Volunteer or Activist?

New Ways of Volunteer Recruitment

Today, most organisations, when advertising for volunteer roles will place an advertisement somewhere, if they can, to recruit a suitable volunteer.

They may place that ad on the internet, various websites, and peak organisations for volunteers and sometimes, depending on budget, in a newspaper or via other traditional media. Some will utilise social media but still too few do. Another topic for another day!

I would love for us to reimagine volunteer recruitment. On most NFP websites we have expression of interest forms. But too often, we steer these expressions in a certain way towards a certain role.

I think we may have things back to front. I would love to see Not for Profits engage volunteers and the recruitment of same in a totally different manner alongside their traditional modes.

I recently came across the following inspiring words. These were not written by a person managing or leading volunteers. But have a read.

“What are the gifts you bring to the world?

These times of fear and uncertainty are not a time for hiding your light under a bushel. These times call for letting that light shine.

•  What are you good at?
• What do you love doing?
• What do you wish someone would ask you to do?
• What do you want to get better at doing, and would love the opportunity to practice?”

 Hildy Gottlieb - TEDx Speaker | Systems Change Researcher & Author

 Imagine our organisations having ads like these on our websites? Imagine having ads like these on Social Media?

Our traditional methods of volunteer recruitment have been the same for years. There have been a few modifications in terms of how we engage corporate and so called “skilled volunteers” I have never been a fan of the latter term. All volunteers bring skills!

Nevertheless an ad with Hildy’s words or similar would blow me away if I was looking for a volunteer opportunity out there. Why?

1.   Its honest – it acknowledges that the world can be a dark place.

2.  It talks about the light in everyone – how an ordinary person can do an extraordinary thing.

3.   It encourages action to shine a light.

4.   It wants to know what you can offer. Everyone has something to offer.

5.  It wants to know what you already love doing – how can this be tapped into, if at all.

6.  Most people don’t volunteer because they were never asked. This asks a person what they would like to do. It goes away from an organisation telling you what to do. It’s a different form of volunteering.

7.  It asks what they would like to improve doing. Here is the key. The question about how we can help develop a volunteer but asking in a much better way.

It’s a simple ad that you put on your website. It’s an innovative model of volunteer recruitment.

Tell us what you can do for our organisation and we will be in touch!

And not every idea or skill offered will be fit for purpose. But I bet you that most will.

We have been asking people to volunteer for years but maybe we miss out on a large section of the population because of the way we frame the question.

Here is just another way. Try it!

Ten Top Traits of Volunteer Leadership

There are so many articles out there about the difference between leadership and management. When it comes to coordinating and managing volunteers I have some thoughts. We manage programs. We coordinate activity. We lead people and organisations. Here is what effective leadership means to me in the volunteering sector. I come to these conclusions after 22 years in the sector.
1.      A leader advocates for ethics in volunteering. We don’t stand for replacing paid roles to save money. We do stand with volunteers adding value to an organisation.
2.      A leader inspires volunteers. Through their leadership style they inspire the volunteer to continue volunteering for the cause week in and week out. The leader is an integral part of continuing motivation.
3.      A leader has a volunteers back. They stand up for them if they are being used rather than utilised. They stand for equal recognition of a volunteer as a staff member. They ensure their “unpaid status” does not lead to any type of discrimination as far as value and worth are concerned.

4. A leader is proactive and not just reactive. A good volunteer leader anticipates their organisations needs rather than maintain a status quo

5.  A great volunteer leader challenges their organisation around volunteering solutions. They consistently point out how volunteer engagement is an awesome resource which brings so many benefits to the organisation and therefore merits investment and resource

6.  A Volunteer leader is part of the leadership team of any organisation. They have an equal footing with HR and fundraising management. Because of their expertise in leading people they are sought out for leadership advice across the organisation.

7.      A Volunteer leader has a strategic mindset. They are constantly following worldwide trends in volunteering. They understand the various demographics and motivations of volunteering. They are one step ahead and never rest on their laurels.

8.  An effective volunteer leader networks. They actively work to see what other organisations are doing around the globe. They share their expertise as they take from others.

9. A great volunteer leader demands. They demand that their subject matter expertise is respected. They demand that volunteers have their rightful place on the organisations chart which should be pretty much high up!

10.  The best volunteer leader develops leaders. They stand back and let volunteers lead. They help create programs and give volunteers the credit they deserve. They are best pleased when they see volunteers shine and thrive.

Organisations need to advertise for leaders when they are looking for managers or coordinators of volunteers into the future. A lot of people can manage or coordinate volunteers. But find a leader and your volunteer program will excel!

And I did speak out!

 

As some of you may or may not have noticed I have become more involved volunteering as an activist for a few causes. And I guess on reflection I have always been a type of activist. According to our friend Wikipedia “Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct, or intervene in social, political, economic, or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society.”  A dictionary simply states that it is “the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.”For me personally, it’s a very interesting form of volunteering. It compels you to take a stand, be a voice and take some form of action. Sometimes it is not easy. It may not be great for the faint hearted! It leaves you open to criticism. You will always find people with an opposing view. It’s not for everyone but more should be doing it. Our future depends on it. And I have never believed that more than I do today. Why do people become activists? Again, for me personally, it’s about finding a cause you care about enough to take some action to support. My actions over the last 12 months have been joining organisations, volunteering my time, attending meetings, marching the streets, highlighting my causes utilising social media and writing.

 

What is my main motivation for doing so?

 

1. My kids. I am seriously worried about the future world that they may inherit. The science is in. We have been warned. When Governments around the world don’t take action, we, the people, will.
2. It’s political. The rise of far right players in the political world is frightening. It must be resisted. We must learn from history
3. Volunteer Management. We could all learn so much from how these activist organisations, recruit, motivate and organise their volunteers. They are all so far ahead of traditional Volunteer Management it’s not funny. We have so much to learn. So I am motivated to learn.
4. Connections. Activists are so connected and do it so well. I have joined their footprint on Twitter and they know how to use it to their advantage. I have made amazing and inspiring connections. With a few exceptions I think the traditional field of Volunteer Management are still miles behind when it comes to their usage of social media. On a global scale the VM sector is disjointed.

 

I will continue to share my musings. On a mission. Talk soon.

 

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” - Niemöller

 

 

 

In Memory of Susan – My favourite quotes

This week we in the volunteering sector lost a friend, a colleague, a mentor and an Inspiration. Her name is Susan J Ellis. Her writings will live on. Her inspiration will never die. Bloggers have written amazing tributes. I have posted on Social Media. But on my blog today I would like to pay my respect by sharing my favourite quotes from Susan. If you have a favourite please add.

Thank you Susan.

"Remember, no one gets paid to rebel.  All revolutions start with volunteers.”

“No one will buy you professional status. You either have it or you don't. But it is different from competence on the job. It means affiliation with a field and a willingness to work together to build that field.”

‘We in the volunteer community have some important things to say about why and how citizens get involved.”

“Unless we work together, we cannot have visibility or power. Do not wait for some national or local organization to take the lead here. They will do what their funders want. What do you and your local colleagues need? And are you all willing to be volunteers yourselves to get it done?”

“Just like the two workers chiselling marble, one saying “I hammer stone” and the other “I am helping to build a cathedral,” it’s all in the attitude.  And, if we express our work with a consistent vision, it will have a ripple effect.  We’ll feel proud, volunteers will feel fulfilled, our organizations will recognize the value of our role, and we can indeed change the world.”

“So that’s why I don’t tire of my travels.  I may hate airport security lines and fight off jet lag, but I always know that my destination will allow me to meet wonderful colleagues doing extraordinary things with volunteers – well worth the journey.”

“Volunteerism is both reactive and proactive. It is a response to current events, social problems, and community needs that vol­unteers are often the first to identify. Volunteers can take action before institutions and government are able or willing to offer services. As such, volunteers are pioneers and experimenters, unlimited by the restrictions of tradition, public statutes, need to make a profit, or availability of initial funds.”

“Marilyn Mackenzie, a Canadian colleague, is fond of saying that our field is “terminally nice.” While some people love my willingness to state an opinion honestly, others see it as aggressive. Because I want to stimulate discussion, I provide my perspective as clearly as I can. No apologies. Actually, I think I do try to acknowledge gray areas or to give credit where credit is due. But, yes, I say what I feel.”

“Volunteering is inherently an optimistic activity. No one volunteers for a cause they assume is hopeless. So the very act of participation implies a dream: this problem can be solved, this cause can succeed, this effort can make a difference. “

“Volunteers have always been--and continue to be--on the cutting edge. They recognize issues and the need for change before anyone else does. Often they have to drag the Establishment kicking and screaming into a new way of doing things.”

In memory of Susan J Ellis.

Volunteer Leadership By combining your determination and our experience!

“Such is the upside-down, topsy-turvy state of our world that the children are now the adults and the adults are the children.”

So leads Jonathon Freedland in his recent article in the Guardian titled - The school climate change strikes are inspiring – but they should shame us

I’ve written before about the school climate change strikes and other climate action volunteering but there seems to be so little if any scrutiny or discussion about this form of volunteering within the volunteering or volunteer management sector itself.

We boast when we talk about “new and emerging trends” that we are way ahead of them or at least anticipating them but we are still stuck in a quagmire of volunteer management discussion focussing on us and our struggle to be taken seriously. Perhaps the emperor has no clothes.

Meanwhile, and pardon the French, the world is facing a shit storm. It’s called climate change. It is real, it is threatening and it should be frightening the socks off you all.

It is frightening our youth enough, that they have opted to volunteer for a noble cause…like…saving the planet for their future.

As Freedland goes on to say “It has fallen to those so young they are not trusted to decide what they can eat or when they can go to bed to sound the alarm about the crisis that matters most: the crisis of the climate.”

How soon will it be before more Not for Profits take up the cause of fighting to save the planet. If they are now fighting for humanitarianism, for alleviation of poverty or for social justice or for refugees how soon will it be before they realise that it all will be further interconnected by the crisis that is not around the corner but here now.  This is not a long stretch of the bow.

Back to Freedland’s article “Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, an early and tireless environmental advocate, is right to say that the #FridaysForFuture movement is “not the first great change to begin with the action of just one person”: from Abraham onwards, our history and tradition is full of people who, alone at first, changed the world.”

How often in our speeches and writings and blogs and newsletters do we write “Volunteers change the world?”

And yet, with this volunteering movement growing around the world why do we seem to be missing its significance? What can we as a sector learn about;

·         Volunteers self-organising

·         Organising at scale

·         Motivation of young people

·         Mass civil action

·         Innovative modes of management

·         The power of social media to mobilise volunteers.

Yes there are critics of these new movements springing up and a certain cynicism about youth action and you can read about those in the article as well. And yet we have heard that cynicism in the Volunteer management world as well. We have all come across one of these statements

“Young people are not reliable volunteers”

“Never take on students”

“Young people don’t stay”

“Young people are doing volunteering for selfish reasons”

And we may face cynicism in our own sector as well about the very notion that this is a volunteering movement. Some will argue that it is activism rather than volunteerism.

In a separate article written for the Guardian George Monbiot wrote about these children leaving their classes to protest against climate change - My generation trashed the planet. So I salute the children striking back

“The Youth Strike 4 Climate gives me more hope than I have felt in 30 years of campaigning. Before this week, I believed it was all over. I thought, given the indifference and hostility of those who govern us, and the passivity of most of my generation, that climate breakdown and ecological collapse were inevitable. Now, for the first time in years, I think we can turn them around.

By combining your determination and our experience, we can build a movement big enough to overthrow the life-denying system that has brought us to the brink of disaster – and beyond. Together we must demand a different way, a life-giving system that defends the natural world on which we all depend. A system that honours you, our children, and values equally the lives of those who are not born. Together, we will build a movement that must – and will – become irresistible.”

By combining your determination and our experience! What can our sector learn from this powerful sentiment?

Can we see the trees for the forest before there are no trees left at all?

The volunteer sector needs to be discussing this. The silence is deafening.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/15/young-climate-change-greta-thunberg-children

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/15/planet-children-protest-climate-change-speech

Volunteering Disruption!

Have you come across the word “Disrupt” What exactly is it? According to Melanie Burgess in an article written for News.com “ In a nutshell, positive disruption is corporate terminology for changing things up and solving problems from a new perspective. It is closely linked to another buzzword, innovation. The most commonly used example of disruption is ride-sharing mobile app Uber, where the creators disrupted the taxi industry by solving the problem of expensive transport and tackling it from a peer-to-peer perspective.” Melanie goes on to write “ Despite disruption often coming in the form of new technologies, a Randstad survey reveals more than four in five Australians are unconcerned by the idea of technological advances affecting their job in the future.”

Melanie goes on to quote Juanita Wheeler, organiser of TEDxBrisbane and founder of consulting firm Full & Frank who says the best way to become a disrupter is to read.

“The greatest minds and the people most innovative and creative and continuously looking for better solutions across all aspects of life are people who read,” Juanita says. “They might see an idea in architecture and apply it in science or see an idea in a travel company and apply it to foreign aid funding.” She recommends reading research articles from universities as well as keeping up-to-date on science, technology and current affairs. “The more widely you read, the more inquisitive and creative your ideas become,” she says. “It’s completely out of vogue to some extent but to me it’s everything. The beauty of it is that reading is free.”

Linda Ronnie writing for The Conversation in an article titled “Why it’s important for HR to get out in front of workplace disruption” states “There is no doubt that future workplaces are going to look different and that they’ll be run differently too. More and more companies are hiring freelancers and remote work among full-time employees is also becoming the new normal.”

Is it important for Volunteer Leadership to get out in front of workplace disruption? I say - of course!

As Linda says “ Monitoring teams and keeping up to date with projects can be done via a number of platforms and more electronic solutions will become available over time. Already, companies are making use of cloud-based solutions, voice technology and machine learning to manage their people”

We cannot afford to miss the relevance of this in the volunteering space. How can we adapt to new and emerging technologies that can assist us in harnessing the power of community giving for our organisations?

The traditional modus operandi of volunteer engagement still continues but if we fail to read, be inquisitive and to be creative we will be left behind. Take for example an this in Linda’s article:

“Global consumer goods giant, Unilever, is already taking advantage of this. It’s launched a pioneering digital recruitment process that’s shortened its hiring cycle from four months to just two weeks. This saves 50,000 hours of candidate time while reducing recruiter screening time by a massive 75%. More than that, the process is fun and rewarding for candidates and they get better feedback about their participation regardless of whether they are successful or not.”

Now apply this to how we recruit volunteers? Is your process fun and rewarding for volunteer candidates? It should be! Could you reduce your volunteer recruitment screening time by 75%?

As Linda says “ New approaches are appealing especially to Millennials and the Generation Zs – young people who are tech savvy and used to interacting on multiple platforms, and who will dominate work spaces of the future.”

How are we converting that talent and those skills into volunteering? The idea of disruption brings up many questions for us in the sector.

Are we shifting the mode of volunteering to suit volunteering of the future?

Are we using the right language to recruit the next gen of volunteering?

Are we harnessing present and emerging technology to drive innovative volunteering?

Are we reading and continuously looking for better solutions across all aspects of volunteering?

I believe that some groups are doing well. They are mostly in the Activist sphere where they are mobilising at place and harnessing technology to be agile and effective. We can learn a lot from them. We must to simply keep up and to do so we must disrupt!