Worknow_Aotearoa_NZ

We, Gen Y, have the information, insight and connections to harness ourselves some rather impressive purchasing power.

Already we use tools like Trade me, to help establish market price and demand. Price Spy to inform us on competitive retail pricing and of course, there’s the ever present forms of social media (facebook, twitter, blogs) that we use to seek out recommendation from the people we trust.

Gen Y … are serious, independent information seekers who expect to interact with products and companies online as a matter of course,” … Their decision process begins and ends online, where they seek information, recommendations and validation…Collaboration is another Gen Y trait. As part of their consideration process, they seek recommendations and validation. Favorite tools include social networking, peer marketing, online support networks, text messaging and blogging. Source

There are always new tools or combination’s of existing tools entering the market. Tools like Bid Rivals, cashing in on the established Trade me culture and auction frenzy around low price deals. While here at Worknow  we’ve set out to provide people a more cost effective way to connect with service opportunities.

In a world awash with online and mobile tools, it’s no longer a question about HOW to connect, it’s about knowing with WHOM we connect.

We humans are social creatures, so finding and connecting with other people – in part nature and in part need – is a process that is continually refined and enhanced.

Today’s online world has become a social space for seeking out and facilitating human interaction with the growing power of social search seen with the launch of twitter lists.

Literally, millions of lists created to organise diverse topics – Dunedin (location) Distiller (Group) Volunteering (Industry Sector) – as a collection of who, rather than what.

Worknow, connecting talented people with work opportunity

We’ve combined tools to help people find and connect with work opportunities based on their talent profile.  A community marketplace using the familiar bid, buy and feedback system to help people find and bid for work on paying projects and offer time on volunteer work opportunities. As a community member you can use social networking tools to:-

Register your talent profile, today.

Statistics New Zealand today released the Household Labour Force Survey showing a rise in unemployment over the September 2009 quarter.

Sadly those most effected by unemployment are our future leaders, business creators and workforce:

• 15 – 19 Unemployed 25.1%
• 20 – 24 Unemployed 10.9%
• 25 – 29 Unemployed 6.8%

For more information click  through to Statistics New Zealand articles for download

Job Crisis or Opportunity for Change?

Business Week  recently lead with a story entitled The Lost Generation discussing  the effects of the existing job crisis on young people in the USA.

the continuing job crisis is hitting young people especially hard – damaging both their future and the economy…studies show that an extended period of youthful joblessness can significantly depress lifetime income

As today’s figures show, youth unemployment is also a problem here in New Zealand. Yet,  suggestions around creating a sub minimum wage to encourage employers to take on young people  does little to empower or improve their future earnings potential. It simply undervalues their time, skills and talent and feeds into the downward spiral of lower lifetime income.

We see ways to empower young people, support Gen Y’s potential, harness their talents and help them discover their place in the workforce

“…We seem to have focused wrongly on building CV’s rather than building businesses…” Sam Morgan

We currently have a wealth of talented young people preparing themselves to be employed rather than cultivating talents which could drive economic growth through the creation of new business and new jobs.

Things are changing on the education front but we believe there is  opportunity to provide additional tools to help young people transition from study to work.

The solution we are offering incorporates work experience, education and elements of the traditional CV

1. We want to encourage Volunteer Work Experience as a means to build confidence and valuable work skills  so we are facilitating a system of Time Trade (a.k.a Time Banking) to encourage, recognise and reward volunteer activity.

2. A Peer Mentoring Community connecting Graduates with recent Alumni who can share with students of the same / similar discipline their experience of the study / work transition and highlight the real life opportunities available in the marketplace.

Where to look, who to talk to, which skills are important etc. Existing examples include the future in tech initiative to which we hope Time Trade could be applied as a tool for rewarding their career ambassadors.

3. We are using social networking tools and talent profiles to allow young people to build a living work history, a CV with a wealth of testimonials to their talent, skill and work ethic. A talent profile against which they can also be matched with volunteer and paid work opportunities.

Youth unemployment is a major issue but it’s reassuring to know that there are many community based organisations stepping up to help keep young people engaged in productive activity despite the fact of high unemployment.

Build your talent CV

Using video and the recent 350 Climate Actions we sort to portray the the integral role social media plays in connecting and engaging with Gen Y volunteers.

Initially, I was worried no one would turn up but when I saw we were to split the session with Lani Evans, the 2009 Recipient of Vodafone’s “World of Differnce”  I must admit, I was relieved.

Lani’s reputation preceded her, as did we in the Workshop format, so at the very least everyone coming to see her would have to sit through our presentation first.

We didn’t exactly stick with the abstract submitted but it was reassuring to see that at least three points that we made around Gen Y Volunteers:-

• the use of social media
• collaboration vs control
• work experience

Were confirmed in person by the talented young volunteers (14 – 17yrs) that accompanied Lani on the road trip up from Dunedin.

Although we did not use the opportunity to discuss our own project hopefully between ourselves and the Otago Volunteering crew we provided some first hand insight into the collaborative and visual style of Gen Y volunteers.

Thanks toVolunteering NZ for the opportunity to attend and be heard.

Without a doubt I believe the time I spent volunteering, after bailing on law school, helped me secure my first real job.

Working for the YMCA as a Gymnastic Instructor and Recreation Assistant was volunteer work experience in the traditional sense. Being new to the workforce it provided me with opportunities in leadership and team work and allowed me to communicate and work with people of all ages.

Personally, the experience is significant in terms of my lifelong aspirations, it highlighted the value of recreational education and the powerful, positive influence of role models on young people. It made me feel like a contributing member of society and in terms of my CV it reflected my willingness to work.

Volunteering for any of the many charitable organisations that support our communities is a great way to build basic work experience and skills.

But if you’re interested in developing more specialist skills, in line with you passions, interests or education then the potential to volunteer your time applies also to company’s that interests you.

It’s a great way to learn about the realities of the workforce to gain an inside look at an organisation and help you to acquire work experience. For a select few it  can even lead to jobs.

Indeed several people that I have spoken to in local community organisations say that when taking on new team members they look first to those that have volunteered time with them. Which makes sense right.

Ideally, we’d all like to land the paid internships but in such a competitive market why let those fortunate enough to score places gain extra advantage when you can as easily build work experience alongside them in the same industry with the increased flexibility of a volunteer position.

By creating your Talent Profile here at Worknow, we can help you find and match you talent, skills and interests with both volunteer and paid work opportunities. Register today

Volunteer to Work

I volunteered as a gymnastics instructor when I was 19. After deciding not to return to law school and once the summer was over I quickly found myself on a limiting budget and at a loss for things to do.

So when I saw a job for a Gymnastic Instructor with the YMCA it was simply too ideal to pass up. I had been a good gymnast during my formative years, I liked kids and they usually liked me, any work would get me off the couch and at least I would feel like I was contributing to society. So I wrote my cover letter and to help secure myself the role I decided to volunteer my time.

Volunteering a Win-Win Opportunity

My offer to volunteer turned out to be a win-win situation.

For a community based organisation a volunteer for the role was an added bonus so they took me up on my offer and I became a gymnastics coach. In return they offered me paid hours helping in others parts of the business like the after school programme, school holiday programme and youth work.

Volunteer to Gain Skills & Work Experience

Volunteering was a fun experience and I loved the high energy of working with kids.

But more than that it gave me the chance to take a leadership role, work closely with a range of people and it highlighted my willingness to work which I credit with helping me, six months later, secure my first “real” job.

Finding Volunteer Opportunities

As my experience shows, a stint as a volunteer can have a very positive impact on your work prospects.

I was fortunate to find a job in the newspaper which, in my desperation, I was happy to volunteer for. I would recommend others’ to do the same. But where too look? Newspapers, you local Volunteer Organisation, via schools and now you can find volunteer work here online.

Promote Volunteer Opportunities to People Searching Online

Google Keyword Tool indicates that there are more than 3000 searches each month in New Zealand for “volunteer work”.

That’s a fair number of people looking online to find volunteer work opportunities. At Worknow we know there’s plenty of people out there ready and willing to volunteer they just need more ways to connect with these opportunities.

If you are a non-profit or community group you can post volunteer work online today to provide another media avenue for prospective volunteers to find and work with you.