Last month I joined JA executives from across the U.S. for a think tank on volunteerism from a corporate perspective. Leaders from some of the nation’s most successful and admired companies including Honda, HSBC, KPMG, JP Morgan Chase, and Fidelity, shared their ideas about engaging their employees in the community.

It was hugely interesting to hear their thoughts, and it confirmed for me that JA is uniquely aligned with the priorities of volunteers and their employers. In addition to wanting to support our important mission, employers want to know how employees’ volunteer experiences influence the way they feel about the workplace. Are employees more satisfied and engaged? Are they developing skills, like public speaking and motivating others, which assist in their professional development? For the 140 local companies that partner with JA, the answer to these questions is a resounding “yes!”

Nearly all (98%) of JA volunteers find their experience rewarding and fulfilling. Three quarters of JA volunteers say that their volunteer experience is a positive factor in their job satisfaction. More than half of volunteers say their JA experience allows them to practice key job skills. It’s exciting to know that we are providing the outcomes – and the data about those outcomes – that our corporate partners want and need in order to measure the value of their JA investment.

We are immensely proud of providing meaningful skills-based volunteer opportunities for employees. Doing this not only meets their employer’s objectives, but it translates to a greater purpose: better outcomes for students. Studies show that engaged and experienced volunteers are effective in building skills in confidence, capabilities and connections in youth. There has never been a better example of a win-win-WIN proposition!