That's Nice

No matter how many years of experience you have.

No matter your understanding of volunteering.

No matter that you have a proven track record on volunteer recruitment

No matter that you have worked hard for countless years

No matter that you explain to people that you are a professional in your field

No matter that you continuously demonstrate same

No matter that you may be an expert outstanding in your field

No matter that you have been successful in the past

No matter that you know your job, your people and your programs

No matter your title or position

You will always meet the person who will never get any of the above because you are a “Volunteer Manager”

And you, as that person “looking after the vollies” have a fresh supply of newly minted volunteers that you can produce at the click of your fingers.

And your job must be easy.

And that’s all you do.

And this is story often retold to me by many people in this role throughout the years. I’ve experienced it and countless of others still do.

This is why I continue to advocate for our profession. We need to be able to articulate the professional story of volunteer management.  And often it is the very word “Volunteer” that leads to an unconscious bias held about the worth of volunteering and those that lead them.