I am finally getting closer to volunteering in the best way that I can. I am technically not a volunteer, more of a "pseudo" graduate student , but I have periodically been participating in various volunteer-like activities at the organization I am working with.
I am finally at a point where I have acquired just enough skills, read enough background literature, and have many, many resources (human and other) at my disposal to be somewhat helpful in volunteer activities in the health or public health sectors. I can't say the same for when I volunteered in high school or even in Ghana during college.
There's a palliative care program (patients with cancer and chronic illness) here that started last year under the guidance of a visionary volunteer and since then has received all sorts of volunteers ages 18-25 from all sorts of backgrounds for all sorts of time periods. While I applaud everyone who decides to take any extended amount of time off to volunteer, there is something to be said for efficient and effective volunteering. The requirements of the organization at this point include finding sustainable sources of funding. There is an income generation program in its beginning stages that needs guidance. Patients create umbrellas, jewelry, and other items that will ideally be sold at stores in the area and abroad. The thing is, this fundraising/income generation part of the program is managed by an 18 year old volunteer. She is passionate and hardworking, but also very inexperienced in fundraising, marketing, grant writing, and writing in English to find viable sources of funding. None of us have those skills mastered (even the English), but I think somewhere during college and medical school I picked up a few tips on marketing. Still, any of the work our combined skills might accomplish in the next year in this area might have been accomplished a quarter of that time by a marketing or business college graduate with the skills and connections to be successful.
This is just an example and this happens all over the world, including the US. I think three things need to happen: 1. If there is an option, people should wait until after college or their masters or even their PhD to volunteer even just part-time for program development at home and abroad. 2. Volunteers should be better matched with organizations so that their skill set fits the needs of the organization. 3. It's important to get training done early--this is particularly relevant right now on the East Coast where the Red Cross was in desperate need of trained volunteers but didn't have the time or resources to do full on-site training.
For one and two to happen, the volunteer culture needs to change. An older, more experienced population needs to step up even just to volunteer their skills a few hours a week.
Granted, this discussion only applies to certain volunteer opportunities and there are many, many more short and longer term opportunities that don't require specific skills, except maybe some muscle. These include volunteering in soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, etc. etc.
On another note, I'm not really sure how to write about everything that is happening in NYC right now. I hope all of you on the East coast are safe and managing well in the aftermath of this storm. The pictures are unbelievable. From the e-mails being sent, it seems like there is a need of volunteers. And, there will be a continued need for volunteers now and during the next year to clear up all the debris especially in the Rockaways, etc.
With all this in mind, there is always a place and a need for all volunteers no matter their age or skill sets. So forget the title of this post, if you're on the East Coast and you're safe, dry, and warm skip school (or work) and volunteer now.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Register to Volunteer at evacuation centers/Volunteer to Clean Up Parks: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycservice/home.html
http://gothamist.com/2012/10/30/heres_how_to_volunteer_time_money_t.php
Organizations to Donate to:
http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/01/14861838-hurricane-sandy-how-you-can-help?lite
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fund/html/home/home.shtml
http://www.aidmatrixnetwork.org/fema/States.aspx?ST=New%20York%20City
I am finally at a point where I have acquired just enough skills, read enough background literature, and have many, many resources (human and other) at my disposal to be somewhat helpful in volunteer activities in the health or public health sectors. I can't say the same for when I volunteered in high school or even in Ghana during college.
There's a palliative care program (patients with cancer and chronic illness) here that started last year under the guidance of a visionary volunteer and since then has received all sorts of volunteers ages 18-25 from all sorts of backgrounds for all sorts of time periods. While I applaud everyone who decides to take any extended amount of time off to volunteer, there is something to be said for efficient and effective volunteering. The requirements of the organization at this point include finding sustainable sources of funding. There is an income generation program in its beginning stages that needs guidance. Patients create umbrellas, jewelry, and other items that will ideally be sold at stores in the area and abroad. The thing is, this fundraising/income generation part of the program is managed by an 18 year old volunteer. She is passionate and hardworking, but also very inexperienced in fundraising, marketing, grant writing, and writing in English to find viable sources of funding. None of us have those skills mastered (even the English), but I think somewhere during college and medical school I picked up a few tips on marketing. Still, any of the work our combined skills might accomplish in the next year in this area might have been accomplished a quarter of that time by a marketing or business college graduate with the skills and connections to be successful.
This is just an example and this happens all over the world, including the US. I think three things need to happen: 1. If there is an option, people should wait until after college or their masters or even their PhD to volunteer even just part-time for program development at home and abroad. 2. Volunteers should be better matched with organizations so that their skill set fits the needs of the organization. 3. It's important to get training done early--this is particularly relevant right now on the East Coast where the Red Cross was in desperate need of trained volunteers but didn't have the time or resources to do full on-site training.
For one and two to happen, the volunteer culture needs to change. An older, more experienced population needs to step up even just to volunteer their skills a few hours a week.
Granted, this discussion only applies to certain volunteer opportunities and there are many, many more short and longer term opportunities that don't require specific skills, except maybe some muscle. These include volunteering in soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, etc. etc.
On another note, I'm not really sure how to write about everything that is happening in NYC right now. I hope all of you on the East coast are safe and managing well in the aftermath of this storm. The pictures are unbelievable. From the e-mails being sent, it seems like there is a need of volunteers. And, there will be a continued need for volunteers now and during the next year to clear up all the debris especially in the Rockaways, etc.
With all this in mind, there is always a place and a need for all volunteers no matter their age or skill sets. So forget the title of this post, if you're on the East Coast and you're safe, dry, and warm skip school (or work) and volunteer now.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Register to Volunteer at evacuation centers/Volunteer to Clean Up Parks: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycservice/home.html
http://gothamist.com/2012/10/30/heres_how_to_volunteer_time_money_t.php
Organizations to Donate to:
http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/01/14861838-hurricane-sandy-how-you-can-help?lite
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fund/html/home/home.shtml
http://www.aidmatrixnetwork.org/fema/States.aspx?ST=New%20York%20City
