Lindsay Castano’s Post

I conceptualise and manage a range of human rights and governance grants. The needs are always so vast and its sometimes not clear if we are actually making a difference. But if just one life of a person with albinism can be saved. If just one more young one can freely be in society without living in fear. If more communities understand albinism and freely embrace them. Then ... I count our interventions a success 😎🤗

What a great organization to be associated with.

Today marks the end of my journey with Fundacja Centrum Aktywności Twórczej (Fundacja CAT) in Leszno, Poland. I’ve just completed my two-month European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteering program. It’s been a challenging yet rewarding experience, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished during this time. I look forward to sharing more about my journey and the lessons I’ve learned in the coming days. #ESC #EuropeanSolidarityCorps #Volunteering #EU #EuropeanUnion

In our Volunteer Leader Network Meeting on Tuesday, we explored engaging CALD communities and new migrants in volunteering 🤝 In our panel session, Adele Horkings, Volunteer Program Lead at Puffing Billy Railway, and Ruby Cheung, international student and volunteer, highlighted the importance of: Understanding volunteer motivations: 🔹Personal connection - building genuine relationships. 🔹Sense of belonging - fostering community ties 🔹Relevant experiences - aligned roles with studies, professional aspirations, interests Attracting CALD volunteers: 🔹Forge partnerships: Collaborate with local community groups, universities and networks where CALD individuals seek opportunities to contribute 🔹Seek funding: Grants can support program development, cultural awareness sessions, research, enhancing marketing materials Explore the panel session summary here: https://rb.gy/u8j851 Additionally, Koonie Karinsen, Volunteer Recruitment and Training Coordinator and Reshma Manandhar, Community Engagement Officer at AMES Australia led an Interactive session on engaging and retaining volunteers from CALD communities offering tips like: 💡Assess English proficiency in volunteer tasks 💡 Send interview questions beforehand, use clear language, choose a relaxed setting 💡Foster cultural understanding among staff 💡Assign a multilingual buddy to new volunteers 💡Celebrate different cultural holidays and traditions Attracting and retaining CALD volunteers enriches our community. Let's keep fostering diversity in volunteering 🌟

How to ensure youth volunteerism in the rescue field and helping to cope different disasters? 🆘   🔴 Participating should be easy: It should be possible for a young people to participate without being a member of an organisation or a group. 🔴 Plan activities together with young people: Good way to support volunteerism is to engage volunteers planning activities together with authorities. 🔴 Hear the views of young people: Young people can and are willing to participate in different kinds of civil protection activities and the voices of young volunteers are to be heard in planning activities. 🔴 Provide training and support: Youth potential in preparedness should be strengthened by providing youth education, training and support and by promoting youth volunteerism and young people’s skills in communication. It is also important to have a designated person responsible for guiding young volunteers to their tasks. Read more in the recommendations gathered by the BYFORES (Baltic Youth for Resilient Society) project: https://spek.fi/en/byfores We have partnered this project, facilitating the interaction of youth representatives from Lithuanian Red Cross/Lietuvos Raudonasis Kryžius, Lietuvos skautija (Lithuanian Scouts) and Lietuvos šaulių sąjunga with their counterparts from across the Baltic Sea region. The Finnish National Rescue Association SPEK thank you for collaboration! #strongertogether #resilience #crisismanagement #youthempowerment #volunteering

"Remember the impact of volunteering" 🤝 This powerful message of Armen Grigoryan, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in North Macedonia, resonates with my experiences in the field. I can only agree—volunteering makes a difference and contributes to positive change, even if the action seems small. 🔹 My Volunteering Journey 🔹 Eight years ago, my volunteering journey began in my hometown, working in a “free shop” for refugees. Since then, I had the privilege of volunteering with more than six organizations, including HERMINE e.V., I Have Rights., and Amnesty International Deutschland. Each experience has been unique and impactful. Here are a few highlights: 1️⃣ Teaching German to refugees and supporting their integration during their first months in Germany. 2️⃣ Organizing deliveries of clothing and sanitary products to refugee camps in Europe, creating a network of humanitarian organizations. 3️⃣ Conducting workshops on human rights issues. 4️⃣ Organizing charity concerts to support human rights activism. 5️⃣ Providing mental health guidance to volunteers and establishing a support network for them. 🔹 Personal Growth 🔹 On a personal note, these experiences have been incredibly rewarding. They’ve helped me gain confidence in my skills and prove myself in various team settings and situations. More importantly, they've given me a sense of purpose, brought a lot of happiness into my life and allowed me to connect with new people. 🔹 A Call to Action 🔹 Having said all that, I encourage everyone to dedicate some time to volunteering. It offers fresh perspectives on life and our society. Whether you can volunteer for a few weeks, months, or years, remember that every contribution, no matter how small, has the potential to create positive change.   Together, we can make the world a more social, fair, and kind place. 🌍✨ #Volunteering #CommunityImpact #PositiveChange #PersonalGrowth #HumanitarianWork #UNDP #Inspiration #HumanRights #Sustainability

Founding and scaling GearUp has taught me a lot about managing people. If you think retaining paid employees is tough, try managing volunteers. The passion of volunteers must more than compensate to keep them involved, even in tough times. I have learned with my team that there are three key ingredients to a successful volunteer: passion, skill, and discipline. A passionate person without skill will get nothing done well; they will only engage in exciting discussions. A skillful person without discipline will not be able to carve out time from busy schedules to do the unpaid work they are passionate about. We have only seen success with people who possess all three qualities. Yet, it is still difficult to adequately assess these traits until volunteers begin the work themselves. So once again, we are calling for volunteers. If you have all the above and more, and you are interested in being a part of GearUp - join us!

🔍 **Cultural Factors: Post-Communist Europe and Volunteering** 🔍 Let's explore how history affects volunteering culture in Central & Eastern Europe. 📜 Historical Context: Pre-communist: - Weak pluralist and participative traditions under autocratic rule Communist rule:   - State-controlled associations  - Mandatory unpaid work (misleadingly called volunteering)  - Tight state control over citizens' free time Post-communist:   - Deep mistrust in public activities Source: Bogdan & Mălina Voicu, *Volunteering in Eastern Europe: one of the missing links?* (2003) 🗺️ Map Insights: - Blue: NATO (Cold War era) - Red: Warsaw Pact (Soviet Union & satellite states) - Green: Former Yugoslavia (communist but non-aligned) Countries in Central and Eastern Europe, historically under autocratic and communist rule, lack a strong tradition of voluntary participation. The negative legacy of state-controlled "volunteering" has led to widespread mistrust in communal activities. Understanding these cultural and historical factors helps us better engage and support volunteers in these regions. 🔗 Let's explore strategies to build trust and foster volunteerism in Central and Eastern Europe! #Volunteering #CommunityEngagement #AssociationProfessionals #PostCommunistEurope #HistoricalInfluences #Volunteerism #CulturalFactors

May is observed as the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and recognizes the contributions and influence of the people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the culture and history of the United States. During this month, communities come together to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Asian and Pacific Americans with festivals and educational activities. We honor the achievements and contributions that various communities have made to foster a rich culture and vibrant society. As the previous generations have worked towards progress and building this world, we celebrate their thinking and customs and the culture they left behind. Their achievements serve as a source of inspiration for us as well as generations to come.  Instilt continues working towards raising an educated generation and remembering the importance of preserving the milestones of the past.  #instilt #instilteducate #AAPIHeritageMonth #AsianAmerican #PacificIslander #NativeHawaiian #DiversityandInclusion #CulturalHeritage #CelebrateDiversity #InclusiveEducation #educationforall #nonprofit #tutoring #empowerment #communityengagement #AwarenessCampaign #CulturalAwareness #HeritageMonth #MulticulturalEducation #SocialImpact #EqualityandDiversity #EducationalEquity #UnityInDiversity