Yesterday, I received an email from one of the most amazing volunteers I know. She was passing along a picture of a group of eight respiratory therapists who volunteered their time to promote the profession and raise awareness of pulmonary disease in the community. She wasn't even at the event; she was just so proud of the group there that she had to share their smiling faces.
If you've read my blogs before, you know I'm a big proponent of volunteerism. This summer, I was fortunate to be asked to discuss volunteerism at the AARC Summer Forum and the feedback I received was amazing. So many people offered stories of their own volunteer efforts, descriptions of their unique volunteer events, and how their hospital or college encourages volunteerism in multiple ways to meet the mission and vision of the organization.
As our summer season draws to a close (how is it August already?!?) and the school year beckons, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on volunteerism, why it is so important to our profession, and how we can positively impact our communities through these efforts. You see, volunteerism benefits us all. It benefits the person who receives your volunteer efforts, obviously, but it also benefits your employer/school as your performance at these events reflect positively upon the organization. It also helps us improve our ability to work as a team, communicate with members of the community, improve our disease management knowledge, and understand the health barriers our community faces. All of these skills translate to improved performance in the workplace, making our managers and/or teachers very happy.
Most importantly, volunteerism can benefit YOU. Think about the last time you volunteered. How did you feel after the event? A little happy? A little proud that you helped someone? Maybe a spring in your step? Studies have shown that volunteer work enhances happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, and even physical health (Thoits & Hewitt, 2001).
But, Shawna! Volunteerism can be difficult!
You're right. Volunteerism takes time, effort, energy, and planning. People have lives: work, family, hobbies, and other obligations that take their time and energy. I'm not suggesting that we all shirk our other obligations to volunteer. In addition to the time and energy investment, barriers such as unknown expectations of the event, lack of personal investment in the cause, and the famous "what's in it for me?" question can lead to lack of participation. However, instead of focusing on barriers, I'd rather turn our attention to ways volunteerism can be more attractive to us all.
Time
If time is your major barrier, perhaps you could seek out events that have small time investments versus large time investments. Staffing a booth at the hospital health fair for an hour may be more appealing than spending an 8-hour day volunteering at a day camp for children with asthma.
Unknown expectations
None of us like to get ourselves into situations about which we know little. We want to know what to expect when we get there, what we are expected to do, the desired outcome of the event and what we will get out of our participation. If you're the organizer, make sure to tell your volunteers this information. If you're the volunteer and no one has mentioned this information, ask. That way, you can decide if this kind of event is a good match for you.
Lack of personal investment in the cause
It's ok to feel ambivalent about a certain cause. We all have our favorites. Is it asthma? COPD? CF? Pulmonary hypertension? Play to your strengths. Find something that resonates with you. If you're the person who coordinates volunteer events at your facility (hospital or school), make sure you promote multiple types of events to appeal to a wider audience.
WIIFM?
My friend Garry Kaufman likes to remind us that we're all human and we do ask "What's in it for me?" when approached with a new opportunity. What will I get out of this event? How will this help me in my personal/professional life? If you're the coordinator for these events, itemize the personal and professional benefits. This will also help people identify if the event is a good match.
But where can I find these elusive volunteer events?
Many folks may like the idea of volunteering but don't know where to start. Before I presented at the AARC Summer Forum, I compiled my own list of options. However, since then, many people have helped me add to my list. Below are some options that are likely already organized. For most of these, it is relatively easy to contact the organizer and volunteer some time. For others, it may take a bit more effort.
- Participate in or organize a DRIVE4COPD event (ready-made activities!) http://www.aarc.org/drive4COPD/
- Participate in or organize a health fair
- Participate in or organize a career fair to promote the RT profession to junior high or high school students
- Guest lecture in an RT class
- Volunteer for the local asthma camp (go to the Consortium on Children's asthma camps to find one near you: http://www.asthmacamps.org/findacamp.cfm)
- Volunteer for the local camp for ventilator-dependent children
- Volunteer for your state RT society
- Participate in or organize a legislative event (annually, the AARC PACT visits Washington DC but local and state events can be very effective)
- Participate in or organize a fundraiser walk (lots of ready made walks already organized by various organizations, like the CFF's Great Strides, the ALA asthma walk, the AHA heart walk, etc)
- Volunteer time in a free medical clinic
- Provide asthma education in local elementary schools
- Provide smoking prevention education in local elementary schools
- Volunteer for an international medical mission trip
- Staff a "Quit Clinic" for college students who smoke
- Volunteer for the Special Olympics
A special note for students from the managers at AARC Summer Forum:
During my presentation in the management section, the managers asked me to send a message to educators and students. We all know that the job market is tight in several areas of the US. These managers said: please let the students and educators know that
we are watching. As educators already know, clinical rotations are like extended job interviews. Managers watch the students in action to see who has the most skill (psychomotor, affective, and cognitive) and which of the students will be the best fit. But they are also watching to see which of the students volunteer. Who is a happy volunteer? A productive volunteer? A volunteer with a positive attitude? They are watching because, in addition to an excellent RCP, they also need someone who can contribute to the mission and vision of the organization.
As we round out the last half of the year, be a volunteer. If you already volunteer, be a mentor to someone new to volunteerism. Our profession needs us to be active and visible.