Volunteers: The Heartbeat of Organizations

Organizations of any kind thrive on volunteers. I know this because not only do I volunteer for some, like The Leaky Cauldron, I also have worked and currently work for non-profits where volunteers are involved daily. I’ve watched many different kinds of volunteers and the one thing I have seen consistently over the years is that the best ones are the ones who accept the fact that being a volunteer requires the same effort and diligence required of paid staff/employees. It doesn’t matter what is required, even what seems like the smallest task, if someone ‘forgets’ or chooses not to do it then the ripple effect becomes widespread and many end up affected.

You can compare this to a dropped stitch in knitting or a missed one in crochet. That one stitch undone or skipped leaves a tiny hole that sometimes cannot be seen right away can have lasting effect on the completed work. Occasionally, that one tiny stitch has no effect at all but if there’s enough of them then the integrity and strength of the work begins to become threatened.

So it is with a volunteer that neglects to do their fair share. A small task left undone may seem like nothing much but eventually, someone else has to deal with the unfinished task before they can move on to their task. Crafters know this well. It’s one reason, even though we grumble and groan, we take time to frog our work and backtrack to pick up that missed or dropped stitch.

It’s not that volunteers have to be perfect, but it is important to realize that being a volunteer requires commitment and time. It’s about taking what you volunteer to do as seriously as a “real job” that pays a monetary salary. If you take the time to look at volunteering your time and abilities that way, the rewards are fantastic as you become part of a well-oiled organization that accomplishes their mission, something you’ve had a small part in. Just like a crafter that accomplishes their project.
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Crafty Witch Mary