Becoming a Volunteer

I met up with a Volunteer Coordinator yesterday. Apart from my Girl Guides days and the occasional visit to the old folks' home/ school newspaper collection, I have not been volunteering on any real basis.

Corporate social responsibility is meant to be more than adopting a charity. Regardless, firms just see it as the latest buzzword for an old tradition. Personally, I find those 'employer-adopt-a-charity' drives highly dodgy, mainly because of the once-off nature of the adoption. Commercial organisations tend to change charity adoptees on an annual basis. That's not so bad if the commercial organisations contributes with cash only. It's extremely disruptive to the adoptee, when the commercial organisations wish to create a "XXX Ltd - XXX Charity Day". An once-off visit, event, and rah rah session to boost company morale and gain publicity, mostly amounting to 'charity tourism', for which the receiving organisation has to spend resources to manage.

I remember listening to some yuppie lawyers over wine one evening, about how they had spent a Saturday morning collecting newspapers. The newspapers were then weighed and sold. Proceeds were donated to charity. They spoke of how hard they worked at it. And I was like... An emperor's new clothes moment... "Why didn't you just give money? You guys have so much money. Why take the redundant step of collecting newspaper? How much can you collect anyway?" Hmmm... I wonder who is doing who a bigger favour. The lawyers helping the charity with a extra tiny bit of cash, or the charity giving the lawyers a shot at redemption? I guess it's a win-win situation. Well... sort of.

While money is great, it is not all that a charity organisation requires to keep its operations going. There are many ways where one can contribute as I was told yesterday. You can contribute by moving stuff around for them, befriending the needy, helping out with administrative work etc.

Hence, in my opinion, the key to sustainable volunteerism is 'commitment' and 'fit'.

'Commitment' is how much both sides, i.e. the volunteer and the receiving organisation, want to maintain this relationship. It takes time, energy and of course... money.

'Fit' is what the volunteer can do for the organisation, and also how the organisation can extract value from the skills/experience/strengths of the volunteer.

I can't wait to go for orientation to familiarise myself with the organisation, and to find that spot through which I can start contributing.