CCVA Year End Letter (2020)

My life has been one dedicated to service to others from the moment I was born. For most of my childhood, my parents were voluntary missionaries on the tiny island of Guam. Volunteerism was not a term we would have used; it was more commonly understood as a way of life. Undoubtedly, growing up with that understanding helped to shape my own path. For the past 15 years I have worked in and alongside the nonprofit sector as a professional volunteer manager, fundraiser, and communicator. My aim has always been to change the world for the better by serving the marginalized and the vulnerable, and I believe that volunteerism is one of the greatest contributions a person can commit to in that pursuit. 

I was first introduced to the CVA (Certificate in Volunteer Administration) by a fellow volunteer manager in 2010 while living in Texas. My participation in the Dallas Association of Directors of Volunteers (DADV) swiftly became a forum for camaraderie, learning, and a new group of friends that would last for years to come. The CVA community afforded me a network of professionals both nationally and internationally. 

I began serving as a volunteer on the External Relations Committee of the Council for Certification of Volunteer Administration (CCVA). In 2014, I assumed the role of chair of the committee, leading a group of 10 peers in efforts to expand international awareness of volunteerism and the power of saying "yes" to an opportunity to help others. Our goal was to increase understanding of the impact of individual volunteerism and its importance as a foundational pillar of society. We reviewed website content, wrote press releases, managed social media, and sought out media and advertising opportunities in order to arm others with the information needed to educate their local communities on the power of volunteers. 

In 2018, Jennifer Bennett of Volunteer Match approached me to consider board service at CCVA. I had no idea what I was getting into at the time, but I was filled to the brim with excitement for the opportunity to continue to serve communities all over the world. And, for the past 2 years, I have had the privilege to serve as Board Chair to help navigate the organization into a new era of operational excellence.

It is true, we have hit some snags along the way as we experienced transition among staff persons and board members. But, if I have learned anything during this last year of unprecedented transition and upheaval, it has been to remember, as Mr. Rodger’s suggested, to “look for the helpers”, and to then be the helper. In addition to the global and local challenges of COVID-19, the new reality in which we find ourselves has pointedly highlighted the need for community. And, as volunteer managers, community is what we do best.

As I conclude my term of service with CCVA, I hope that my time here has given positive momentum to our mission, and I look forward to seeing the impact that CCVA will continue to make in communities around the world. CCVA is in the best hands possible with Faiza Venzant as Executive Director, the board of directors and your incoming Board Chair, Amber McMillan.

Onward,

Amira Barger, CVA

CCVA Board Chair (2019, 2020)