5 1 How to Develop a Champion Network and Staff …

1 HOW TO Develop A Champion . Network AND Staff ENGAGEMENT. PLAN FOR YOUR WORKPLACE GIVING. PROGRAM. R. ACF EMPLOYER RESOURCE SERIES: HOW TO Develop A Champion Network & Staff ENGAGEMENT PLAN. THE AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES FUND OPERATIONS LIMITED 2012. Why Develop a workplace giving Champion Network and Staff Engagement Plan? R. Experience has shown employers with a strong Champion Network achieve greater program awareness and success. This is because: Face to face advocacy by champions is a highly effective way of promoting the program The Program Manager can't be everywhere all the time. Our research shows the average community/workplace giving Program Manager has many competing priorities, spending less than 5% of their time on promoting and managing the program.

2 Having champions throughout the business advocating for the program leads to much higher awareness and engagement champions who are key contacts for specific charities help spread the load for the Program Manager in managing the charity relationships champions generally are able to support the Program Manager with broader program promotion and the co-ordination of activities at a local/business unit level. Experience and research has also revealed employers and employees see workplace giving as broader than just regular pre-tax payroll donations. An employer's workplace giving program will generally include initiatives such as campaigns to drive awareness/.

3 Participation, communications and charity specific activities including volunteering, pro-bono work, resource sharing, workplace based fundraising and strategic partnerships. Developing a Staff Engagement Plan for your community/workplace giving program will enable employees to: Make a deeper connection with your charity partners Learn how their collective contributions are impacting their work and Find out how they can give their money, time or talent. Your step by step guide 1. Develop a Champion job description champions can help in the following ways: Bring the program to life within their team - they are the workplace giving voice'.

4 Within their group Talk to new employees at induction or one to one Distribute and display program collateral in the workplace, posters, desk dropping brochures/donation forms 2. ACF EMPLOYER RESOURCE SERIES: HOW TO Develop A Champion Network & Staff ENGAGEMENT PLAN. THE AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES FUND OPERATIONS LIMITED 2012. Provide input into developing the annual program plan Promote and engage people in community/workplace giving initiatives, program launch, sign-up campaigns and events/activities R. Participate in volunteering, skill sharing and workplace fundraising events Share donation impact feedback at team meetings Co-ordinate and promote Staff engagement activities at a local level Listen and respond to feedback from team members Meet as a Champion team every few months to share their knowledge A great Champion demonstrates the following attributes: High performer Passionate and enthusiastic Strong communication, influencing and people skills Highly respected within the team/organisation Action focussed and organised Able to commit time 2.

5 Recruit champions Call for expressions of interest from your employees. Explain the rationale for your program, your program goals, outline the role of a Champion and the attributes you're looking for. Aim to get a cross-section of champions throughout your organisation ( a mix of locations, seniority, business units). You may already have a Champion /. advocate Network for community activity. If so, we suggest you engage this group and reiterate the role you would like them to play. 3. Hold a workplace giving Champion and Staff Engagement Planning workshop The purpose of the workshop is to: Deepen relationships amongst the employer, champions and Charity Partners Learn about program activity and results to date Brainstorm, Develop ideas and plan communications, campaigns and activities to connect head, heart and hip pocket'.

6 3. ACF EMPLOYER RESOURCE SERIES: HOW TO Develop A Champion Network & Staff ENGAGEMENT PLAN. THE AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES FUND OPERATIONS LIMITED 2012. EMPLOYERS .. R. with a Charity Champion Network achieve greater program awareness and success 4. Invite the champions and Charity Partners to the workshop: Explain the rationale for your program, its goals and the workshop objectives As pre-work, ask your charity partners to identify two to three activities in which your Staff can become involved. Activities may include events the charity partner already has in place, unskilled volunteering activities, pro-bono projects or workplace fundraising initiatives.

7 When identifying activities, ask the charity partners to consider: The name and a brief description of the activity When they would prefer the activity to take place Where the activity will take place (national versus local). What type of activity it is What outcomes will be achieved through conducting the activity What resources (people, venue, costs if any) would be involved for the employer A workshop will generally take about hours and should cover: An overview of the program why the program exists, what activities the program includes, who manages the program, program goals, key roles Insights on what makes a successful community/workplace giving program The channels you use to engage Staff in workplace giving, recruitment, induction, champions , campaigns, communications, activities ACF EMPLOYER RESOURCE SERIES.

8 HOW TO Develop A Champion Network & Staff ENGAGEMENT PLAN. THE AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES FUND OPERATIONS LIMITED 2012. A brainstorming session to capture ideas for Staff engagement activities. These may include program-wide communications, campaigns to drive Staff awareness/. participation and charity specific activities such as volunteering, pro-bono projects, R. workplace fundraising, charity events 4. Put your plan into action Agree what activities will be incorporated into your program plan take a holistic approach and include program communications, campaigns and charity specific activities and events. Ensure the plan is manageable for you, the Committee/.

9 champions and the charity partners it's better to do a few things well throughout the year than attempt to do too many and create charity fatigue'. Assign a leader for each activity Plan/co-ordinate logistics and promotion with stakeholders Track outcomes, gain stakeholder feedback and provide program impact feedback to Staff on a regular basis (at least six monthly). Employees love to see and hear how their colleagues are making a difference through your community program Review and Develop your program plan annually Need further help? ACF provides consulting services to Develop Champion Networks and Staff Engagement Plans.

10 The Institute engaged The Australian Charities Fund to Develop a strategy for our community program Everybody Counts. As part of the strategy, ACF. advised on the development of a Champion Network and they facilitated a highly successful Staff engagement planning workshop for stakeholders, giving us a clear roadmap for promoting and managing the growth of our program.. Pamela Lee The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia Other related resources: How to Communicate Donation Impact For ACF's How to Communicate Donation Impact, go to the Resources section of the Library on our website. 5. ACF EMPLOYER RESOURCE SERIES: HOW TO Develop A Champion Network & Staff ENGAGEMENT PLAN.