Volunteer

I saw a woman yesterday at the Farmers' Market wearing a plastic name tag that said in bold letters "VOLUNTEER"  It caught my attention because I have been thinking lately about the experience of Volunteering.  For one reason, I just resigned after completing four years as a several-days- a-month Volunteer in long term care.  For another, I currently do two days a week in a different Volunteer role. And over the years I have Volunteered in various capacities. 

The name tag was perfect because it conveys the vacuum behind the term Volunteer.  That was the woman's only perceptible identity.  Now I know that it is not politically correct to say that, but it is from the perspective of Volunteer Users that I make that comment.   Being a Volunteer generally requires no particular background or field of knowledge except good will, and its sole reward is a certain inner satisfaction for the person Volunteering.  Most often, the role one Volunteers for is very narrowly defined and, by definition, becomes boring rather quickly, unless the level of making a difference is very dramatic.    Licking stamps is not at that level.

Of course, the most important thing about Volunteering is that the person who gives time and effort is receiving something in return.  In my experience, the Volunteer organization assumes that "doing good" is its own reward.  It is , but only for awhile.  Unlike the workplace, Volunteer organizations have no incentive to enrich what one offers to do as a Volunteer.  And, with some exceptions, the role becomes that of putting one's finger in the hole in the dike, without any opportunity to express a worthwhile opinion, because if one had a worthwhile opinion, one would be doing paid work.  Get it? ( In our society, one is worth what one gets paid.)

I offer these thoughts only in general.  After 9/11, vanloads of volunteers came to New York City from churches in the South to help clean the apartments in the surrounding neighborhood.  That is not the vacuum I refer to.  I am referring to organizations  that make a business of using V olunteers, but see them merely as fingers in the hole in the dike, not as persons with abilities who perhaps have worthwhile ideas - at least occasionally?