Tuesday Thoughts | 18 April 2023 | National Volunteer Week - The Volunteer Crisis

A few months ago I found myself saying, “if you’re arranging a group to go volunteer, count me in”, and if I’m being honest that statement actually means “I’m not willing to do any preplanning or work, but if I’m available, I’ll show up, and then feel pretty proud of myself for doing a good deed”.

I want to start there, because what I have to say this week might come across as a bit preachy or judgemental, and at the outset I really want to stress that while I do have volunteer commitments; I do very little grassroots, hands-on volunteer work, and am as susceptible as the next person to the alarming trend towards being too busy to volunteer (or at least believing I am too busy to volunteer).

I’ve spent my entire professional life working in roles that were made possible by the work of volunteers; when you work for a sitting politician you are always aware of the many people who took time out of their lives to get that person elected, they knocked on doors, put up signs and encouraged people to vote on election day; in the Not-for-Profit sector the connection is even more clear, from Boards of Directors, to Committee Members, to individuals who volunteer to take on all manner of tasks. My career runs on Volunteers, I have some skin in this game.

Many regular readers will also know that I actually chose my Alma Mater based (mostly, there was also the pool – a story for another time) on the idea that Laurier is the Volunteer Capital. I’ve written about this a few times, including last year around this time for CSAE Trillium’s Forum and in a post way back in 2015 when LinkedIn Ranked Laurier (students and alumni) first in Volunteerism. Even before it was part of my career, even before I had started to really understand my family’s history with volunteerism, I was drawn to the idea of doing something for more than just a paycheque.

So, a few months ago I found myself as a guest on Toronto This Weekend speaking anecdotally about the growing need for volunteers, and what I perceived to be a Volunteer Crisis. If you give me a chance to speak to how impactful Not-for-Profits, Charities and other Volunteer Run organizations are to all of us, I will mount that soapbox like an Olympic gymnast; and I wanted to take the opportunity to call on people to do more than click to donate (although you should absolutely also do that when and if you are able).

And then, less than a week later, what I felt in the air became tangible and real, when Volunteer Canada put out a call for a return to volunteerism citing data showing that 2/3 of all organizations are experiencing a shortage of volunteers. A call that they have repeated this week to mark National Volunteer Week. The title of today’s #TuesdayThoughts is not hyperbole – there really is a Volunteer Crisis Sweeping the Nation, and just as things seem to be about to go from bad to worse across many parts of society.

Its hard, even for those of us who spend a lot of time thinking about these issues, to say definitively what is happening out there, other than the obvious pandemic hangover. But, one of the trends we were seeing, even in the before times, was a shrinking amount of free time leading to a trend call micro-volunteering; a task or project specific version of volunteerism that allows an individual to get in and get out in a defined timeframe or after working on a micro task.

There are a few challenges with micro-volunteering, the biggest being that its often very labour intensive for the organization; unless someone returns again and again there is onboarding, and potentially waivers and agreements, and just many many more people to process through the doors. I’m not discouraging people from micro-volunteering, but I do think its important to recognize the downstream impact of doing exactly what I was contemplating at the top of this post – showing up to be “helpful” but only on your terms.

The flip side is that if an organization has a time sensitive task to complete micro volunteers can be very helpful, my friend Sandra Moniz, CAE, CMM runs an annual campaign to pack purses full of goodies for Women experiencing poverty and homelessness (shameless plug: if you are in York Region, please donate what you can to the Purse Project ), someone who shows up for the afternoon to pack the bags could make a small commitment of time and a big impact on this once-a-year activity.

For my part, other than being actually quite lazy about finding micro-opportunities to lend a hand, I try to focus on how I bring unique value to my volunteerism. As someone who has served in Senior Staff roles across over a dozen Associations and other NFPs, I know a lot about governance, best practices, and the strategy behind how Not-for-Profits work, so you will often find me throwing my hat in the ring to sit at the Boardroom Table. I’ve also been known to sit on committees that look at issues such as Advocacy and Government Relations, Professional Development and Event Planning, and Member Relations or Communications.

One of the big projects I’m working on right now is a book about “How to Make An Impact with Your Unique Time, Talents and Resources”, to help everyone do what I’ve been able to do because through years of experience in the Government and NFP sectors – to assess where you can make the greatest impact on the issues and causes you care about. But until then, I still wanted to put in this plug for more people to find their right and meaningful way to volunteer.

It was in doing some of the fact-checking for my book, that I came to be having the conversation I recounted at the start of this issue of Tuesday Thoughts. Late in the before times (February 2020) was when I first met Andrew Beveridge , who promptly invited me to come along with the groups he regularly organized, to serve meals at the Scott Mission. As I’ve shared with him before, I really feel like that conversation really kicked off this law-of-attraction type phenomenon of people who have been in my life for years seeking me out to talk about a very specific type of impact making.

Sometimes you will simply see a need and jump in to lend a hand, like Meredith Low, MBA, CAE, C. Dir. (who is herself an incredibly savvy strategist) who volunteers to help coordinate the making and delivering of homemade food to those experiencing homelessness (if you want to contribute and are in the Trinity Bellwoods neighbourhood hit her up); it also sounds like she makes a mean sandwich.

Be it the opportunity that sort of falls into your lap, or something you really have to go looking for. My Call to Action this National Volunteer Week: is to look for ways to close the volunteerism gap, put your hand up and volunteer, give an hour, a day, a week, or years, whatever you are able.

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Want to volunteer but don’t know where to start?

First, ask yourself what do I care about? What or who has impacted my life and the lives of my family and friends?

Check out websites and look for “volunteer today” menu options. Ask your friends or seek out service opportunities through your work or school.

Check out Volunteer Canada or CharityVillage (which allows you to search for volunteer job postings), even LinkedIn for Board and Committee opportunities.

Have other ideas, opportunities, or resources? Let’s share them in the comments below.

New and Noteworthy is a collection of things readers of??#TuesdayThoughts ?might find interesting, important, or informative;

??Other Stuff I Did This Week (shameless self promotion): Announced late last week, I'm joining some big names on the Stage at the EVENT E:2.0 check out the first breakout speaker announcement also featuring Laura Bickle and Jennifer Spear (she/her) | So honoured to have been tagged in Leanne Calderwood, CMP 's post about having smart friends ?? check it out for a list of incredibly smart women to connect with and follow.

?? What to Read:?53% of women say they’re lonely at work and it only gets worse the higher they climb. Here’s what can help from Fortune h/t Courtney Stanley | Economic Contributions of Nonprofit Institutions and Volunteering from Charity Village | Are You a Digital Narcissist? from Harvard Business Review h/t Tara George | Does Your Board Have A Culture Where Honest Debate Takes Place? from Chief Executive

?? What to Do:? Step Above Stigma Candid Conversations Coffee House featuring Nat Wallace

?? What to Watch:?CSAE Leadership Awards Celebration - TODAY

????♀?Cool Jobs (Paid and Volunteer):?Sales - Account Manager @ Polytainers h/t Kerry George | Event & Meeting Coordinator @ Exhibition Place h/t Don Leddy CAE CEM ???? ???? | Vice-président pour le Québec / Vice President Quebec, Medtech Canada h/t Nicole DeKort | Committee Members - Fundraising and Silent Auction @ CNE Foundation | Coordinator, Communications @ Ontario College of Family Physicians h/t Karen Snider Leiva | Member, Board of Directors @ FoodShare Toronto

??Take Note:?This personal post by Rich Donovan , if you like to think of yourself as committed to EDI don't forget to ask yourself how you treat people with disabilities.

??I am a Certified Association Executive with nearly over a dozen years of experience in leadership positions in Canada's Not-for-Profit Sector; as a College Professor, occasional Speaker, and contributor to blogs, newsletters, and media, I am skilled at using the art of storytelling to explain my ideas and inform audiences and readers on a variety of topics.

??♀?I am also a Certified Organizational Specialist and Practical Minimalist, who happens to have an unhealthy love for Excel Spreadsheets. I don't do this work often, but I am always happy to give a bit of advice if you are struggling.

??Did you know I also paint and draw? I am passionate about the benefits of Adult Colouring, and can create custom colouring sheets for speech and workshop audiences, by request.

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LinkedIn?Danielle S. Russell, CAE (she/her) ?| Instagram?@danielle.s.russell ?| Twitter?@dani__russell ?|?YouTube???One Woman Island