Volunteer Orientation: Be a Great Volunteer Anywhere

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Volunteer Orientation Be a Great Volunteer
Anywhere

• Theresa Musante
• TechMission Volunteer Network Coordinator
• 07.27.06

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So you want to volunteer!

• How do you decide where and what to do?
• Have you considered volunteering in a different
  culture (i.e. with those of a different race,
  class, etc.)?
• How do you get started?

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Summary
1. First thoughts
2. Find the best fit
3. Start well
4. Consider your approach
5. Cross-cultural ministry
6. Care about relationships
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Step 1First thoughts
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Why Volunteer?

• Why do you want to volunteer?
• How do you hope to benefit and contribute?
• Why might you want to work on a certain project,
  with a certain group, in a certain community?

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Benefits of volunteering

• Make a positive difference in your community
• Learn new skills
• Improve your health
• Create more fun in your life
• Meet people with similar interests
• Share your skills and life experiences
• Meet people you wouldnt have otherwise
• In one survey 28 of unemployed volunteers (and
  16 of employed volunteers) said that their
  volunteering had helped them obtain a job in the
  past (www.givingandvolunteering.ca/pdf/factsheets/
  Benefits_of_Volunteering.pdf )

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Step 2Find the best fit
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Pray

• For guidance in your service
• For the organization you will be working with and
  all people involved
• For the community you will be serving in

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The 5 elements of the best fit
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1. Your interests

• Hobbies / Skills / Experiences / Interests /
  Passions
• How can you apply what you already have to
  volunteering? Let your skills be used.
• What are you passionate about?

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2. Needs of others

• Where are you needed?
• Which groups are most underserved?
• Which organization is most in need of volunteers?

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"Where our deep gladness and the world's deep
hunger meet, we hear a further call." Frederick
Buechner
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3. Your personality

• Take a personality test like Myers-Briggs
• Test which gives you four letters representing
  your preferences
• Your four letter combination will tell you about
  your personality and your ideal type of job,
  volunteering, etc.
• Find a shortened, free version at
  http//www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm

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4. Cross-cultural interactions

• Consider serving in a different culture
• Why?
• Find a new way of looking at the world
• See your own culture from a new perspective
• Where?
• what cultures are you drawn to?
• Will you work with people of a different race,
  ethnicity, class, gender, or language?
• Prepare yourself (well get to that)

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5. Practical details

• Amount of commitment
• Length of commitment
• Location

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Step 3Start Well
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Start well

• Train yourself beforehand (see below)
• See our list of recommended resources (Appendix)
• Ask your supervisor for suggested materials
• Ask your supervisor if there is any other
  training you should complete.

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Things to discuss with your supervisor

• Find out who is your supervisor / go-to person.
• If possible establish a regular schedule for
  volunteering.
• Find out what is expected of you talk about
  your job description.
• Establish who you should go to for help.
• Ask what you should do if youll be late.
• Make sure to trade contact information.
• Ask about rules especially those involving how
  to interact with other staff and those youre
  serving.
• Ask what makes a good volunteer.

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Step 4Consider your approach
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Approach
FAT

• Whatever you do, stay
• faithful
• available
• teachable

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Faithful

• Keep your commitments.
• Dont think of yourself as just a volunteer.
  People are depending on you!
• If you need to miss a session or will be late,
  call.

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Available

• To do whats needed
• Expect to sacrifice

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Teachable

• Ask what people (staff, clients, the community)
  need instead of assuming that you know
• Ask how you can be helpful instead of assuming
  you know
• Be flexible

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Step 5Cross-cultural ministry
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A Biblical perspective

• If youre entering a cross-cultural setting,
  approach it as you would approach entering
  another country
• The following verses might be helpful in thinking
  about this.

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I Corinthians 919-23

• Though I am free and belong to no man, I make
  myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as
  possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win
  the Jews. To those under the law I became like
  one under the law (though I myself am not under
  the law), so as to win those under the law. To
  those not having the law I became like one not
  having the law (though I am not free from God's
  law but am under Christ's law), so as to win
  those not having the law. To the weak I became
  weak, to win the weak. I have become all things
  to all men so that by all possible means I might
  save some. I do all this for the sake of the
  gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

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Romans 1413-21

•  Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one
  another. Instead, make up your mind not to put
  any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's
  way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully
  convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But
  if anyone regards something as unclean, then for
  him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed
  because of what you eat, you are no longer acting
  in love. Do not by your eating destroy your
  brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what
  you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For
  the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and
  drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in
  the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ
  in this way is pleasing to God and approved by
  men.

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Romans 1413-21(cont.)

• Let us therefore make every effort to do what
  leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not
  destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All
  food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat
  anything that causes someone else to stumble. It
  is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do
  anything else that will cause your brother to
  fall.

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Adjust to meet the culture

• For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating
  and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy
  in the Holy Spirit
• Expect that a different culture will follow a
  different set of rules than you do. Expect that
  and try to adjust to accommodate their culture.
• Actively seek to learn from others.

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Common cross-cultural issues

• Need for order vs. Spontaneity
• Efficiency vs. Relational
• Egalitarianism vs. Respect for authority
• Reserved/indirect vs. Intense directness
• Introverted vs. Extroverted
• Resources vs. Underresourced
• Trauma is avoided vs. Trauma is common

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Find cross-cultural mentors

• Advantages of mentors from your cultural
  background
• This person can be a bridge to the culture for
  you.
• Get advice on relating to the culture from a
  familiar perspective.
• Bring them frustrations or questions that you
  have.
• Advantages of mentors from the culture youre
  serving
• Get advice on relating to the culture from an
  insiders perspective.
• Bring them questions that you have.
• Both of these are necessary.

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Step 6Care about relationships
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Care about relationships!

• If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender
  my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain
  nothing. 1 Corinthians 133 (NIV)
• Remember that no matter what the task, you are
  working with and for people.
• Put others as your highest task.

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Summary

• Pray over why youre volunteering
• Consider where you will fit best
• Start with training and clear communication
• Stay FAT
• Consider cross-cultural ministry
• Put relationships first

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Appendix recommended books

• Being Latino in Christ Orlando Crespo
• Being White Paula Harris and Doug Schaupp
• Divided by Faith Michael O. Emerson and Christian
  Smith
• Free at Last Carl Ellis
• Invitation to Lead Paul Tokunaga
• More Than Equals Spencer Perkins and Chris Rice
• Peoples History of the United States Howard Zinn
• Restoring At-Risk Communities John Perkins
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in
  the Cafeteria? Beverly Daniel Tatum

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Appendix other materials

• www.techmission.org/training/webcasts.php,
  especially Technology in Youth Programs
• www.techmission.org/training/videos.php