Annual Staff Training Begins in St. Paul

"Welcome to snowy Minnesota!" Global Volunteers CEO Bud Philbrook welcomed back 11 of our country managers to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they joined USA staff at our annual staff training, beginning today.

After a morning review of our 27-year history of service worldwide, the conversation evolved into a lively discussion about responding to our host partners' service requests during uncertain economic times. Global Volunteers has survived and thrived since its founding in 1984, despite varying impacts at the corporate and local levels, Philbrook said. "We have always prioritized the needs of our host communities," he stressed. "Yet, our ability to provide assistance to the children we serve is directly related to the number of volunteers we mobilize." With volunteer numbers down during the past two recession years, our resources have likewise diminished, he said. As the economy improves, our challenge is to regain our share of the available volunteer resource to support our partners' vision.

Country Managers expressed their concern about the impact of decreased volunteer numbers in their communities. They share a global wish for a rapid economic recovery to restore our service partnerships to full capacity. We welcome you on our service programs this winter and encourage you to contact us about our needs worldwide.