DESIGNING GOODWILL INTO THE FUTURE

Goodwill agencies continue to innovate as sustainable social enterprises that fund job training, employment placement services and other community programs supported by revenue from the sale of donated goods, contract services, private and public grants, and individual giving. How are you going to ensure that your agency remains competitive within your community? What resources do you need to accomplish this? How will you collaborate with other Goodwill agencies, different departments within your agency and organizations within your community?

This year, we have intentionally designed an experience that will:

·         Offer opportunities for self-directed learning through discovery, observation, and conversing with colleagues

·         Help you engage colleagues through sharing, mentoring & storytelling

·         Allow time for reflection, feedback, collaboration among attendees

·         Move from theoretical à experiential

·         Move from presenter driven à attendee driven

·         Focus on solving problems and identifying/surfacing new problems

We have designed several different formats that will enable attendees to achieve the objectives above:

COHORTS:  During the registration process you will be asked to select a COHORT. Cohorts will meet three times during the conference and will be facilitated by GII Team Members. The purpose of the cohort discussion groups is to identify problems/issues/solutions pertaining to a particular area or topic of interest. During cohort meetings attendees will have the opportunity to shape the conversation, dig deeper to synthesize information learned during other conference sessions and enhance relationships with a smaller network of colleagues. Once you select a cohort it is the expectation that you will remain with your cohort for all three meeting times.

GOODWILL 20XX SOLUTIONS SHOWCASE:  In between cohort meetings attendees will also have the opportunity to visit the Goodwill 20XX Solutions Showcase with other cohort groups. The Goodwill 20XX Solutions Showcase will serve as the hub of the conference on Monday and Tuesday - this is the place to grab a snack, meet with colleagues and share ideas on a range of topics. This area will be set with tables of different sizes in case you want to set up a meeting with a large group or a smaller intimate consultation with a GII Team Member. Some of Goodwill’s national sponsors and partners will also be available in the Goodwill 20XX Solutions Showcase to share how their products and services can provide the solutions you need.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS:  This year, concurrent sessions will be 40 minutes and will help seed the conversation you will have during your cohort experience. Attendees will get to choose which concurrent sessions they would like to attend.

 
WORKSHOPS:  On Wednesday morning, in addition to concurrent sessions, we have designed 3-hour workshops that will be hands-on and interactive. These workshops will allow attendees to delve into a particular topic for a more intense experience.

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS:  Various pre-conference sessions are planned for Sunday, August 11^th.^. Please make note of these pre-conferences and plan your travel arrangements and hotel reservations accordingly. We encourage you to come early and stay late.

WE ARE GOING GREEN:  To support our Going Green Initiative, hard copies of handouts will not be provided at sessions. All session presentations and handouts will be available on MyGoodwill at least one week before the event, and will remain on MyGoodwill for your reference during and after the meeting. If you want to have hard copies available to you, you can print session materials before you leave for the conference, or on-site at the event by using the computers and printers available in the Technology Learning Center. 

SCHOLARSHIPS:  Don't forget about the scholarship program, which provides support for local Goodwill representatives to attend the various GII-sponsored events including the Spring and Summer Conferences, Conference of Executives and Delegate Assembly. Scholarships are awarded primarily on financial need. Click here to download the scholarship application. Sholarship submission deadline is June 27, 2013.

STAY CONNECTED:  Did you learn something new in your cohort session that you want so share with other colleagues?  Did you take a picture during an evening out that you want to tweet?  Did you want to set up a meeting with a colleague, event sponsor or GII Team Member?  This year we will offer three ways for you to stay connected with conference colleagues.  Click on the STAY CONNECTED button at the top of this page to learn more about Twitter, eSocial and the Summer Conference App.  Be sure to follow @GoodwillIntl and @GiiEvents.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS