2025 Virtual Literacy Volunteer Management Conference

Register now for the 2025 conference!

The Volunteer Management Conference (VMC) is a one-day professional development opportunity that brings together Adult Basic Education staff who work with volunteers: coordinators, teachers and managers alike. The conference is virtual, on Zoom.

• Event Location: Virtual, via Zoom
• Cost: Free for participants in Minnesota and Wisconsin; $25 for participants outside of Minnesota or Wisconsin. Registration is not refundable, but recordings and materials will be available to registrants after the conference.

• The deadline to register is December 11, 2025.

   

Get Ready To:

• Learn new strategies and ideas through a keynote presentation and concurrent session offerings.
• Get practical resources you can use right away.
• Network and share your professional wisdom with colleagues.
• Earn CEUs.

Questions? Contact Sophie at [email protected] or 651-251-9063.

Literacy Minnesota is committed to providing access for people with disabilities at our trainings and events. To request accommodations, please contact Kelly at [email protected] or 651-251-9074 at least two weeks in advance.

Conference Schedule:

8:30-9 a.m. | Welcome

9:15-10:15 a.m. | Keynote presentation

The Evidence-Based Evolution of Volunteerism: Decoding New Trends and Collaborative Strategies 
Niila Hebert, Executive Director, Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA)

The volunteerism landscape is rapidly shifting and evolving, changing the ways in which people choose to serve. Organizations need to understand what volunteering will look like in the future so we can move at the speed of the communities we serve and provide the opportunities that meet volunteers where they are. This crucial keynote session unveils the critical, data-driven insights you need to future-proof your strategy. Based on MAVA’s field-based research and network surveys, we will illuminate 4 key trends shaping the next decade of service.

10:30-11:30 a.m. | Concurrent sessions

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch break

12:30-1:30 p.m. | Concurrent sessions

1:45-2:45 p.m. | Concurrent sessions

Sessions confirmed as of 10/24/25

Building Cultural Literacy and Belonging Skills in Volunteer Management Systems
Cydnee Sanders, Literacy Minnesota
At Literacy Minnesota, we are working on how to nurture belonging, so that everyone’s cultures, identities and experiences are valued and can thrive, including volunteers! One way to do this is to build cultural literacy skills, such as learning more about different cultural perspectives, recognizing commonalities, and bridging across differences. In this session, we will look at a tool called The Culture Tree which will help us analyze our volunteer management systems and how we can adapt to volunteers of different cultures. That way, all volunteers can thrive in our programs.

Do You Know Your Neighbors? Volunteer Recruitment with Community Engagement
Sarah Petersen, Minnesota Math and Science Academy
The phrase "No man is an island" is an adage that can also be applied to schools, unable to be sustained as stand-alone institutions. Shared from the perspective of an educator, join this session to learn and dialogue about the ways volunteer recruitment and community engagement provide enriched student learning experiences. This session will also provide practical tips for broadening your networking contacts. Leave ready to build bridges with your neighbors!

Building Community: Leveraging Volunteer Teachers for Accessibility and Inclusion 
Karin Bates, Intercambio Uniting Communities 
Volunteer teachers are a powerful resource for expanding program accessibility and fostering community connections. This workshop shares best practices for building and sustaining volunteer-driven programs that maximize impact on a limited budget. Learn how to empower volunteers as both classroom teachers and community ambassadors, creating welcoming spaces for learners and strengthening ties within diverse communities. Leave with actionable strategies to enhance your program’s reach and inclusivity. 

What is New (and not-so-new) in Volunteer Training
Rob Podlasek, Literacy Minnesota
Come get an overview of what’s happening in volunteer training. We'll review the Minnesota ABE training standards and the Literacy Minnesota training resources designed to help volunteers meet those standards. You'll get a chance to ask questions and to provide feedback for future developments. While anyone is welcome, this session is geared towards Minnesota programs. 

Tracking Volunteers in SiD
Jenny Schlukebier, Mary Zimmerli, SiD Datasystem 
Learn the basics of creating volunteer records in SiD and tracking volunteer attendance and other information and how to run reports about your volunteer's activities.This session is designed for Minnesota programs.