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August 27, 2008
How to hit pay dirt by recruiting disabled volunteers
I have enjoyed discussing volunteering with you this summer. I hope that the topics we have covered will help you plan how you can use volunteering to get your 'foot in the door', gain valuable work experience, develop skill sets to advance your career and expand your personal and professional network.
As you pursue volunteering here are 6 things to keep in mind that can enhance your success:
- Enthusiasm.
Showing enthusiasm, whether it's your first volunteer job or your first job or even a change of life job, is integral to making your experience successful. Being passionate and excited about the work you are doing communicates to the volunteer manager, or boss that you are indeed excited about what you are doing and its eventual success. - Co-operation and team work.
Learning to work together as a team for the common goal or common good is a skill that is hard to learn for many, but extremely valuable. - Integrity.
Despite how it looks in movies and TV and sometimes in real life, the end doesn't always justify the means. Nor do the means always justify the end. Compromising your ability to be trustworthy and trusted invalidates the work that the team has done, not to mention your own reputation. Keeping your personal integrity is one of the more important aspects of learning about yourself and what you value. - Preparedness.
Learning to adapt to other people's schedules or pre-requisites teaches you how to follow requirements and manage time. This is a skill you probably learned in elementary school, high school or college through homework, doing projects and practicums. Time management and properly doing what is asked of you will help you whether you're in a volunteer position, a job or starting your own business.Being totally prepared means having a good grasp on all the aspects of a project, an assignment, a business plan or a fundraising event. It means literally being able to walk through all the points and knowing what the expected outcomes will be. It's the ability to see the big picture and not just some aspects.
Being fully prepared in all aspects will show your boss, your bank, the volunteer manager, the CFO or CEO that you are capable and responsible for whatever you do.
- Good Communication skills.
Being able to talk about your ideas, presentation, plan or resume without overusing jargon or tech-speak is indicative of good communication skills. You should use clear precise plain English. However, don't simplify it so much that you give the impression you are patronizing your audience. You want them to understand what your main thrust or idea is and not be scratching their heads after you've finished, saying to themselves, what did she say?
In addition, James J. Elekes, M.Ed, MPA, CPM adds in his post from last week another important element for success, specifically:
" (A) Sincere "Thank You". After you've done everything you can humanly do to make the sale, provide the service or, improve the organization's efficiency, it's not about blowing your own horn!"'Thank you' is the most often forgotten phrase that
links you to a second purchase of your product or
service. It says in two simple words 'I appreciate
your business' and, 'I value you as a
client/contact/professional.'"It's the 'Thank you' that secures the connection
made and reinforces the value placed in the
individual/entity."
The last eSight special feature in this series, How to Hit Pay Dirt by Recruiting Disabled Volunteers is written to help volunteer managers effectively integrate volunteers with disabilities into their organizations.
Please take a moment and let us know about a positive experience you have had volunteering.
If you know a non-profit/community service organization that actively welcomes people with disabilities to work with them we'd like to hear from you.
Add your comments to this posting
Posted by Liz Seger at August 27, 2008 04:55 PM
Comments
Liz, it's been a sincere pleasure to read/interact with you this Summer. Although I've been involved in "Community/Volunteer Service" since High School, your post reminded me of many pleasurable and successful efforts in these areas and, gave me the opportunity to think back and update my paradines regarding the topic.
While there are many good opportunities for "Community/Volunteer Service", I'd like to take this opportunity to point out one at the top of my list that PWD's let pass this year, specifically:
-We've all, no doubt, have observed the Democratic Presidential Convention this week, culminating this evening with the Presidential Candidate's Acceptance Speech. How many of the delegates to the Democratic Convention were PWD's? Only about 4% of delegates. The same will hold true for the Republican Convention next week as well.
-Of the 50 States and 7 U.S. Territories, how many had focused, systematic Voter Registration Drives to increase participation in the process by the disabled community? At last count, slightly less than 20% Hmmmm.
It's clear from the numbers indicated, there was a ready and achievable opportunity to make a difference in the disabled community and, to have issues of employment, health care, housing and education known to candidates if only individuals including PWD's volunteered their time to engage in the process. At this point, the opportunity is, for the most part, water under the bridge however:
-2010 will be the next time the Senate and House of Representatives will have an election, 33 U.S. Senators and the entire House (417 Members).
-On the State level, nearly 25% of State Governors and State Legislators will be up for re-election as well as County and Local Officials in all 50 States.
It should be clear to those reading this post a highly valuable opportunity looms on the horizon. Beginning in Spring 2009 and continuing through the November 2010 Election cycle, the opportunities for PWD's to volunteer and make a difference in their and others quality of life can be realized by putting volunteer efforts into "Voter Registration" whether it be exclusively focused within the disability community or, in the general population.
The skill sets to make this effort successful have been presented in response to post over this Summer and, as a resume enhancer demonstrate the volunteer's capabilities in organization, personal management, attention to detail and a myriad of other traits directly transferable to employment situations.
As noted, the opportunity to maximize "Volunteer/Community Service" in this arena has passed for this Election cycle but, if approached with a commitment to serve and, the view it's a stepping stone to future opportunities, one can plan now and develop a strategy for involvement in the not too distant future.
Posted by: James J. Elekes, M.Ed, MPA, CPM at August 28, 2008 11:13 AM
As a communicator, I volunteered to be the community relations person for Kids’ Companion, a small-town service organization geared to give boys and girls in one-parent homes a constructive relationship with volunteer adults from the community through leisurely activities etc.
I soon found myself secretary of the board, and then first president. The president suddenly resigned, and I became president for a short time. Confident that I could relate to boy of nine or 10 yeas old and that I had become familiar with the workings of the organization, I placed my name in the list of potential volunteer adults.
After a short time, a fellow board member (a social worker) visited me in my home as a polite way to find out how I pictured myself as a volunteer responsible for a child. After looking at my situation as a person with a disability (cerebral palsy) and the potential anxiety that may evoke from a parent of a potential match, I decided to withdraw my name from the volunteer list of potential "companions."
I still wonder if it could have worked with the right youngster. We may have both learned a lot from each other.
But, I understand the concern for limiting liability when a service provider with a disability could limit or infringe on a organization's service offering. In this instance, I was not fully convinced myself I could do an effective job on the service side of this community effort -- even though I had a thorough knowledge of the administrative functions.
I'd certainly like to hear from anyone (an organization executive director, a volunteer manager or a volunteer) who has engineered that leap in volunteering from administrative support to service provider for people with disabilities.
Posted by: Jim Hasse at August 28, 2008 11:57 AM