations, a topic we called “Passing the Light” (or, in the words of one speaker, “Ben under the bus” 😆).
Another key point was our role in an uncertain world 🌍 with experiences of partners who have faced disruptive challenges, such as the war in Ukraine.
Team well-being: the big topic of the meeting 🧘
Employee well-being was a cross-cutting theme throughout the conference. In an increasingly fast-paced and challenging world, caring for those who drive our organizations is more important than ever.
Of course, all of this was accompanied by spaces to strengthen the connection between affiliates and strengthen ties between organizations and people. 💙
All in all, a very enriching meeting, from which we came out stronger, more connected and more eager than ever to keep moving towards our common goal. And we are already on the move! 🚀💪
