Employers, individuals: Resolve to increase volunteering in '08

Kim Austen • December 28, 2007

The season of giving is upon us. It's a time when we hustle through crowded shopping malls in search of gifts for the people we care about. We sing about peace on Earth and goodwill toward men.

You may be surprised to know that many nonprofit organizations experience a decline in volunteer numbers this time of year, as people become busy with things like holiday shopping and family activities. Take a moment to make sure you didn't leave the most important gift of all off your holiday giving list: the gift of your time as a volunteer.

Earlier this year, Nationwide commissioned a national survey, which included a sample of Des Moines residents. We asked people to share their thoughts on volunteerism and what motivates them to get involved in the community.

More than half of survey respondents in Des Moines said they won't or are unsure whether they will volunteer more in the coming year. Nearly half said it's because they can't find a volunteer opportunity that's right for them. It's no wonder the volunteer rate in Iowa has decreased in the past five years, according to data from "Volunteering in America 2007," a report from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

While these numbers may seem discouraging, the data also shed light on a wonderful opportunity. It's encouraging to see that for nearly half of Des Moines respondents who are not volunteering, the problem isn't apathy, disinterest or busyness. It's that they just haven't found what they're looking for.

Many of these potential volunteers say they can't find an opportunity where they feel they can make a real difference. Many want to use their professional skills as volunteers. They want to help organizations in need of a new Web site or advice from a private-sector manager. They are IT professionals, writers, engineers and marketers with cutting-edge skills who want to do more than manual labor.

If local nonprofit and business leaders can address the difficulty some Des Moines residents have expressed in finding stimulating volunteer opportunities, we may be able to drive a substantial number of new, high-impact volunteers into action in 2008.

Business leaders can engage their employees with a volunteer program. Take advantage of the passions and skills of your employees and empower them to get involved. At Nationwide and Allied Insurance, we created the On Your Side Volunteer Network to help our associates find opportunities that match their personal passions, skills and even professional development objectives.

Nonprofit organizations can rethink the way they recruit volunteers and should consider developing opportunities for volunteers who want to do more than manual labor. A great way to recruit all kinds of volunteers is volunteermatch.org. By listing your volunteer job descriptions through this online resource, you can recruit from a pool of tens of thousands of people who use it to search for volunteer opportunities.

Each of us can make a New Year's resolution to get out and volunteer for our favorite charity now and throughout 2008. Volunteermatch.org is a great place to find an opportunity that will allow you to make a difference for a nonprofit organization that is close to your heart.

KIM AUSTEN is president of Allied Insurance, a Nationwide Company.

 

Austen, Kim. "Employers, individuals: Resolve to increase volunteering in '08." Des Moines Register.  28 Dec. 2007 <http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/OPINION01/712280344/-1/NEWS04>.