We like people.

We like meeting new people.

We like engaging with people.

We like finding out more about people.

We like helping people.

That’s our job

It is something special.

It is something to celebrate.

I’ve stayed, and been made to feel very welcome, at the homes of people I’ve met through work in at least five different countries.

I think this happens because we are inherently a people focused profession.

For me, the biggest reason is that colleagues become friends.

I have friends today who I met through work almost thirty years ago.

I have colleagues who I have hosted at my house when their travel plans went awry.

For the first time in my freelance career, my wife came with me on the trip. We spent some time with friends and she briefly met some of my Canadian and USA colleagues.

I mention this because since I got back I’ve been reflecting on why I think volunteer engagement is the best profession ever.

About a month ago I got back from a short trip to Canada. I was there hosting the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference, organised by Better Impact, Al!ve and Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada.

Listen to how people talk about volunteers in your organisation. What opportunities does that give you to educate others about the power and potential of volunteering?

These people are either poorly informed, haven’t thought about volunteering, or are sometimes prejudiced against volunteers — well-meaning amateurs who can’t do anything important or significant.

These same people would never let a volunteer oversee an organisation (boards) or provide legal advice (pro bono) because that’s important work and can’t be done by someone who is “just a volunteer”.

Why? Frequently it’s because some people are comfortable with volunteers being nice-but-not-essential — lovely people who support the cause but don’t do anything vital.

Yet when people give time in roles outside those norms, the language changes. People call them board members, or pro bono — anything other than volunteers.

The shorthand I often use is volunteers making the tea and stuffing the envelopes, but it could just as easily be rattling collecting tins, working in a charity shop etc..

I was recently at an event where we got into a discussion about who counts as a volunteer.

You see, in my experience, many Volunteer Involving Organisations are comfortable with volunteers in ‘traditional’ roles.

We are stewards of hope.

So, when what you do gets you down, take a pause and remember the position we have.

We are stewards of hope.