As I speak to community groups across the state, I find a very common issue, with which many of them struggle, is getting people to volunteer for roles on their Committees of Management.
Often it is the same people who have held the same committee positions for many years. Or they rotate the positions between the same small group of people.
This is usually not because they want to, but because no one else is willing to get involved.
Which got me thinking recently, “What will happen over the coming decades?”, as it seems to me that volunteering is becoming less and less of a priority for people?
And if that trend continues, our community groups are simply going to cease to exist.
So how can we stem the tide of this seemingly increasing reluctance to volunteer, and in doing so ensure the viability of all the great little groups that contribute to making our communities connected and vibrant places to live?
How can those of us who are involved in volunteering show our friends, neighbours and other community members the benefits of getting involved, and encourage them to do so too? Because when we do get involved in our communities, it not only enriches the community, but it enriches ourselves as well.
Perhaps there is an opportunity for schools to develop some innovative creative programs that promote volunteering and community service to students, so a culture of volunteering is established when people are young.
And generational change is something to think about too. How we keep our groups relevant and appealing, and meet the needs of the younger people that we need to join our groups to keep them alive into the future?
So ask yourself this question: “What am I going to do to keep volunteering alive in my community?”
You can download this Blog Post as a tip sheet by clicking here:Tip Sheet_ Is Volunteering Dead_ Sep 13, 2016
Recent Comments