Tips for Dealing with Holiday Stress

The holidays can be a stressful time for people of all ages, at home and at work. Families are juggling additional obligations, travel plans, and financial commitments. This stress can be compounded by the fact that many agencies face end-of-year deadlines and financial requirements and youth service workers are helping young people also facing stress and possibly dealing with loss and grief. December’s tip sheet (available to National Safe Place Network members) highlights the ways you can support your employees and colleagues during this time of year, and how you can support the youth you serve.

Express gratitude. Simply saying “thank you” to staff and colleagues and offering words of encouragement can go a long way to increase morale during the holidays. It may also help to highlight achievements of colleagues and staff during the previous year since some may be facing anxiety about finances and person accomplishments heading into the new year.

NSPN members can read the full tip sheet by logging in at www.nspnetwork.org and accessing the NSPN Resource Center. To learn more about becoming a Network member and available services, visit the website listed above or contact Katie Carter at kcarter@nspnetwork.org or 502.635.3660.

Tips for Becoming an Authentic Speaker

Authenticity has become a bit of a buzz word in recent years. From “authentic leadership” to “authentic communication,” you may have noticed the word being used more and more. We have created a tip sheet that describes authenticity, outlines why it’s important in training and presenting, and provides some tips for achieving authentic communication. Here’s a tip from the document:

• Speak confidently. Avoid getting softer at the end of sentences. Try to start and end strongly. Also avoid raising your pitch at the end of sentences, turning it into a question.

National Safe Place Network members with Training Center access can read the entire document, “Tips for Becoming an Authentic Speaker,” by logging into your membership account at www.nspnetwork.org and accessing the NSPN resource center.

To learn more about becoming a Network member and available services, visit the website listed above or contact Katie Carter at kcarter@nspnetwork.org or 502.635.3660.

Monthly Tip: Surviving an Audit

Audits can cause anxiety among staff and executive leadership. Here are two tips from our member tip sheet – “15 Tips for Surviving an Audit.” To see all 15 tips, you must be an NSPN member with the organizational development package. If you have this package, check out the full tip sheet by logging into your membership account at www.nspnetwork.org and accessing the NSPN Resource Center!

1. Know the users of your external audited financial statements and why your organization requires an audit. Your audited financial statements could be required by your organization’s by-laws and be used exclusively for internal purposes. They could also be intended for external use by contributors, for securing loans or collateral agreements with banks, or they may be fulfilling certain regulatory filing requirements as a result of annuity programs, federal fund resources, or state solicitations, etc. Knowing the intended use will help you target your auditing activities.
2. Do your homework: Choose the right auditor for your organization’s needs. Nonprofit organizations come in all shapes and sizes, with different accounting and reporting needs. Some organizations have simple structures operating only one or two programs, small staffs, and predictable transaction streams. Others can be extremely complex with multiple needs and issues. Auditors are not a “one size fits all” market, hence the variance in their pricing. Organizations would benefit from doing a little research and selecting from a pool of auditors that uniquely fits their needs. You may even save some money.

If you’re interested in becoming an NSPN member, please contact Katie Carter, Director of Research, Education and Public Policy, at 502.635.3660 or kcarter@nspnetwork.org.