Today I met with the volunteer coordinator at Bethany House to talk specifically about what volunteering opportunities I might participate in. It was a fairly quick meeting and we came to a consensus on supporting the helpline and possibly assisting with teaching child development for the life skills program.
Though brief, it was an interesting conversation. Going in, I certainly had my own thoughts about what I wanted to do, but I also felt that it wasn't as much for me to decide as it was for the agency to fill their need. It sparked some interesting thoughts for me, both as we were talking and after I left. My goal in volunteering is to serve a need for a particular agency or group of people in need. However, there is also the reality that if volunteers are not invested in and engaged by the jobs they are doing, they will not stay for long. Luckily for me and the volunteer coordinator, I want to work on the helpline and they need someone to work on the helpline.
The coordinator told me that for the helpline they ask for a long term commitment, because of the extra training required. And the length of the commitment - 6 months. I was a little taken aback by the shortness of the "long term" commitment. It is sad to think that they can't expect most of their volunteers to stick around that long, so much so that they need ask for a "special" commitment.
I wonder why when we volunteer for something it is difficult to stick with for the long haul. I know that in the past I have struggled with this, and back to point one I think it was because I was not completely invested in what I was doing. Anyway, it is sad that volunteerism can lack staying power.
I wonder why this happens. Thoughts? Experiences?
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