Hot Topics

Responses to: What's Hot, What's Not

Editor's Note: Because we reviewed past hot topics in this current hot topic, some responders chose to comment on the archived topics. We have posted these responses here but still encourage responders to also share with us what they think is "hot" right now.

Submitted on 02Jul14 by Cathy Philipsky, Volunteer Coordinator - St. Francis Home, Wisconsin, USA
I agree that you need to start children early to be "life-long" volunteers. I work for a nursing home and my goal is not only to develop youth into long-term volunteers, but to also see the benefits of working with the elderly and the long-term health care field.

When I first started coordinating the volunteer program, I was told not to have anyone under 16 volunteer because they would be a waste of my time. I have found many volunteers under the age of 16 who have been more reliable than some of my adult volunteers. They enjoy volunteering and the residents really enjoy the contact.

I would like to see more families getting involved in volunteering - parents spending time with their children, having a sense of community, and helping others at the same time. How can we show them that volunteering is worth while, important, and it does not take that much of a time commitment?

Submitted on 2002July3 by Colette Mandin, Coordinator of Volunteers, The Support Network, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
What gets the heat going? I want to respond to your statement about executives understanding fundraising but not people raising. This is true in our area as well and is reflected in planning, priority setting and attitudes. And yet, the value of contributed time for organizations often supercedes the financial support.

I'm not sure what the huge leap is in understanding that one is about cultivating relationships, and the other is about cultivating relationships! One is about supporting the organization and the other is about supporting the organization! Because the means to the end are different, there is a sudden leap of understanding. People raising is hugely important to both fundraising and volunteer support.

Volunteers are often donors, donors are often volunteers.
There sometimes, though, seems to be a black hole between the management of the two. How can we, as volunteer human resource managers, get that message out?
(This answer was also posted to the response page of Wall of Executive Indifference.)

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