Tag Archives: parks

Volunteers guide process for future park district decisions in Oregon

image of a panel discussion

We hear a lot about volunteers just cleaning up a park.

What about volunteers leading in information gathering and guidance for the future of an entire park and recreation district?

The board of the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD) in Oregon solicited feedback to guide them in future decisions, and that information-gathering, as well the subsequent report, was done by volunteers:

A dedicated multigenerational, multiethnic, and multilingual volunteer group – the Visioning Task Force (VTF), was recruited to work together and with district staff to lead outreach efforts. Their task: lead and help create public involvement strategies to meet communities where they are. Throughout the summer of 2019, they captured the unique stories, experiences, and creative ideas of district residents.

Our volunteers represented the community well, reflecting a diversity in age, ethnicity, race, gender, and languages spoken. Their ability to connect with and advise the district on outreach strategies was impressive. Even more impressive was their commitment and dedication to leading the engagement efforts themselves and the hours they spent volunteering at events throughout the community to gather input.

The resulting Vision Action Plan was written by those community volunteers.

Here’s more about the effort.

Was this done because it was cheaper than hiring a consultant? I hope not. I hope the reason it was done was because volunteers were probably the best people for this task: they had no financial interest in telling the board what they might want to hear. Volunteers can often be more neutral, more questioning and more free-to-speak than paid consultants or employees. I would love to know more how these volunteers were chosen, supported and guided.

How is your organization involving volunteers in LEADERSHIP roles?

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Contradicting myself?

In the same day, online, I applauded an organization that involved volunteers to help preserve historic sites on US public lands, and then questioned California for relying so much on volunteers to maintain state parks.

Am I a hypocrite?

No. Well, at least not about this.

The nonprofit HistoriCorps engages volunteers to work on historic preservation projects in USA. Individual projects might last from a week to more than two months. Cultural and historical sites in the USA are at risk because of drastic budget cuts by state and federal governments – many could already be beyond saving. This program could never repair everything that needs repairing, but what it can do, through volunteering, is educate people about those needs and about the consequences of those budget cuts. This program repairs a small number of sites every year, but maybe even more importantly, it also creates passionate advocates for US historical sites. It also is a way for historic sites to involve Americans in a deeper way than just as a visitor. This program builds job skills, gives people construction experience, and engages youth. From the web site: “Projects offer unending opportunities to tell America’s greatest stories, making historical connections real, and cultivating among those involved an appreciation of the heritage, balanced use and stewardship of our nation’s special places.” Even if there was enough money to hire paid staff to do all of the work needed to preserve these historic sites, it would be a great idea to reserve some work for volunteers, to keep those many benefits for historic sites and volunteers alike.

By contrast, this story from the Nonprofit Quarterly about volunteers in California state parks pretty much says, We don’t have enough money to pay people to do the work of keeping state parks open, so we need people to work for free. Ugh. Volunteer engagement in this case isn’t presented as building community or engaging under-served populations or building awareness or giving people a deeper experience at the parks – it’s presented as being about having an unpaid labor force to get the work done. I’m very grateful that volunteers are keeping California state parks open – I’m a California state park user. And just as with HistoriCorps, absolutely, let’s keep volunteers involved in trail repair, invasive plant removal, habitat restoration, rehabilitation of historic orchards, etc., so that not only can the work be done, but also, so volunteers can have a deeper relationship with the parks they love and become advocates for state parks – and state funds for those park.

In fact, I think that, in both these cases, volunteers are helping for the same reasons: their love of these sites. And I think the results are quite similar: volunteers get work done but, more importantly, volunteers are seeing first hand the consequences of cuts in government funding. The contrast really is a matter of language and attitude about volunteer engagement. So, let me say it again: watch your language regarding volunteer engagement. Saying,”If they don’t do this, we’ll close!” can also mean, “Volunteers are free! We don’t have to pay people! Hurrah!”

For more on the subject of the value of volunteer or community engagement: