2024 National Volunteer Week

In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 21-27, 2024), I want to take a moment to share about the importance of volunteers in helping our College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and NC State Extension in fulfilling our missions, as well as the benefits of volunteering as a team to improve culture and morale by using Community Service Leave to do so.

When we think about the managers across our college, we typically think about the employees they manage. However, many of our managers and employees also serve as managers of volunteers. For example, the NC State Extension Master Gardener? program has recruited, trained, and engaged people to serve as volunteer educators who strengthen Extension’s delivery of science-based horticultural knowledge to North Carolinians since 1979. In addition, North Carolina 4-H Youth Development relies on thousands of volunteers across our state every year as club leaders, shooting sports coaches and instructors, and a variety of other areas in order to serve our 250,000+ youth who participate in our programs. In short, we wouldn’t be able to do our work and fulfill our mission without our volunteers. Please make time this week to say thank you to the volunteers in your programs. Points of Light has created this National Volunteer Week Toolkit to make it easy to celebrate and thank your volunteers.

How does volunteering help employees?

According to this article from Business News Daily, “Creating a company culture of volunteerism in your organization can help your community and the world while improving your business. Employee-sponsored volunteerism appeals to consumers who prefer doing business with socially responsible companies and employees who want to make a difference in the world. Whether you focus on climate issues, racial injustice, diversity and inclusion, poverty, or another concern, the shared mission can create a stronger workplace culture and help businesses embrace corporate social responsibility.”

One of the many benefits and perks of working for NC State University is Community Service Leave to get out and volunteer in our communities. Here are some of the benefits volunteerism brings to employees according to the article:

1. Volunteerism helps employees feel more empowered.
2. Volunteerism helps employees develop and share talents and skills.
3. Employees will feel happier when they participate in volunteerism.
4. Volunteering helps employees develop leadership potential.

How does volunteering help companies?

Volunteer programs also benefit the companies that sponsor them. Some advantages of sponsoring volunteerism include the following according to the article:

1. Volunteer programs help businesses attract and retain talent.
2. Volunteer programs can improve a brand’s image.
3. Volunteer programs boost employee engagement.

Coordinate Volunteer Opportunities for Team Building

A great way to boost your team’s culture, engagement, and morale is by coordinating volunteer opportunities in your community to get out and volunteer together as a team. This can be a great break from our busy schedules and work, not to mention the opportunity to serve others. Whether it’s education, environment, hunger relief, or poverty alleviation, volunteering as a team has a wealth of benefits. The following are some potential volunteer opportunities, to name a few:

1. Affordable Housing - Many communities have non-profit organizations dedicated to providing affordable housing in their communities. Examples near NC State campus include Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.
2. Food Banks/Pantries - Most communities have food banks or food pantries that help meet the food insecurity needs in their communities. Examples near NC State campus include Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
3. Hunger Centers/Soup Kitchens - Many communities, especially urban centers, have hunger centers and soup kitchens to serve the homeless and those less fortunate. Examples near NC State campus include Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen.

In conclusion, volunteers are critical in helping us fulfill our mission for CALS and Extension, and volunteering as a team has many benefits. Happy National Volunteer Week!

Dave Herpy serves as Extension Organizational Development Coordinator at NC State University in Raleigh, NC, where he is responsible for developing and implementing professional and leadership development programs for a workforce of over 1,000 employees with NC Cooperative Extension Service, working in collaboration with their Extension leadership team.? He is also an NC State Wellness Champion and competitive triathlete.? He is passionate about helping individuals and organizations achieve their highest potential and considers himself a lifelong student of leadership.? His greatest adventure in life is being a father of four.? He has an A.A. from Lakeland Community College, a B.S. in Leisure Studies from Kent State University, and an M.S. in Recreation and Sport Science from Ohio University.