Today’s employees want more than a job. They want to make a difference. In this session, you’ll learn how volunteerism and community engagement can cultivate a more connected, motivated, and purpose-driven workforce. Through real-world examples and actionable insights, discover how organizations can create meaningful opportunities that drive employee engagement while making a positive impact in the communities they serve.

Federal, state, and foundation grants can provide critical support for programs, but navigating the funding landscape and developing competitive proposals can feel overwhelming. This workshop will help YVC program directors understand where to find and how to evaluate public and private funding opportunities, including federal, state, and philanthropic sources. Participants will learn the essential building blocks of being “grant ready,” from registrations, clearly defining “need” and program outcomes to organizing budgets, data, partnerships, and organizational documents. The session will also cover strategies for translating strong program work into a compelling proposal and avoiding common application pitfalls. The final 30 minutes of the workshop will be held for Q&A. Participants are encouraged to bring a specific upcoming grant opportunity, program idea, draft narrative, or proposal challenge so they can receive practical feedback and apply the session’s tools to a real funding project.

Discover how a service-learning program can partner with school districts to bring meaningful, student-centered programming into schools that offer students great experiences, including college credit. This workshop will walk participants through the process of getting a service-learning initiative and curriculum started—from initial planning and action steps to identifying key stakeholders and building the partnerships needed for success. Participants will also explore essential resources, tools, and supports that can help move an idea from concept to implementation.

Culture isn’t built through buzzwords, it’s built through everyday actions. This engaging, conversation-driven session moves beyond traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion training to focus on creating workplaces where people genuinely belong. Participants will examine how communication, trust, accountability, and leadership shape organizational culture while learning practical techniques to navigate difficult conversations, strengthen team relationships, and foster environments where everyone can contribute at their highest level.

Building strong school partnerships doesn’t happen by chance—it happens through intentional relationships, understanding district priorities, and consistently delivering value. In this interactive session, participants will explore practical strategies for engaging schools, identifying key champions, and creating programs that align with district goals while expanding youth impact. Through real-world examples, collaborative activities, and actionable planning, attendees will leave with concrete ideas and a personalized roadmap to strengthen school partnerships in their own communities.

Working with young people can be rewarding, challenging, and sometimes unpredictable! In this workshop, participants will explore practical strategies for staying calm, patient, and composed when emotions run high. Through reflection and discussion, participants will consider how their own emotions can influence their interactions with youth and explore ways to respond thoughtfully, manage challenging moments, and keep a cool head – even when things don’t go according to plan.

The Lower 9th Ward was ground zero for the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. When the Industrial Canal levee failed, this historic neighborhood – rich in culture, family roots, and resilience – was one of the hardest hit. The road to recovery here has been longer and more complex than in any other part of the city. To date, Lower Nine has fully rebuilt 98 homes and completed repair work on over 400 more – bringing back more Lower 9th Ward families than any other single organization.

Their mission goes beyond construction. It’s about restoring community, dignity, and the right to return. We work directly with residents, free of charge, providing skilled labor, volunteer coordination, and wraparound support for families who’ve been waiting years (or decades) to come home.

This workshop will explore how storytelling can strengthen YVC’s marketing and outreach efforts, with a focus on connecting authentically with diverse audiences. Participants will learn how to identify and share the stories that communicate the value of YVC, consider how different audiences may respond to different messages, and explore practical strategies for making their outreach more engaging, inclusive, and effective.

Get ready to level up! Learn problem-solving techniques that you can apply to your own real-world problems. Head out with the ability to navigate new challenges with more confidence!

Join the Youth Mental Health Ambassadors from YVC of Reading for a recorded performance of At Some Point, a youth-driven mental health play created through conversations, surveys, and listening to the voices of young people, families, and community members.  The play explores challenges many young people face today, including mental health stigma, feeling alone, struggling to ask for help, and the importance of open and honest conversations—while sharing the powerful message: You are not alone.  Following the performance, Youth Mental Health Ambassadors will facilitate an interactive talk-back discussion, giving participants the opportunity to reflect, share, and engage in meaningful conversation around the themes presented in the play.

Communal art has the power to transform a service project into something deeply personal, meaningful, and lasting. In this interactive workshop, YVC of Hampton Roads will explore how public art can engage youth volunteers in beautifying their communities while creating space for reflection, storytelling, youth voice, and connection across diverse populations. Participants will learn about the Mural Mosaic as a creative model for bringing people together around a shared vision, hear from special guest artist Lewis Lavoie, and experience the process firsthand by creating their own tile for Hampton Roads’ Mural Mosaic project. Through guided reflection, participants will consider how art can help youth recognize the impact of their service, share their stories, and see themselves as contributors to something larger than themselves. Come ready to create, reflect, and discover how serving with soul can leave a lasting mark—one tile, one story, and one community at a time.

Working with young people can be rewarding, challenging, and sometimes unpredictable! In this workshop, participants will explore practical strategies for staying calm, patient, and composed when emotions run high. Through reflection and discussion, participants will consider how their own emotions can influence their interactions with youth and explore ways to respond thoughtfully, manage challenging moments, and keep a cool head – even when things don’t go according to plan.

Discover how the YVC of Reading STAR (Stand Together Against Racism) initiative empowers young people to create more inclusive schools and communities.  Through a short documentary and youth-facilitated talkback session, participants will explore the origins of STAR, its ongoing impact, and why its mission remains as important today as ever.

Are you struggling to know where to start with project planning? Or, feeling like all your ideas have gone stale? We’ll explore how to pack more punch into your project prep through collaborative brainstorming, project showcases, and insider insight. You’ll walk away with new ideas and actionable next steps. Sometimes it pays to plan.