It never fails: try to have a conversation about diversity and volunteerism, get comments about how such conversations are not needed.
“Thoughtful Thursday” is an online discussion about issues related to the involvement of volunteers. It takes place in the comments section of the blog and on Twitter using the tag #ttvolmgrs.
Two weeks ago, the subject was diversity. The comments section on the blog are a perfect example of how these much-needed conversations in the nonprofit sector frequently turn into:
We don’t need this.
We are doing just fine with the volunteers we have.
Our recruitment has worked for 25 years. No need to change.
We are not going to lower our standards in order to get new volunteers.
Young volunteers just don’t have the commitment that are current volunteers have.
And it’s what frustrates me most about managers of volunteers. Most – yes, I said MOST – are resistant to change. Meanwhile, they wonder why they are having trouble recruiting, or keeping, volunteers.
Harumph.
(not all the comments are negative on the subject – so there’s hope)
Also see:
- Video Advocating for Diversity in Volunteer Engagement is NOT Easy: a 11:45 video about the pushback you will get when you talk about the need for diversity in volunteer engagement (2020).
- Recruiting Local Volunteers To Increase Diversity Among the Ranks (also explores the WHY)