Why Volunteer? A Royal National Institute of
the Blind Recording
The audio recording linked below is taken
from a CD that was produced by volunteers Salli Belsham and Sophie
Doig for the Royal
National Institute of the Blind, headquartered in London, England,
in time for International Volunteer Day, 5 December 2003. You'll
hear the voices of a dozen real volunteers, explaining what they
do at RNIB, why they participate (what they get from it), what
they especially like, and what they'd like to tell others considering
the step to apply to volunteer at RNIB.
The CD was created for several reasons:
- To reflect on the long history of volunteers at RNIB and recognize
how they have filled many diverse roles.
- To celebrate current volunteers through the voices of representative
individuals.
- To be a tool in recruiting new volunteers.
- To educate RNIB paid staff about the scope of volunteering
and volunteers within the organisation.
Rob Jackson, RNIB Volunteering Development
Manager, is sharing this innovative tool with his volunteerism
colleagues in the hope of sparking their creative juices. CDs
are relatively inexpensive to produce and appeal to new audiences. During
2004, RNIB will be testing the CD in various ways, including
mailing physical copies to current and prospective volunteers,
using the recording in staff training sessions, and playing it
at recruitment events.
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Entire Audio, 8 minutes (9 mb)
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This is a copyrighted work posted here
for listening only. It may not be copied, redistributed,
or excerpted without permission of RNIB.
For physical copies of the CD, copyright information,
and/or to provide feedback on the recording, please contact: rob.jackson@rnib.org.uk.
Submitted anonymously
As you think about how to get and keep good
volunteers, try to see doors not walls. This month's national day
of service, Make a Difference Day, is your next annual chance to
harness goodwill and connect the dutiful with an outlet for their
compassion. Yet locally the volunteer bureau has nothing up and
nothing planned, which seems lazy. The reason why your organizations
don't have more competent samaritans is that our news is being
delivered after the fact. Instead of reading the news, we hear
it commuting or during lunch and dinner. PSAs are one thought,
but posters, interviews, event coverage, human interest features
and editorials are also good ways of announcing upcoming social
occasions.
