I've been thinking a lot about volunteering lately. Why do some people step up to the plate and others don't? Is there some inherited volunteering gene that compels a person to do more than they can? Is there a corresponding gene that compels a person to let others do the work?
Obviously, I have a bias, as I am part of the former group. I can't even pose a question about the other half without exposing my bias. I have a no-buddy, someone who helps me to say "no" when I cannot possibly do more. I am also her no-buddy, but in true over-volunteering style, I firmly believe my efforts to stop her volunteering are called into play more, because she does more. Which leads me to think I should be doing more, and then I have to call my no-buddy to stop me.
Every year, our fabulous InHome Conference reaches the point where half the required number of volunteers are doing all the work. This year, my no-buddy (some buddies we are, right?) decided we needed to map out the jobs and create a manual for the conference. This is to be a living, breathing, ever-changing document to help new recruits and seasoned veterans perform herculean tasks to create the event that is the highlight of our kids "school" year.
I worked for years in Human Resources hiring, firing, training, contract negotiating, performing labor relations, benefit evaluations, the whole gamut of people related jobs. I worked in the corporate world. We were lean and mean in the engineering profession, or so I thought. Even more lean in the trucking industry, and a quite bit more real. But I never encountered what I have seen in the past few days.
In surveying the current volunteer population, we've found that these 37 heroes are performing the jobs of possibly twice that many. In salary situations, jobs have functions that are secondary or tertiary. In the volunteer world, there are no such luxuries. What needs to be done gets done. What wants to get done is either a need or discarded. There is no cushion, no fall back, no support staff.
I want to believe that a lack of knowledge if fueling the lack of volunteers, both for the big jobs and the small, one or two hour jobs during the conference. We don't want to scare people or guilt them into working something they aren't comfortable with. We want to be a welcoming, warm environment to newcomers and long-term homeschoolers alike. We don't want to be pushy, so we don't tell anyone what, specifically we need. This leads to the few thanklessly performing for the many. And it leads to discontent and burn-out. It happens in places like this particular conference, in homeschooling groups, in habitat restoration, in situations requiring volunteers everywhere.
So what makes people shy away from volunteering? There is the fear of the unknown. This has happened to me. I have a child with severe eczema and was sleep deprived for four and a half years. When I couldn't get a clear picture of what was required in a volunteer opportunity, I said no, fearing it was more than I could handle. There is also a feeling of inadequacy. Others have been doing it so well for so long, how could anyone else measure up? There is also a complete lack of understanding of what it takes to orchestrate the event, group, class, etc. If a Girl Scouts troop, for example, runs like clockwork for a few years, there is a belief that it will always work that way. If a support group has been a safe harbor for a generation of parents, it should just continue after those kids have fledged. But without a fresh crop of volunteers in each of these situations, this wont happen.
And then there are the people who wont volunteer no matter what. They have a stronger "no" muscle than most of the people I know. They sign up, pay their fees, do what is asked and go home. They are one tree, not part of the forest.
Every year, our fabulous InHome Conference reaches the point where half the required number of volunteers are doing all the work. This year, my no-buddy (some buddies we are, right?) decided we needed to map out the jobs and create a manual for the conference. This is to be a living, breathing, ever-changing document to help new recruits and seasoned veterans perform herculean tasks to create the event that is the highlight of our kids "school" year.
I worked for years in Human Resources hiring, firing, training, contract negotiating, performing labor relations, benefit evaluations, the whole gamut of people related jobs. I worked in the corporate world. We were lean and mean in the engineering profession, or so I thought. Even more lean in the trucking industry, and a quite bit more real. But I never encountered what I have seen in the past few days.
In surveying the current volunteer population, we've found that these 37 heroes are performing the jobs of possibly twice that many. In salary situations, jobs have functions that are secondary or tertiary. In the volunteer world, there are no such luxuries. What needs to be done gets done. What wants to get done is either a need or discarded. There is no cushion, no fall back, no support staff.
I want to believe that a lack of knowledge if fueling the lack of volunteers, both for the big jobs and the small, one or two hour jobs during the conference. We don't want to scare people or guilt them into working something they aren't comfortable with. We want to be a welcoming, warm environment to newcomers and long-term homeschoolers alike. We don't want to be pushy, so we don't tell anyone what, specifically we need. This leads to the few thanklessly performing for the many. And it leads to discontent and burn-out. It happens in places like this particular conference, in homeschooling groups, in habitat restoration, in situations requiring volunteers everywhere.
So what makes people shy away from volunteering? There is the fear of the unknown. This has happened to me. I have a child with severe eczema and was sleep deprived for four and a half years. When I couldn't get a clear picture of what was required in a volunteer opportunity, I said no, fearing it was more than I could handle. There is also a feeling of inadequacy. Others have been doing it so well for so long, how could anyone else measure up? There is also a complete lack of understanding of what it takes to orchestrate the event, group, class, etc. If a Girl Scouts troop, for example, runs like clockwork for a few years, there is a belief that it will always work that way. If a support group has been a safe harbor for a generation of parents, it should just continue after those kids have fledged. But without a fresh crop of volunteers in each of these situations, this wont happen.
And then there are the people who wont volunteer no matter what. They have a stronger "no" muscle than most of the people I know. They sign up, pay their fees, do what is asked and go home. They are one tree, not part of the forest.
I don't really want to know how many of these trees there are out there, I'm too busy meeting the forest. I have no answers to the whole volunteering conundrum, but I get to widen my circle of friends and acquaintances and learn from them. My world is richer. And now that my eczema baby is sleeping through the night, I have more time.
5 comments:
Love your 'no buddy'! I have the same volunteering gene you do - and started VolunteerSpot.com to make it easier for people like us to ask for specific help and get more people to participate.
I've seen many people opt-out of volunteering b/c of little hassles - reply-all email, check-in phone calls, showing up to help and not really being needed.
VolunteerSpot relieves one headache from the volunteer experience by simplifying and automating volunteer scheduling, signups and reminders. Please checkout our free tool - happy to help you use it for your conference.
http://www.VolunteerSpot.com
I've always leaned toward "no" more than "yes," although I have said yes to selective volunteering opportunities that 1) fit into my life & 2) contribute to either my or my family's personal growth in some way.
That sounds incredibly selfish, and in some ways it is, but the fact is that right now, I'm a homeschooling/work-from-home Mom with 4 young kids. If I'm going to volunteer -- which will take me away from my family and work, even for a short time -- I need there to be some larger benefit,so that my family can see this isn't something that's hurting them.
Maybe that's a good way to frame volunteer opportunities? Let people know how it can benefit THEM.
This is a topic of particular interest to me. There are a ton of volunteer websites that do the type of thing domoregood is talking about. They're great for tracking down volunteer work by zip code, too.
Jennifer, I think you hit on a really interesting point, because your two reasons for volunteering would seem to me to have endless applications. It's so easy to tie volunteering to the homeschool curriculum, first of all. Second, community work creates exactly the kind of well-rounded, self-starting individual that employers and universities want.
I'd love to see more posts on this topic. Particularly when we are receiving a much stronger national call to service than we have been in recent years. I think the iron is hot.
Yes - Sallie -- integrating service into homeschool curriculum is a wonderful idea and natural fit! Studies show that kids who volunteer with their families are more likely to serve as adults.
Here are two more resources:
TheVolunteerFamily.com has a searchable database of family-friendly volunteer opportunities in communities across the nation.
VolunteerSpot has a free eBook filled with family-friendly service ideas that you can organize with your kids. www.Volunteerspot.com/ebooks
Great conversation everyone - thanks Elizabeth for getting us started!
I've been too busy with volunteering to respond!
One other great organization is Roots&Shoots. I facilitate a group and our kids are learning first hand how one person or one small group can make a difference.
I also tend to say no to things that don't bring value to my family. I even have a no-buddy to help me say no when it's warranted. But things like our conference, our homeschool group, setting up a science lab or facilitating a R&S group are all things that directly benefit our family. Our lives are richer for our service.
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