At the series of workshops I was a part of this week, another presenter talked about how instrumental volunteers — young Russians who had studied in the USA at some point — were regarding the success of a recent university fair in Moscow, where representatives of USA universities and potential students were brought together. The volunteers helped the representatives get to and from the fair, helped them at the fair, and took them on customized, personalized guided tours of Moscow. The representatives said in their evaluations of the fair that the volunteers were one of the best parts of their experience, because of the incredible energy and support those volunteers provided.
To someone who was listening who didn’t know much about volunteer engagement, it sounded like these volunteers magically showed up for this event, knew exactly what to say and what was needed, and when the representatives left, then disappeared into the ether. Of course that wasn’t the case at all: talking to the organizer, I found out that the volunteers were recruited from among students with whom he had already been associating and who had already been studying, working and socializing together for at least a few months. He already knew they were great speakers, that they knew how to be helpful to foreigners, that they understood Americans in particular, and that their English was up-to-snuff. So, yes, the volunteers were screened. And, yes, the volunteers received a volunteer orientation that clarified expectations, though that isn’t what the process was called. The volunteers got a t-shirt with the name of the event on the front and the world “Volunteer” on the back, and many representatives insisted on taking photos with “their” volunteer — volunteer recognition. And the volunteers had FUN – they are all asking when they get to do this again
I’m sure the person coordinating this event has never read a volunteer management book or attended a workshop about volunteer engagement. He’s not a part of any online discussion groups for managers of volunteers. He doesn’t call himself a manager of volunteers. Yet, somehow, he intuitively knew all of the elements that are required to engage volunteers and support them so that they can, in turn, support others. I’m sure the volunteers didn’t know they had undergone volunteer screening activities nor attended a volunteer orientation — they had simply had a LOT of fun and got to do something they really wanted to do.
And one more thought: I frequently hear that Eastern European young people just don’t “get” volunteering, that they don’t see why they should provide work for free. Yet this guy had to turn people away who wanted to participate in volunteering to support this event! His organization is a volunteer magnet!
This guy is asking volunteers to do a LOT of work and exude quality in that work.
So…. what does he know that you don’t?
Also see my favorite volunteer engagement resources.
Greetings from Budapest, Hungary!
Hi Jayne! I looked for your email but couldn’t find it, so I’ll write a short message here. First, I really like what I’ve read, old and new posts alike. It’s nice to see someone with strong points of view on a variety of aid, volunteering, and general helping matters. I have been volunteering for years and always find situations, no matter where in the world, to be frustrating, rewarding, confusing, and poorly run all at the same time.I’m sure you saw this already, but what are your opinions regarding points of the article (and the overall message)? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/14/orphans-cambodia-aids-holidays-madonnaAlso, I’m helping work on a largely volunteer-inspired site called StoryTripping, which is reader-submitted, true, off-the-beaten-path travel stories. It’d be great if you could submit one of the stories I know that as a volunteer and traveler, you have. Anything out of the ordinary, crazy, or wildly interesting is wanted! http://www.storytripping.com/Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and reading more–KB
You can find a connection to my email on every page of my web site, and by just typing my name into Google. Regarding what I think of the Guardian article — I’ve written about this SO much myself. I’m like a broken record. But I’ll say a bit about it again here: I think most short-term volunteering gigs do no good for people in the developing world. There are some good programs — even VSO, which said many programs aren’t worthwhile, has their own short-term program — but it’s hard for most people to distinguish between them. You can read more here: http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volunteer/international.html
Hi Jayne.In a discussion on OzVPM recently there was a similar observation about the mobilisation of volunteers for the Queensland floods. This was done by people who weren’t professional volunteer managers, had probably never attended volunteer management training or read a book on the field and more than likely didn’t know what they were doing was volunteer management.This led me to observe that "volunteers have done their things for countless years before the first professional volunteer manager came along. In that context our role is about stewardship and leadership of this amazing resource, helping to focus and direct it. When we start thinking volunteering couldn’t happen without us then we are on a dangerous path."
Thanks for replying, Rob. I think what I love about people like the people I met at this recent consultancy is that they are so FEARLESS. They don’t say what I hear from so many traditional volunteer managers — I don’t have time, my organization won’t let me do that, I’ve never done that before and therefore don’t want to do it, etc. — who then wonder why they are having trouble recruiting or retaining volunteers. I want to be like those fearless volunteer managers — who never call themselves volunteer managers…