So many love the feeling of that check or cross off the old’ daily to-do…it’s productive. It says we’re doing something. But that little mark doesn’t indicate how we completed the task.Were we quick and sloppy? Were we distracted? Did we put every ounce of effort and attention into it? Did we do it with love or out of a sheer desire to say “I did it?”
Volunteering is not something you can just cross off a chore list and say, “It’s taken care of.”
It’s not a tangible object, something you can touch or own. Rather, it’s a feeling, a warm sensation in the pit of your stomach that says, “I can.” It’s not about “me;” it’s about them.
The minute you thought your two hands weren’t enough is the minute you see they’re the key to changing lives.
A young college freshman I spoke with the other day is a dedicated volunteer and organizer in his own community, and has actually started his own organization to bring about understanding in teens of the social and economic situation going on around them. This is what he had to say about the average volunteer:
“I think a lot of people see volunteering as kind of a one-time experience where you go to lend a hand, help someone hands-on for one day or a certain amount of time. You go home and that’s pretty much the end of it. I think that kind of thing is important, but it doesn’t move anything towards bringing social change of any kind.”
And you know what? He’s absolutely right. Talking to this young man who is years younger, but has already made so much more of a difference than I have ever imagined making in my own life, made me realize how much of a cop-out volunteering can become. And then it hit me- I’ve been that person, the one who helped out and thought she felt good about it, but then forgot about those specific people and never went back.
You reassure yourself you don’t have time to make a weekly or monthly commitment and you’ve done your good deed, or the thought of returning to help again in the same place simply doesn’t cross your mind.
You help out once somewhere for a club, for a church, for a class when your friends are around to socialize with you and keep you company while you fulfill this requirement….and then it’s over.
But how rewarding is that? Don’t we ever wonder how that soup kitchen, that poor neighborhood, that sick child is doing later on? My young college friend finished by saying,
“When they do that [volunteer,] they need to keep it in the context of a bigger picture and understand the more significant issues that are going on around them. And try to plug them into that, which is why we make sure to do a whole lot of community organizing.”
Here are some ways to volunteer with your whole heart and be in it for the long-term:
Return
Go back to the same place over and over to volunteer. It’s about a relationship with this specific group of people, and that can’t be developed in a few hours’ time. See it through, and have a vested interest in providing continuing support. It will be so much more rewarding than going here and there for short visits.
Go alone
Not to say that you shouldn’t go with people to help out- the more the merrier- but going alone a few times might help you evaluate if you’re there for the right reasons. If you still have a great time without anyone else there and it feels rewarding, then bring along your friends, peers and coworkers the next time around.
Seek
Don’t wait for people to come to you asking for help or for a group volunteer project to surface. Offer your help when it’s not required, even during a time when you might prefer doing something for yourself, like on a weekend or during the holidays.
Research
Seek out places that aren’t right on the map and maybe off the beaten path a bit. These are the locations that don’t receive nearly as much support. There’s no money to “advertise” the need, and they don’t have a large organization or corporation backing them up and asking for volunteers.
Organize
Consider gathering your own group together for a specific cause you’re passionate about, which could even turn into your own organization if you get enough followers. Educate teens and college students your age about local social and economic issues in an inviting way. Encourage and inspire them to make change happen.
None of these things are easy to do, but they leave us something to think about. I often talk to high school kids who have started volunteer organizations on their own, and I’m in awe of their dedication and initiative.
Let’s all truly evaluate ourselves and be honest. How often do we help out when it’s not required? How often do we give of our time on a beautiful Saturday afternoon without signing some sort of sheet afterward where we check our name off a list and say we’ve “served?”
We can’t pull the support system out from under those who need our help to eat, to sleep, to get an education, to live the life we’ve always had. Let’s be in it for the long-run.
A graduate from Appalachian State University and a dedicated columnist, Kristin Larmore finds encouragement and strength in talking to teens who are making their mark on society. She writes for the volunteer section at Relate Magazine, relatemag.com.
Image from cainekisses.com.
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