Whenever I talk with people about my life, I somehow always come back to the different volunteer activities that I am involved with. Whether it's talking about coaching my daughter's soccer team, or helping out at a Girl Scout event, these things are what defines me. There's nothing that connects me to my family more than being a role model for my kids and showing them how giving matters.
So you may say, that's nice, but I don't have the time. Reality is, we all have time, 24 hours of it per day. How we choose to spend it is what matters. The name of the game here is creativity.
Say you work a regular 9-5 existence. You're not always able to be at your kid's school, but you want to help the PTA. Talk to someone and ask if there is anything you can do in the off hours. Maybe they need someone to write the newsletter, or stuff envelopes over a weekend? That's your opening. When our PTA hands out the list of activities they need help with, they note which ones are most suited to working parents. That's the teamwork that gets them volunteers.
Another great example is a surgeon friend who works 6 days a week in 12 hour shifts. Yet, she volunteers at a local animal shelter. They need people for overnight hours, and that's when she has the free time. They used to use staff members on overtime, and never could fill the time. She approached them, and found the opportunity she needed and took it. She inspires me to think creatively and always strive to do better.
Oh, and if you're the one looking for others to help, here's a suggestion. We have a committee at school that only meets in the morning from 9-10am. I can never make it and don't know much about them as a result. The message they send is "we're not for working parents, we don't want your help." Yet they struggle with not getting enough people to help with their activities. If you are looking for people to help with your cause, BE FLEXIBLE. Suggest meeting alternate between daytime and evenings, weekends and weekdays. Don't turn away an able bodied person. Find something for them to do - you never know what they are going to bring to your cause.
Rule #2 - FIND...a way to help....FIND... the time
Comments
You have got to love it when charities or anyone looking for volunteers are not lenient at all with the hours and days which they will "accept" your help. The other things that really gets me and I know it seems totally unrelated.....
Charities that organize races, walks and athletic events but will ONLY let you enter if you fundraise via pledges. I don't think they realize that they would get a lot more people involved and make a lot more money if they gave people the option of fundraising (for sweet prizes) or by just paying a $40 entry fee. I would love to raise funds for a race a month, but when you are hitting up the same people monthly for every charity race you want to enter, people get rather burned out. ("oh great, another race for JD")
Sorry....a bit of a rant, but it is kind of related....right? :)
What I am saying is....do you want my money or not?? Do you want as many people participating as possible? Then it would help to not have so many restrictions.
APRIL 24 2008 AT 5:29 PM
@JD:
Not a rant at all - it's totally related. You want the help, figure out how to get it, as long as it works for the cause. I agree with you wholeheartedly.
APRIL 25 2008 AT 1:39 PM