Get Inspired

Learn how Gap Inc. employees are making a difference and how you can, too. Two years ago, Rossitza Kaltcheva and Rob Ollander-Krane started something big. They put their skills to work to unleash the potential of those in their communities. Read how they did it. Then go to tools & resources to kick start your own efforts.

rossitza
rossitza

What kind of volunteer work do you do?

I've been volunteering with AJE-Paris for 2 years now. It's an association that helps young people avoid dropping out of school. It also helps families to continue to be involved in their children's lives and futures, and to feel like they have input. Last year, I lead an employment workshop where we focused on building CVs (resumes) and motivation letters, and had discussions about professional (career) goals, and ideas and perspectives. This year, I'm working with 50 French colleagues and youth from the program and we're co-creating a theater play to be performed in a local Children's hospital.

What makes your volunteerism "skills-based?"

I've been working for Gap for 10 years, mostly in stores, and the skills I've learned as I've built my career help me to help the kids at AJE-Paris plan for their futures. There are also many skills I've learned in my HR role that help me guide them as they think about what they want to do now and in the future.

To you, why does skills-based volunteerism make such a big impact? Why is it so great?

I think we have an opportunity to teach others what we know from our own experience. I also think we are the most efficient when we use our skills without ignoring or neglecting an organization's manner of proceeding or the way they work. Skills-based volunteering helps us work with an organization in a way that's most beneficial to them, and, ultimately, to the people they're trying to serve.

Rossitza uses the Got Skills? toolkit. Check it out.

Rob
Rob

We hear you volunteer with GILI. What is it?

GILI is a yearlong, annual program that pairs Gap Inc. HR and Learning & Development employees with 50+ nonprofit leaders. The program kicks off with a learning summit in the fall, and continues throughout the year with one-on-one coaching on everything from leadership development to strategy creation and team building. It's an opportunity for Gap Inc. to share training tools and curriculum with nonprofit leaders to help them enhance their own leadership development.

How did you use your skills to help out with GILI?

The program has been around for two years now. In the first year, I coached someone from a nonprofit. We started by identifying where she could build her capabilities, from communication to how to prioritize and manage a team. Over time, she told me about her organization's struggles, and I expanded my relationship to help it become more successful. I asked, "What's stopping you from being bigger than you are?" No one ever challenged them that way. In the second year, I wanted to get more involved. I helped design the GILI kick-off learning summit. We looked at what nonprofits needed and where we had expertise.

What advice would you offer people who want to do skills-based volunteer work?

Do something that you're passionate about. Don't just pick anything. I love this GILI work-I love team learning and facilitating and individual development. The closer you can get to something you're passionate about, the more inclined you'll be to start it, stay with it, and love it.

How have you liked finding a volunteer project and sticking with it?

I'm thrilled about it. It's a consistent way for me to give back to the world.

Rob uses the Who Says Commitment Is Scary? toolkit. Check it out.