Community Service and You…..

Hey folks. I’m taking a little time from the job search, career counseling, and trend analysis to write about a topic I care deeply about. For those reading my posts, please consider donating some of your time and resources towards volunteering, especially for public works or community activities.

I understand that times are rough for most of us. Unemployment rates do not seem like they will let up, many of us have either lost their jobs, are on the verge of leaving jobs, or have been slammed by the added workload of reduced headcount. With less money, it may be harder to pay your mortgages, put food on the table, or pay for the basic necessities of life. Add to that, trying to maintain social ties to friends and family, as well as maintain your personal health and well-being makes for busy and hectic lives.

I mention volunteering because, through my work with a non-profit and exposure to community organizations and grass-roots campaigns, I have seen many good works and efforts decline on account of lack of participation. Many of us forget that no matter how well-intentioned or noble a cause or priority is, it can never amount to anything if there is no one to drive activity to get things done. All causes (political campaigns, protests, marches, rallies, etc.) need three things to be successful: thorough planning, consistent follow-through, and “bodies on the ground.” With these three elements, a single cause (say a stand against violence in the streets or an end to apartheid) becomes a movement, and that movement can compel change to happen.

So what does that mean for me? Do I need to go out into the streets, rally the neighbors, and march on City Hall? If there is a cause that you feel strongly about, by all means go ahead. I was thinking a little closer to home for starters. I recommend geting connected with local community organizations (public works clubs or civic organizations), alumni groups or organizations from your work or school, neighborhood organizations, etc. It helps to start here and learn first-hand how the needs, perpectives and opinions of others match up to your own. From here, find what is of interest to you, what causes or issues are important to the community (public safety, crime, education, urban sprawl, etc.) and learn how you can help alleviate or overcome these issues. Get plugged in! Find friends to help you or connect with. When it comes time for pressing priority of your own to organize around, you will already have interacted with those that you can turn to.

What I suggest is this:

For active Jobseekers, consider volunteer work or projects as a means to:

– connect with others sharing similar interests (may lead to networking contacts that could help you land that next job)
– build valuable skills and experience that could help justify your being hired somewhere
– help others and thereby build a stronger community

For those left working, with added workload from laid-off friends:

– use volunteer efforts as a means to unwind from a hectic work week (even if it’s only a few hours a week), help yourself my managing your stress
– stay connected to your community, while helping others accomplish what needs to be done

For the rest of us:

– see this as an opportunity to make your needs known, to go from being an “occupant” (someone or thing that takes up space) to an “active participant” (someone that helps the community to achieve goals, get things done, grow and thrive)

– through connecting with others, build that foundation for help when you need it (in other words, it is much harder to reach out to others to get help, advice, or other assistance, if you have never interac ted with them before). Also, connecting with others helps both sides ensure that they are aware of what each party offers, and how they can help each other.

– most importantly, don’t think of “what’s in it for me” but how I can help improve the life or lives of others. We exist on this planet as social entities, which means that our survival depends on others. It is vital for a whole society that each of us does what he or she can to help contribute to the welfare of as many others as possible.

If you need a little push, or need some guidance on where to start, here are some sites to help:

President Barack Obama’s Volunteer Portal:

http://www.barackobama.com/volunteer

Idealist.org (A portal dedicated to grassworks organizing).

http://www.idealist.org/

VolunteerMatch.org – Where Volunteering Begins.:

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

The Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley:

http://www.vcsv.us/index.shtml

1-800-Volunteer.org, America’s Address for Volunteering:

http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/

The American Red Cross: