An article on volunteerism by Rosalind P.D. Eaton, CVA

Transition and change, transition, and change. It’s been an unofficial mantra for a few years now. We are constantly looking at how things have changed, are changing, and will change again. It feels like we might finally be settled and something new shakes up our ‘normal,’ again. Over and over again; it is more than a little exhausting. We keep going through the motions because we feel we must.

Or do we? Is it time to let go of the things we had before? Is it time to ask why we are still doing this? Is it relevant? Is it useful? Is this still the best use of my time and energy? Should we be trying something different? Do I still want to do this?

Let’s start with the personal energy. You’ve been engaged with a particular ministry as a volunteer and/or as a leader for some length of time. Maybe you put in service hours each day, or each week, or even once a month or less regularly. You have done the work because it felt necessary. Take a couple moments and ask yourself why it is valuable to YOU. What does this effort you are putting in do to lift you up? Is it a spiritual practice that nourishes your Self? Is it a social justice effort that you strongly feel will make a difference for yourself, your community, or someone else? Are you doing the work because no one else is? Are you the only one carrying the weight of this ministry, or are there others helping?

The most important aspect of volunteer work is the Volunteer. Please read that statement again. Yes, the mission is important. Yes, the ministry is important. Yes, it is important to help others.

But – and it’s a big one – if you, the volunteer doing the service, are not equally nourished by the tasks you are performing then WHY are you doing it? I can hear some of you thinking, “but Rose, it’s service to OTHERS.” Yes, yes it is. But it is also in service to your Self. If you are only doing volunteer work because you feel you must help those less fortunate than yourself, will you really continue doing so? Or will it drag you down, make you more and more unhappy, and take away from the whole experience? Will it drag on your most limited resources – time and energy, in ways that make it harder to live your life? Will YOU then be the person in need of help? Volunteerism to help others is NOT at the expense of yourself. It literally defeats the purpose. You’re best able to help others when you feel good about what you’re doing and why.

There are more volunteer opportunities than there are volunteers. There always will be.

This means you do not need to continue volunteering in ways that are not also meeting your needs. Let go of what you think you need to do and evaluate what is meaningful to YOU right NOW. Step back from the tasks that aren’t helping you too. Research other ways to get involved. This could be many different things for you. A different role in the ministry. A different ministry area to volunteer in. Volunteering outside of the church. Taking a break while you regroup mentally and research other ways you want to be involved in. Come back when you’re ready. Talk to others about their experiences, learn what they’re passionate about and why. You are not alone and you do not need to be isolated – particularly in volunteer roles.

Some opportunities end, and that’s the way it should be.

Not every opportunity that comes along will stay active. Some were designed to be short term. Some were meant to be only for a few months, or a few years. Some are meant to be active for as long as there is need, and volunteers who are interested in continuing the work. Sometimes the need outstrips volunteer interest. At that point, it’s important to evaluate the opportunity and to make sure that its actually viable to continue. If you are working yourself to pieces trying to meet needs and are not getting the assistance YOU need from other volunteers, it is time to evaluate the program area as a whole.

Are you able to continue on volunteering, without it overwhelming you? Are you able to recruit more help in a sustainable way? It is important to recognize that you do not need to do it all alone. Carrying that much on your own is the fastest way to volunteer burn out. Step back from the situation and revisit what the needs actually are and advertise for some help. Here at All Souls, if you’re feeling overwhelmed you can also ask a staff person for advice and help.

Is the program too big? Would you be able to do more effectively if you reduced your offerings? Occasionally, ministries and groups take on more areas of assistance when they have the volunteers to do so, and do not consider reducing them again when volunteer help wanes.  It is okay to let something go if it becomes too much. Yes, you may have to disappoint some of the people you’re trying to help. It’s also important to note that if your ministry is unable to do the job well, you may not be offering help the way you think you are. There are other organizations and nonprofits that might be in a better position to pickup where you leave off. There are options to explore that will let you decrease your offerings without abandoning the people you are trying to help. Sometimes a reorganization such as this creates an opening for a much stronger and more effective offering!

But sometimes the program area needs to be let go. If there aren’t sufficient volunteers and a reorganization was ineffective, it might be time to let the program rest and stop the volunteer activities. This does not mean that it is gone forever! It might simply be time to take an extended break and revisit later. Particularly in this church environment in Washington, DC. People rotate into and out of the area on a fairly consistent basis, thanks to the almost transient nature of working in DC. The same is true for volunteer opportunities. People will come and go, and their interests in service activities will vary as they do. It’s worth surveying the congregation every so often to see what the current make up of people are interested in to determine if a dormant ministry might be revitalized!

So in summation:

Give yourself a break from service to others if you need it.

Evaluate your ministries periodically, especially in periods of low turnout or high turnover to determine if you need to reduce (or expand if you have a surplus of help!) your offerings.

Give yourself and your volunteers permission to let go if it’s just not sustainable.

Ask for help if you need it, the staff is always ready to assist and advise if you need us!