Revised with new information as of June 25, 2007

 
Jayne Cravens: As a Volunteer

 
Many people know me as a volunteer manager and advisor on volunteer management issues. But I am also a volunteer myself.

Why do I volunteer? I guess I'm a typical Gen Xer in that regard, for the most part: I don't volunteer primarily out of a sense of duty to my country, because I think I have to, or because I think it's "nice"; I volunteer to make a difference in the causes I believe in, and for what I personally gain out of doing so.

Some of my volunteer activities were undertaken simply because someone asked me , and I liked the idea of being associated with the particular organization or activity. And for some I thought, after being asked: hey, this will look great on my CV.

I believe that there is nothing wrong with any motivation to volunteer, as long as the motivation isn't something destructive, and the volunteer always puts the mission of the organization first when engaging in his or her activities. I think it's important to remember that different people volunteer for very different reasons, and to respect and appreciate these differences -- and even to leverage these differences for the benefit of the organization.

What has kept me volunteering long term for some organizations?

Here is a selected list of my advisory board experience, pro bono work, and other volunteer contributions to various organizations, starting with the most recent:

You can also read a long list of causes I actively support as a volunteer or donor.

Did I volunteer as a child? Indeed! As a teenager, I stuffed envelopes for St. Anthony's Hospice and helped in the radiology department as a candy striper for what was then Henderson Community Methodist Hospital, both in Henderson, Kentucky. Also as a teen volunteer, I escorted kids from Henderson, Kentucky participating in the Kentucky State Special Olympics in Bowling Green. As a pre-teen (way back in the 70s), I was a Girl Scout (and before that, a brownie) but, sadly, my troops never engaged in volunteering activities...

 
Return to my volunteer-related resources

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