CASA of Lexington among top 11% of nation's nonprofits for volunteer effectiveness
Organization earns prestigious ‘Service Enterprise’ designation from Points of Light
Lexington, Ky (June 9, 2020) – Points of Light and Serve Kentucky, the state agency that manages programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Kentuckians engaged in service and volunteering, recently certified CASA of Lexington as a “Service Enterprise.” CASA of Lexington is part of the very first Service Enterprise cohort that certified in Kentucky.
This prestigious certification recognizes CASA of Lexington as a leading organization in volunteer engagement, leveraging its volunteers’ skills, talents, and resources strategically and thoughtfully at all levels of the organization. Organizations that certify join the top 11 percent of nonprofits nationwide in volunteer management and organizational performance.
“CASA of Lexington relies on volunteers to provide our mission of advocating for child abuse and neglect victims. However, not everyone can volunteer in that role,” said Melynda Jamison, Executive Director. “Becoming a certified Service Enterprise helped us develop new ways for volunteers to serve in areas of expertise they may have outside of our traditional advocacy role and serve as a Friend of CASA, which will support our overall mission. We are excited to officially launch this new role of volunteering within our organization.”
To achieve certification, CASA of Lexington completed an extensive assessment, training and coaching to better integrate volunteers into their organization. Research conducted by the TCC Group, a national program and evaluation firm, found that organizations operating as Service Enterprises outperform peer organizations on all aspects of organizational effectiveness, and are more adaptable, sustainable and capable of scaling their work.
The Service Enterprise Initiative is a national change management program that helps organizations gain a greater return on volunteer investment to better achieve their mission. For further information regarding the Service Enterprise Initiative and Serve Kentucky, visit https://serve.ky.gov/volunteers/Pages/capacity.aspx.
About CASA of Lexington
CASA of Lexington’s trained and supervised volunteers advocate through the family court systems in Fayette, Bourbon and Woodford counties to ensure all victims of child abuse and neglect are safe and thrive in a permanent home. We are adding Scott County to our coverage area in 2020. Changes such as where the child lives or goes to school, changes in social workers, teachers and friends, as well as the uncertainty of what life holds, can be very overwhelming for these children. The CASA volunteer is there to help recognize what the child needs, work to minimize these detrimental changes, and advocate for positive changes for the child’s future. Learn more or let us know you’re interested in volunteering at casaoflexington.org/volunteer or by calling (859) 246-4313.