Volunteering: "Everybody's doing it!"

Sigh… it's Tuesday. At least Monday is over. Still, you are tired and the weekend looms far ahead. You put in your eight hours and feel okay with the work you did today. Time to go home and relax. And then it happens: Kimberly from the next cubicle over stops by your desk and asks, "Hey, I'm running over to the hospital to read to some of the kids, why don't you join me?." You inwardly groan, thinking you've paid your dues for the day and it's time to go home. But Kimberly is insistent, "C'mon, there's a group of us going… it's fun. Everybody's doing it." You trail along because, #1 you don't want to look as bad as the thoughts you're having about not going, and #2 because you really have thought about volunteering before. By the end of the evening, you find you have enjoyed yourself and are experiencing a feeling of personal satisfaction you haven't known in a long time.

Hmm, is peer pressure making a comeback? Well, in Kimberly's case maybe so, but she isn't far off the mark. Maybe not "everybody" is volunteering, but according to the survey Giving and Volunteering in the United States - 2001 done by Independent Sector - a research program that works to build the research necessary to accurately define, chart, and understand the nonprofit sector - 44% of adults over the age of 21 volunteered with a formal organization in 2000. Sixty-three percent reported they volunteer on a regular basis - monthly or more often. That means that an estimated 83.9 million adults formally jumped on the volunteer bandwagon and contributed approximately 15.5 billion hours of volunteer time.

Kimberly had the right idea too; by taking the 30 seconds to stop by and ask a friend to join her in her activities she not only brightened her co-worker's day, but also that of the people they helped. Research shows that individuals who were asked to volunteer were more likely to do so (71%) than were those volunteers who had not been asked (29%), (Independent Sector, 2001).

You may ask yourself then, "Why? Good question. "I won't get paid; I have so many other things to do. If I had more time maybe…" Common thoughts. The reasons not to volunteer sometimes flow out of our mouths too easily, but when that happens, think about this for a moment: A study conducted by the Conference Board in collaboration with the Points of Light Foundation and Target Stores found that corporate volunteerism has a positive impact on a company's image and employee morale. Businesses that actively encourage their employees to become active in their community through volunteer projects universally discover a greater sense of teamwork and leadership in their employees. Further, their employees also discover a greater sense of personal and professional job satisfaction (Koenigs, 1998).

On a personal and individual level, the volunteer is also able to make new friends and acquaintances and, as a side benefit, make new business contacts. Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "It is one of the beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely help another without helping himself." In doing for others, we are also (more often than not) doing for ourselves. Volunteering offers the individual a strong sense of personal accomplishment. How often have we all had the itch to try something new, but stopped ourselves before we started because we didn't have the training, the education, or the time? Volunteering is a great opportunity to, experience new things, receive free skill training, and to better understand personal passions and goals. Additionally, many jobs require hands-on experience rather than just a pertinent degree or an interest in the field. Volunteering allows you to have fun while you gain the experience you need to be qualified for that job!

Volunteers are one of America's most valued, but underutilized, resources. If we are to rebuild our community and country into a safer and better place to raise our families, we must step forward and commit ourselves to them in the spirit of community (Koenigs, 1998). And there is no time like the present to do just that - National Volunteer Week is April 17-23! The future of America and each of our individual communities lies in our hands, offering a sense of empowerment that each of us really can make a difference. Remember, "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world, (Anonymous)"

Volunteering can also be a great way to share your interests and values with your family and children. Many organizations welcome children and teens as volunteers to work as youth mentors or simply because they can share their enthusiasm and youthful energy with others. It's a lesson we should all pass along to our children. Independent Sector reports, "Adults who began volunteering in their youth give more money and volunteer more time than adults who begin later in life. Nearly 60% of youth that volunteered had parents who also volunteered."

Volunteering can help you:

• Make important networking contacts
• Learn or develop skills
• Gain work experience
• Build self-esteem and self-confidence
• Improve health
• Help you meet new people
• Feel needed and valued
• Make a difference in someone's life
• Express gratitude for help you may have received in the past from an organization

Whether it is important to you to solve a community problem, advance a worthy cause, or to develop as a person, volunteering offers many benefits in appreciation for the gift of your time and expertise. Every year, millions of Americans include the spirit of volunteering in their daily activities. By choosing to volunteer at a local park, school, or church - or through acts as simple as participating in a breast cancer benefit walk-a-thon or spending an hour or two visiting with seniors at a convalescent home - anyone can make an important difference in the lives of others in need.

Join the millions of people who make a difference in this world every day through volunteerism. The below web sites allow you to search for volunteer opportunities in your area. Remember that every person, every action, every moment counts.

• www.volunteermatch.org
• www.servenet.org
• www.idealist.org

References:

Independent Sector. 2001. Giving & Volunteering in the United States. Washington D.C.

Koenigs, Dave. 1998. Corporate volunteerism benefits firms, employees. American City Business Journals.