Stories We Tell About Volunteerism
Let’s talk about the 2 sentences we hear A LOT when it comes to engaging people in volunteerism:
- We ALWAYS need volunteers
- It’s ALWAYS the same people doing all the work.
These things are probably true at some time, for some organizations, probably also feels real for a lot more organizations for lots more time. Is it real though? Is it a fact?
When was the last time somebody sat down and considered the work that needs to be done within the organization, how that work can be divided up and who should be doing that work? We are living in a time where everything can feel a little upside down, the ground is uneven. Maybe it’s also the time where there is also possibility and room to be curious? Maybe what made sense in 2019 doesn’t fit for 2022! Only you know what that looks like in your organization but let us know what you come up with! We’d love to share your stories!
In terms of sentence 2 - this is another story we tell. Two reasons for this, whether we believe it or not we haven’t asked. Like truly asked, not just tried to convince someone we know to do it. Extending the reach of the organization past its regular network. The other reason is we have not thought about how the work could be made more flexible. There are tons of ways to do this- make it remote, change the deadlines, chunk up the role, recruit from outside your location.
VolunteerConnector recently posted an opportunity for a Content Advisor, after 8 days on the site we interviewed 2 cool humans and 1 was the right fit! This person couldn’t start until the summer so that’s what we will do.
We would love to hear stories from your organization about how your curiosity and flexibility have led to an awesome volunteer engagement story. Let us know at info@volunteerconnector.org.