InCheck employees work hard every day to create unrivaled experiences for our clients and their candidates. However, their work doesn’t stop when the day ends. Each month, we will spotlight an InCheck employee who volunteers their time in the community.
Tell us about the organization you volunteer with and how you got involved.
The Zeidler Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people have difficult conversations. The organization offers professional facilitation, team building, strategic planning, and community engagement services, working with organizations, neighborhoods, businesses, and faith communities across a range of issues.
I first got involved by joining the marketing committee, a role that was posted on a volunteer job board. I interviewed for the volunteer position with one of the founders of the Zeidler Group, as well as another long-term board member and I felt it was an organization where I could help make a difference. Approximately 9 months after getting involved as a marketing committee member I applied for the Board Director position and joined the Board.
What makes this volunteer experience meaningful to you?
I love being a part of the Zeidler Group organization as a Board Director and Marketing Advisor because it is such a unique organization aiming to make a community impact during a time of frequent divisiveness and difficulty. Zeidler Group has a goal of building bridges and bringing people together from lots of different backgrounds, religions, political backgrounds, ideas, and philosophies to really listen to learn, and understand.
I enjoy meeting and connecting with a broad range of people and volunteers. I also enjoy helping to guide and shape organizational strategy and growth.
What was a memorable experience from volunteering with the Zeidler Group?
One very memorable experience for me was participating in a weekend training workshop for Group Facilitators. As a way to truly understand the mission and the work, I felt it was important to immerse myself in the process and philosophy. It was a very eye-opening experience! Facilitation of discussion groups takes a special combination of people skills, where facilitators encourage participants to follow a process where listening is the priority and debate is discouraged. Being involved in this training as an observer taught me some immediate valuable skills and developed an appreciation for both the important work and the network of talented volunteers.
Why do you enjoy volunteering?
I have always enjoyed participating in organizations and events that enhance my community and make life better for others. One of my fondest experiences was volunteering for a Milwaukee organization called Citizens for a Better Environment, where I helped organize campaigns and fund-raising activities to raise awareness for Wisconsin environmental issues and solutions.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve been involved in more neighborhood-oriented groups starting with a role as Board Director for the Bay View Community Center. Then, almost 10 years ago, our neighbors began organizing park clean-ups and “Sunday Brunch Socials” in nearby Morgan Park. Our goal was to build a stronger, safer community by building opportunities for neighbors to use the park resource more frequently, and get to know each other. Eventually, this expanded to the twice annual Food Truck Friday event held since 2014, where up to 20 food trucks and hundreds of people would come together for a family-friendly night of food and music. Today, the Food Truck event is on hold due to COVID, but our amazing “Friends of Morgan Park” leader is co-hosting free, Sunday Yoga in the Park from June-September.
All of these events and organizations highlight the power of people, neighbors, and community, and how a small idea and effort from a handful of people can better the lives of many. That is what inspires me to volunteer.
Kirsten Wiegman is InCheck’s Director of Sales & Marketing. You can learn more about her here.