If we say there is something for everyone in volunteering – do we really mean it?

 

    

With everything going on around the world right now it can be easy to lose touch with our humanity. If our world leaders are failing to bring peace to our world or take the climate emergency seriously it can be easy to become cynical. We all know that if we spent the trillions on addressing climate change, cost of living crisis, homelessness and poverty instead of on endless wars then we would give hope to our civilisation? But we can do more than hope. We, the people, can demand. Ah yes – but you vote for us they tell you. But I don’t think we ever voted to go to war? I don’t think we voted to not take meaningful action on climate. But we do. We elect the same people and vote for the same parties. Not all of us – I give you that but enough of us. It is 90 seconds to midnight and so many on our planet do not even know what that means. It is worth visiting and having a read on this site Doomsday Clock - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (thebulletin.org)

So what can we do to stay in touch with our humanity? It has to start with you.

We can be kind to ourselves. Do the things that help our own mental health and others. If you are reading this, I hope that deep down you can feel that kindness within yourself for you. Leading volunteers, whatever your title is, plays a significant role in bettering our society in multifaceted ways. I value you for that. I feel value for you if the costs of living crisis are impacting you and volunteers.

Change starts with you and volunteers will change this world. They already have. Don’t think that we can’t sort our problems. We can. But it may not be with the leaders of yesterday and today. It will take a new kind of authentic, mindful and compassionate leadership.

And yes – there can be anger. For we are human. I know my privilege by writing this while sitting on stolen land. And I know that many people can’t volunteer because of costs, having to work so many hours just to make ends meet or can’t because they don’t even have the freedom to do so.

When I’ve worked with volunteer youth advisory groups I keep asking where the young unemployed guy is. Where’s the girl who didn’t get to go to college or any higher education after school? Where’s the young person that left school early or the young homeless person?

If we say there is something for everyone in volunteering – do we really mean it?