Volunteer Management – A Simple manifesto

I am a volunteer manager
I am a leader of people
I am a facilitator of change in society
I harness a movement that is not compelled by financial gain
I am a friend
I am a counselor
I am an advocate
I am an activist
I am an organizer

I am a volunteer manager
I am a volunteer coordinator
I am a volunteer practitioner
I am a volunteer director
I am a volunteer administrator
I am moving beyond titles
I am moving beyond assumptions
I am moving past ignorance
Because…I know…what I am

I am a witness
I have seen people grow
I have seen people change
I have seen people make new friends
I have seen people discover new paths
I have seen the weak grow strong
I have seen the meek grow confident
I have seen some lost find again
And only as a volunteer manager

I have been challenged
I have been unrecognized
I have been unappreciated
I have been pushed to the limit
I have been afraid to say “no”
I have been too kind and said “yes”
I have been very tired
I have been taken for granted
I have considered other careers

Yet I have been inspired
Yet I have been encouraged
Yet I have been appreciated
Yet I have been resourced and supported
Yet I have met angels
Yet I have met devils aspiring for sainthood!
Yet I have seen diversity
Yet I have seen real people
Yet I have lived “volunteers”

And this is why I stay
And this is what still moves me
The movement that is volunteerism
In turn moves me
And it’s an honour to be there
To be part of a movement
That goes beyond definitions
And this is why I am still proud to say
I am a volunteer manager

DJ Cronin