Employee Volunteer Programs... A WIN, WIN, WIN!

How Can Your Business Support Character Counts! Week?

This week is Character Counts! Week, an annual celebration of good character in our communities. Schools, youth organizations, civic groups, and businesses alike are celebrating good character and the importance of teaching basic ethical values to youth. Today I want to focus on the impact a business can make by embracing the concept of corporate social responsibility, maintaining the health and well-being
of the communities in which they do business . A concept that has existed more than half a century.

How great would it be to create a WIN, WIN, WIN situation for your business, employees, and the community in which you serve? Well you can do just that; and it is quite simple. An Employee Volunteer Program is the answer! It is the blend of corporate social responsibility and good business practice. Described below are the WIN, WIN, WIN benefits of such programs as suggested from the Joseph & Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics — (Founder of Character Counts! Week).

WIN, WIN, WIN Benefits of Employee Volunteer Programs !

Benefits to Communities
• Creates healthier communities by improving the overall quality of life
• Helps address/solve vital social problems
• Generates a renewed spirit of citizenship and civic pride
• Provides new talent and ideas to meet community needs
• Increases the level and quality of community services
• Opens lines of communication among various segments of the community
• Strengthens the local economy

Benefits to Employees
• Strengthens employees’ organizational, leadership, communications, financial management, and
decision-making skills
• Encourages teamwork
• Enables employees to develop new skills
• Creates a better quality of life where employees live and work
• Reduces stress and increases morale
• Expands networking within the company
• Increases employee awareness of and interest in community issues
• Generates an increased sense of patriotism, citizenship, and civic pride

Benefits to Companies
• Bolsters image as a “Good Corporate Citizen” and builds goodwill toward the company
• Increases employee morale, loyalty, and productivity
• Creates team-building opportunities
• Improves communications and relations between management and the workforce
• Showcases the company as a good place to work (“Employer of Choice”)
• Enhances/increases employee recruitment and retention
• Creates ways to implement or address strategic business goals and objectives
• Promotes awareness about the company in the community

Character Counts! Week ... The Biggest Celebration of Character in the World!

Yesterday kicked off the celebration of  National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week. More than 4 million young people in over 50 countries are expected to celebrate during October 21-27. The premise of Character Counts Week is to have fun, but the message is to strive for good character at all times in every situation.

The celebration of Character Counts was established by The Joseph & Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics — a nonprofit and nonpartisan teaching organization based in Los Angeles, California. According to the Josephson Institute, many of the country’s leading educational and youth-serving institutions belong to the Coalition, including the YMCA, 4-H, Little League, Boys & Girls Clubs, the NEA and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. 

Every year, the U.S. President, U.S. Senate, state governors, and officials around the world proclaim the third week in October CHARACTER COUNTS! Week. Last year 8 million kids in 60 countries participated. No matter what your political or religious affiliation, this event is about the universal values we share.

 CHARACTER COUNTS! Week is an annual celebration of good character and the importance of teaching basic ethical values to youth in our communities, schools, youth organizations, and businesses. “Character education programs work. Currently, there are character education programs across all 50 States in rural, urban and suburban areas at every grade level. Schools across the country that have adopted strong character education programs report better student performance, fewer discipline problems, and increased student involvement within the community.”
— Sen. Chris Dodd, announcing a bipartisan resolution proclaiming National CC! Week 2009. 

This week is a great time to celebrate good character in your community, school, and business help galvanize citizens around their most important year-round task: teaching young people the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship). This week Image Savvy Consultants will do just that by sharing practical, fun, and life impacting ideas with you. It is our goal make it effortless for you to place an emphasis on character development of the young people and others in your life.  We have included some suggestions from the Josephson Institute below for Seven Days of Character for Adults & Daily Character Ideas for Kids.

Seven Days of Character for Adults

Sunday... Food for Thought
More local foodbanks are experiencing a crisis as they have more people in need and fewer supplies to distribute. Find out how you can lend a hand, either by volunteering a couple of hours, or donating some 
needed food. 

Monday... Caring Coupons
Get out your scissors and start clipping coupons that care. You don’t have to get money off to get a buzz –
sometimes it’s enough to read a feel-good story online or in the press and keep them on file to refer to when 
the news is just too much. You can also give them to friends for inspiration when they’re feeling down.

Tuesday... Recycle, Reuse, Reduce
Good citizenship includes being environmentally aware, and recycling makes cents! Find out where your local recycling depot is and raise some money for a local charity by recycling your bottles and cans. You’ll be doing your part for the planet and your community. 

Wednesday... Share the Load
So it might not be your actual JOB to return the shopping cart to the store, but how about taking a little time to share these tasks? Perhaps your supermarket no longer employs people to collect carts, or maybe your local diner waitress would appreciate it if you wiped up the crumbs from the table you ate at, or you could leave that hotel room just a little bit tidier before you check out. 

Thursday... Invite a 360-Degree Appraisal
Want to really show you’re trying to be better? Invite your coworkers to give you an annual review based on the values of the Six Pillars of Character.   

Friday... Be Patient With Bad Manners 
That includes your own! Bite your tongue, tone it down, and take deep breaths. Everyone gets frazzled in today’s demanding society, but try to stay calm and be polite all day. Treat others as if they were ladies and gentlemen – not because they are, but because you are.

Saturday... Help From Home
Finding time in a busy week to volunteer can be tough, but what if you could do it from the comfort of your own home? Help From Home is a site that lets you do just that. Visit them to learn how you can help without even changing out of your PJs. 

Daily Character Ideas for Kids

Self-reflection Sunday
We all know the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, repsonsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship, of course!), so why not take time to reflect on your performance in each of the six areas? Could you be doing better? Write down one thing you’d like to improve for each Pillar and keep good character going all year! 

Make Peace Monday
World peace starts with you! Have you fallen out with someone over the last year? Could you take responsibility for making the world a more peaceful place, even if it wasn’t your fault in the first place, and make up with that person? You could write a note, call, or text. You’ll be contributing to a more peaceful world. Show politicians how it’s done!

Take the Road Less Traveled Tuesday
It’s always easier to show respect to others when everyone else is doing it, but what about taking a stand on your own? Tough stuff, but you can start a revolution and brighten someone’s day by showing them you are on their side, even if the bullies aren’t. Hold out your hand to help someone up, help them with the stuff they dropped, or give some other small gesture to show you aren’t a bully bystander.

Wish Upon a Star Wednesday
Who’s your favorite star? Wouldn’t it be great if they showed their support for you in your quest for good character? Why not write and tell them what you’re doing to show that character counts? Write to your  favorite star and ask them to support good character, too.

Thanksgiving Thursday
Don’t wait until November to show thanks! Make today the day you remember your p’s and q’s and take time to let someone who helped you out know how much it meant. Be thankful all day!

Find Out Friday
Is there a pressing issue in your community? Find out how you can get involved and help make things better for everyone. Research the issue and groups that are taking action on it to find out what you can do. 

Show Your Support Saturday
Why not get out and support your local team? Sticking by people through good and bad times can be hard, but loyalty is a big part of good character. If you have a local team, or you know someone taking part in a challenge this weekend, show them they can lean on you.