LISTEN (Locally Inspired Service Teams Encouragement Network)

LISTEN

Locally Inspired Service Teams Encouragement Network

“A kingdom, city or home divided against itself is doomed,” Matthew 12:25 paraphrased.

This statement is familiar to many of us. “Unfortunately, over the past 3 – 4 decades, division has created a crisis situation for many families, communities and our country. Division and discords are tearing apart some of the fabric that has held our country together since its founding.
The growing divide between leaders of our political parties, ethnic and religious groups (to name a few) has reached into our communities, circles of friends and families. The number of taboo topics at holiday dinner tables has also grown for many of us. The internet has become both a blessing and a curse depending on how we use it to express our opinions.

The Need For LISTEN

LISTEN's GOOD NEWS

The GIST Founders and Leaders have chosen to follow the “Golden Rule” – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” as our antidote against division. It isn’t always easy, but it always eventually produces good results.

We considered different ways to effectively reach large numbers of people where they work, learn, worship, play and socialize. One word stood out – volunteers. A search for the benefits of volunteering yielded a bonanza of information. This information from a 2013 study by United Health Care and the Optimum Institute sums it up:


76 percent of U.S. adults who volunteer report that volunteering has made them feel physically healthier, and 78 percent report that volunteering lowers their levels of stress, leading to feeling better than adults who do not volunteer. The study also illustrates that employers benefit from employees who volunteer in terms of better employee health and in professional-skills development that employees use in the workplace.

“The study reveals four key benefits of volunteering that make a positive impact on people’s health:

  • Health: volunteers say that they feel better – physically, mentally and emotionally;
  • Stress: volunteering helps people manage and lower their stress levels;
  • Purpose: volunteers feel a deeper connection to communities and to others;
  • Engagement: volunteers are more informed health care consumers, and more engaged and involved in managing their health.

LISTEN's APPROACH

With so much groundwork, studies and volunteer projects in place, we worked hard to find one or two niches to which the GIST Team LISTEN can contribute.  We concluded that we can have a positive impact on increasing the:


  • Quality of volunteer experiences.
  • Numbers of volunteers
  • Numbers of groups seeking volunteers for the first time.

We will focus on developing our strategies within the State of Minnesota initially.


Our strategies will center on: 


  1. Promoting the use of Strength Finders 2.0 aiding in more meaningful uses of volunteers’ interests.
  2. Sponsor “training the trainers” workshops for appropriate leaders of business, schools, civic groups, prisons, nonprofits, treatment centers, prisons, churches, community education, military, etc.
  3. Partner with local Vocational Schools with social/mass media degrees to provide recruitment videos for assistance, upgrades and better presentations on radio, on You Tube, and local television stations for small nonprofits in the school’s area. 
  4. Develop working relationships with Gallup (“Strength Finders”) and You Tube.
  5. Develop best practice “Strengths Finders” participation methods in Minnesota first, then expanding to additional States second.

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