No matter where in the world you live, you have met with volunteers. And, most probably, have been helped by one or more of them. A volunteer is a person that gives of his time for free to help other people in need. In reality, s/he is not giving for free. But the compensation is not material, specially money.
The compensation of a volunteer is the satisfaction of being able to improve the quality of life of another human being. This is something that is emotional and spiritual in nature.
In what ways does a volunteer help other people?
There are uncountable ways that these sacrificed human beings give of themselves to reduce human suffering. Some areas where they get involved are as: physicians, dentists, teachers, cooks, emergency personnel, childcare, old age care, hospices, orphanages, environment protection, animal protection, child abuse prevention, battered wives protection, forest protection, homework supervision, recreational leaders, sports leaders, community affairs, security neighborhood patrols, disaster rescuers, and the list goes into infinity.
Where do you find volunteers doing their job?
We find them in businesses, churches, hospitals, schools, orphanages, community organizations, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and on their own.
What kind of organizations need volunteers?
Red Cross, Red Crescent, Humanity for Life, Heart Association, Churches, Humanity Wellness, United Funds, War Against Poverty, United Nations Organization, World Vision, and thousands of other groups.
Are volunteers effective?
They surely are. Volunteers usually do what the government in any given country does not or cannot do. Some countries even assign funds to volunteer organizations because they save millions of dollars in personal, management and several of these organizations even perform better than their paid personnel counterparts.
It wasn't up until recently that the value of a volunteer was recognized. Most agencies considered the work of volunteers as denigrating. But the UNO declared a year the year of the volunteer. (Assignment: look up what year was that). During that year, worldwide were presented a lot of activities in honor of volunteers. These served as a wake up for people in power to value these great human beings.
Usually, volunteer work was not given importance in a resumé. But the skills used in a management position or whatever position a volunteer holds in any organization is as valuable or more valuable than a paid one.
If you can effectively and efficiently manage a disaster team in an emergency, you can surely manage any team in a business or agency.
If you can teach people in your free time and they learn, you can surely teach as a paid teacher, too.
Some paid personnel even feel jealous and unsecure of volunteers, because there are times when a volunteer outperforms a paid official.
And, volunteers not only give of their time, most give money, materials, their knowledge, lend their vehicles, physical locations, equipment, and many other things.
There are some government programs that are called volunteer programs but where the volunteer receives a stipend (some money for personal expenses). It is called a stipend because the payment is much less then if the participant were to receive the correct salary for his/her job.
Volunteers usually participate in areas of their inner interest. They usually work where they want to. Some do it as part of their jobs. Some do the work outside their jobs but in areas related to their employment areas. For example: a nurse might volunteer in an organization that help people with health needs.
There are some volunteers that give their time in areas not related to their jobs. Some even hate their jobs and the volunteer work outside their employment area serve as a relaxation antidote of their profession.
So, if a group or organization want to have happy volunteers working with them, let the volunteer chose where s/he wants to work. Don't assign a nurse to health cores, s/he might leave your organizaton forever, because s/he might not like to work in their free time being a nurse. Probably, they want and love teaching children how to draw.
Of course, if a volunteer wants to do some kind of a task, you must investigate if s/he has the capacity to do that task, specially in health related areas.
The volunteer might need training to get the skills to do the task.
One very important thing. Something that most organizations don't do. Train your paid personnel on how to work with volunteers. Remember these are people that don't receive a salary for their work. They are doing it for personal satisfaction and spiritual fulfillment. Don't harass them.
But do require responsibility of them. Just because they are volunteers doesn't mean they can do things disorderly. This might affect the functionability of your organization.
Give tender loving care to your volunteers.
And if you are a volunteer, remember that people see you as a help or change to the better agent. Don't deceive them.
And if you want to be a volunteer or want to know more about them, seek your nearest non-profit or community organization for advise.
Sincerely,
Luis Antonios
Volunteer Leader
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Contributor's Note
You can duplicate this intel but you must include the source of it. Refer to http://www.humanitywellness.org as the source.
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