Archive for the ‘Thoughts on volunteering’ Category
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Volunteering is sexy
Via @Elinesca on Twitter, an interesting idea from Adam Ferrier, a consumer psychologist who also contributes to the SEEK Volunteer blog in Australia. Adam says that the reason people don’t want to volunteer is because of the frumpy and dowdy image associated with it. You know, that it’s uncool, it’s something for old people or people on the dole, or students who have to do it to build up their CV. Adam says that that can all be changed simply by convincing everyone that it is sexy to volunteer, backed up by actual research that people who volunteer are in fact seen as more attractive to the opposite sex. From his post:
So what needs to happen for more people to volunteer?
- Volunteer organisations need to re-brand themselves and strip away their dowdy image – you can make yourselves better.
- People need to be aware of the benefits, and believe they are real.
Go and read the original blog post here.
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The Generational Theory
Along with this blog’s coverage of innovations in youth volunteering, it is important to articulate and fully understand the psychology behind the generation that most youth projects are aimed at. American authors Neil Howe and William Strauss have studied the various cycles of American society extensively and have formulated a generational theory that splits each cycle into four phases, or what they call ‘turnings’. According to them, each new generation develops values from its previous one but they are distinct from the following one, bringing unique perspectives to their roles in society.
The generational theory postulates that as with individuals, a whole generation’s collective personality develops during childhood, and this causes them to be risk-taking or cautious, for example – traits which then follow them into the next phase and more importantly, reflect the mood of the era.
In the first turning, children are given freedom, hope and security by their families, leading them to distrust authority. When they grow up, they start defying political authority as a result. This then begins the second turning, where parents focus on things like spirituality and self-discovery, leaving the children to grow up on their own, without a focus. This generation then produces the third turning, where, the parents being devoid of social obligations leads to the children being raised in an environment mandated by strict rules and regulations, even politically. Howe and Strauss give the example of “ zero-tolerance rules, laws named after victimized children (Megan’s Law, Amber’s Law), and endless political wrangling over the educational system” being indicators of the Third Turning child rearing mode, which is where we as a society currently stand.
The authors believe that the fourth turning, or Millenials, where young people are increasingly civic-minded and potentially powerful leaders of the next political environment, is where we could be now.
The generational theory is interesting from the point of view of youth volunteering because if it is right, then opportunities to volunteer (that enable them to be civic-minded and participate in the community) are exactly what this generation is looking for. Which makes the work of organisations in this field all the more salient.
If you’re interested in the theory, read Howe’s book Millenials Rising and the description of the theory.
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Peter Bull on vInspired and youth volunteering
Peter Bull, HSBC‘s Head of HSBC in the Community, speaks about corporate social responsibility and the impact that corporate initiatives can have not only externally but internally as well, and why encouraging youth to be active in their community is important. HSBC is part of the vCashpoint programme, which along with v, provides grants for young people to realise projects of their own that benefit the community. Mr. Bull says that not only does volunteering help a young person’s self-esteem and encourage her to participate in local initiatives, it also makes her much more employable and from that point of view helps secure her future. Words that have particular significance in the current economy, when graduate jobs are few and far between.
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Does volunteering have an image problem?
This Guardian article from September 2008 speaks about how the very word ‘volunteering’ and the images associated with it turn people away from contributing their time for a cause. An excerpt:
New research by youth volunteering funding body called “V” suggests the word “volunteer” is part of the problem. Of the 2,000 young people V and One Poll surveyed in July, 66% thought the term was off-putting. Some 21% said volunteering had a boring image, while 24% thought it was “geeky”.
What has your experience been? Six months down the line, do you think this still holds true? How do you think this situation can be changed? Do let us know in the comments section.
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