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New Inspiratorium dialogue group starts in August 2006

It's time for another round of Inspiratorium dialogue group meetings! The programme consists of five theme meetings in Copenhagen of each five hours from August to November 2006. Each meeting includes lectures, guest presentations, exercises and discussions. Maximum 10 partcipants per group.

The purpose of the meetings is to explore the many new tendencies within modern leadership and worklife. To create new insights and frames of reference that can inspire to new practices in both the workplace and in our own lives.

You can read references (in Danish) from some of the former participants here >>
You can also read more (in Danish) about programme content, dates, prices etc. here >>

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Voluntary work as fringe benefit

The American clothing producer Timberland pays its employees for spending 40 hours a year on voluntary social work. In the international software company Salesforce.com each employee is given 4 paid days a month to conduct voluntary work. And the world-known cosmetics chain The Body Shop, who also pay their employees to conduct voluntary work a number of days a year, calls this initiative "active employee policies".

Because this is not just a matter of pure philanthropy. What we are seeing is rather a new strategic move in the competition of attracting, maintaining and motivating talented employees that often want more from work than a large pay cheque. ”People feel good about working in a company that actively works for doing something good...It has turned out that philantrophy is a good recruitment tool”, the CEO of Salesforce.com has explained as the motivation behind their engagement in voluntary work. .

As a result, a number of partnerships between private companies and voluntary organisations have emerged within recent years. Thereby, the organisations obtain extra resources, competencies and increased public awareness around their cause. Whereas the companies obtain new possibilities for offering personal development and meaningful work to their employees by supplementing professional training with "social practice training". Additionally, the companies can use it as a means of strengthening their external branding towards customers, suppliers and other partners.

Voluntary work has in other words become a new competitive parametre in modern business. You can read more about this tendency in the English article "You are what you do" in Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies' monthly magazine Futureorientation #1, 2006. The institute also has an article about the strategic advantages of "Philanthropic strategy" (in English) on their website. You can read it here >>

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Useful (Danish) links on voluntary work and partnerships

Both large and small businesses can gain many advantages from cooperating with voluntary organisations. For those, who have an interest in exploring the possibilities, useful information can be found at, among others:

Rådet for Frivilligt Socialt Arbejde [Council for Voluntary Social Work]

On their website www.frivilligraadet.dk they have a theme on the cooperation between organisations and businesses. Here you can read about British experiences with Employee Volunteering, which has become particularly popular amongst employees in private companies.


Frivilligjob.dk [Voluntary jobs]

Is a Danish website for voluntary, unpaid work. At www.frivilligjob.dk private individuals and businesses can obtain an overview of the many different kinds of voluntary job possibilities that are available in their local areas.

Center for frivilligt socialt arbejde [Center for Voluntary Social Work]

The Danish center for voluntary social work has at their website www.frivillighed.dk a Social directory for Danish voluntary organisations that businesses can cooperate with in different ways.

There you can also find numerous publications on voluntary social work. Among others, the report "Nye veje - nye partnere" with 4 private/civic partnership examples along with a partnership idea catalogue.

You can download the report here >>

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Time for summer reflections

"Tid til Nærvær" [Time for presence] is the Danish title of a picture book that also includes small stories, inspiring quotes, reflections, meditations and words of wisdom. The readers are sent off on an adventurous journey into a world of wonder and inspiration that stimulates the investigation into some of life's more profound questions. Here is in other words a great companion to bring along with, for example, your summer holiday reflections.

The book costs 249 kr. and can be ordered here >>

The book has been published by the Danish company Time2Be (www.time2be.dk), who have also developed the on-line work tool Time2be online that contains, among other things, 6 internet books with 28 small stories each that can be used for your own pleasure, for teaching or for self-development sessions with a coach or therapist.

You can read more (in Danish) about Time2Be's concept here >>

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Tania Ellis :: Skt. Peders Straede 24 :: 1453 Copenhagn :: Tel +45 26252295 :: te@taniaellis.dk :: www.taniaellis.dk