Ellis, S. J., Weisbord, A., Noyes, K. H. (n.d.). Preparing your organisation. Retrieved May 17, 2013, from http://www.energizeinc.com/art/achilv.html
Hine, S. (2012, November 11). The by-products of volunteering [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://management4volunteers.wordpress.com
Lattitude Global Volunteering. (n.d.). Real volunteering. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from http://www.lattitude.org.uk/real-volunteering/
New Zealand Herald. (2011). Christchurch earthquake: students form volunteer army. Retreived April 6, 2013, from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708413
The Telegraph. (2012). Tanni Grey-Thompson: London 2012 volunteering legacy will help students find jobs. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/student-life/9753859/Tanni-Grey-Thompson-London-2012-volunteering-legacy-will-help-students-find-jobs.html
University of Southern California. (2000). Students organize youth volunteer workshops. Retrieved May 20, 2013, from http://news.usc.edu/#!/article/7738/Students-Organize-Youth-Volunteer-Workshops/
vHannah. (2012, October 23). The best piece of careers advice I ever received? Volunteer [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://blog.vinspired.com
Volunteering Australia. (2012). State of volunteering in Australia. Retreived from http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/files/P6L97HMOMF/VA_State_of_Volunteering_in_Australia_2012_FINAL.pdf
Young volunteers and residents. (2012). Retreived May 17, 2013, from http://beehivehomes.com/lehi/2012/06/21/young-volunteers-and-residents/
Monday 20 May 2013
Youth Volunteering DOES Have a Positive Impact On All Involved
After looking at the positives and negatives of youth volunteering, it is fair to ascertain that, although not 100%, the majority of youth volunteering does have a positive impact on all involved. There will always be negative factors and struggles throughout all walks of life.
Whether it's tutoring/mentoring, fundraising, disaster relief, internships, caregiving or simply engaging with those who may be in need of company - most young people ARE competent, willing, ready and able. At times, they don't even need an organisation to recruit them, they'll band together and build something from the ground themselves.
There are a multitude of success stories about young people thriving off the volunteer work they carry out, the people that benefit from their efforts, and clubs/teams/schools/organisations that are proud to have them as representatives. The more support, trust and respect they receive, the more empowered they will be to continue their good work.
In saying that, children and adolescents can be wild and tempremental. It is imperative that they are engaged in whatever activity they are volunteering their time for, even if not at first. Authority figures cannot allow them to rush into committing to a venture, time has to be spent assessing the options and working out the best match. A connection has to be made. They have to want to spend their time there. Otherwise, they will become complacent and begin resenting the act and those in charge. Youths have to be closely guided, without feeling pressured or patronised. They should be treated as equals and involved in all aspects of planning, decision-making, and execution of a project in order to feel a full sense of acheivement. For especially young children (12 and under) there are many programmes designed for whole families or a parent and child to volunteer together, that way safety and guidance is assured.
For truly successful community service experiences, those on the receiving end must also respect the youths and be appreciative of their assistance. Otherwise what is the point? We all know there is nothing worse than someone who is blatanly ungrateful. If this is unachievable, then the placement is not right for either party and the situation should be re-assessed. Trouble only happens when a volunteer, youth or adult, does not want to be involved and nor does the beneficiary, or when either party is being exploited in some way.
Recognition, although not a sole reason for volunteering, is also fantastic for empowering those young volunteers that put tremendous effort into volunteering and go the extra mile.
Youths are the future, and it is important for them to understand humanitarian activities, even if they can't enjoy them. Youths who volunteer will help to maintain a functioning society in generations to come, and will teach those values to their children who will carry the practices on. People in the 21st Century tend to be too busy, too self-absorbed, and sometimes lack empathy. Instilling the positive values that accompany volunteering in our young people, and having young people that care about the welfare of others can only be a positive thing. They will gain a wealth of knowledge, stories, experiences, friends, and a sense of fulfillment knowing they helped to make the world a better place in the process.
Whether it's tutoring/mentoring, fundraising, disaster relief, internships, caregiving or simply engaging with those who may be in need of company - most young people ARE competent, willing, ready and able. At times, they don't even need an organisation to recruit them, they'll band together and build something from the ground themselves.
There are a multitude of success stories about young people thriving off the volunteer work they carry out, the people that benefit from their efforts, and clubs/teams/schools/organisations that are proud to have them as representatives. The more support, trust and respect they receive, the more empowered they will be to continue their good work.
In saying that, children and adolescents can be wild and tempremental. It is imperative that they are engaged in whatever activity they are volunteering their time for, even if not at first. Authority figures cannot allow them to rush into committing to a venture, time has to be spent assessing the options and working out the best match. A connection has to be made. They have to want to spend their time there. Otherwise, they will become complacent and begin resenting the act and those in charge. Youths have to be closely guided, without feeling pressured or patronised. They should be treated as equals and involved in all aspects of planning, decision-making, and execution of a project in order to feel a full sense of acheivement. For especially young children (12 and under) there are many programmes designed for whole families or a parent and child to volunteer together, that way safety and guidance is assured.For truly successful community service experiences, those on the receiving end must also respect the youths and be appreciative of their assistance. Otherwise what is the point? We all know there is nothing worse than someone who is blatanly ungrateful. If this is unachievable, then the placement is not right for either party and the situation should be re-assessed. Trouble only happens when a volunteer, youth or adult, does not want to be involved and nor does the beneficiary, or when either party is being exploited in some way.
Recognition, although not a sole reason for volunteering, is also fantastic for empowering those young volunteers that put tremendous effort into volunteering and go the extra mile.Youths are the future, and it is important for them to understand humanitarian activities, even if they can't enjoy them. Youths who volunteer will help to maintain a functioning society in generations to come, and will teach those values to their children who will carry the practices on. People in the 21st Century tend to be too busy, too self-absorbed, and sometimes lack empathy. Instilling the positive values that accompany volunteering in our young people, and having young people that care about the welfare of others can only be a positive thing. They will gain a wealth of knowledge, stories, experiences, friends, and a sense of fulfillment knowing they helped to make the world a better place in the process.
Where There's Good, There's Bad...
However unfortunate, this world in which we live is not perfect. Even in the seemingly selfless, altruistic act of volunteering, there are still flaws and downfalls.
While volunteer tourism, or 'voluntourism', is a current trend with youth who wish to volunteer whilst gaining life experience through their OE, the short duration of their work can become problematic, especially if they are volunteering at an orphanage. These orphans, who have very little to begin with, are having to constantly deal with these volunteers coming and going. When an emotional bond is formed between child and volunteer, once that volunteer leaves, it can be very upsetting for the child. On a continual basis, this is very emotionally and mentally traumatic.
As if that weren't bad enough, there is even controversy surrounding the matter of whether orphanages in Cambodia are intentionally keeping the living conditions at a less than satisfactory level in order to keep attracting the tourists who wish to donate their time, and of course... money. "In many cases these short term placements can actually do more harm than good" - Human Sciences Research Council
There are of course, positive and legitimate voluntourism ventures out there, and ways to ensure the right one is chosen.
On a slightly lighter note, there are of course the standard disadvantages to volunteering, such as mundane tasks, unclear expectations, frustrating restrictions, condescension, and poor time management or over-commitment leading to burnout. All of these problems, however, are quite manageable and easily solved if communication occurs. When youth are involved, this can be a little harder, as the leaders need to remember to treat the young volunteers as equals and not patronise them, in order to keep them engaged and enthusiatic. This can be difficult for some authority figures, and if not achieved the volunteers will either withdraw or have a tarnished perception of volunteering and be hesitant to try it again. As Peter Levine, Director of CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) states "I think it is very important for the spirit of the program to match the real needs of a community and the values of the young people who serve." If not, the time spent is redundant, and nobody really gains anything from the experience.
There is also a current trend of 'compulsory volunteering', especially in the US, which is somewhat of an oxymoron and in a way defeats the purpose of the act. Again relating to doing more harm than good through unsuitable placements and lack of desire, putting young people off the idea of volunteering or community service. "When students or any individual perceives that he is being controlled externally, the natural human response is to lose enthusiasm for the project and toward the behaviors that are being promoted." (Deci & Ryan, 1985)
Court-ordered community service has also been a long-standing form of punishment for minor offences and there is much debate over whether it is beneficial (to either party) or not. Offenders faced with the ultimatum of mandatory service or jail time are put in a rather difficult position. What sane person would willingly choose to be behind bars? Hence choosing the service option is usually the preference, however the offender is likely to carry out their tasks begrudgingly, which is unpleasant for all involved. Other law-abiding volunteers often take offence to the fact that the work which they enjoy is perceived as 'suitable punishment' for a crime.
However, in most instances offenders do get to choose where they are placed and what activities they assist with, so at least they could put their skills to good use. There are also instances where they have carried on their volunteering after their mandatory hours have been completed. So sometimes good can come from bad after all.
There are pros and cons to any field in life, even volunteering. For positive outcomes all 'round - youths need to ensure they are committed to and enthusiastic about their volunteering endeavours, and organisations need to be adequately prepared and managed. Otherwise things tend to go pear shaped...
And sometimes, you can be thrown to the lions.
While volunteer tourism, or 'voluntourism', is a current trend with youth who wish to volunteer whilst gaining life experience through their OE, the short duration of their work can become problematic, especially if they are volunteering at an orphanage. These orphans, who have very little to begin with, are having to constantly deal with these volunteers coming and going. When an emotional bond is formed between child and volunteer, once that volunteer leaves, it can be very upsetting for the child. On a continual basis, this is very emotionally and mentally traumatic. As if that weren't bad enough, there is even controversy surrounding the matter of whether orphanages in Cambodia are intentionally keeping the living conditions at a less than satisfactory level in order to keep attracting the tourists who wish to donate their time, and of course... money. "In many cases these short term placements can actually do more harm than good" - Human Sciences Research Council
There are of course, positive and legitimate voluntourism ventures out there, and ways to ensure the right one is chosen.
On a slightly lighter note, there are of course the standard disadvantages to volunteering, such as mundane tasks, unclear expectations, frustrating restrictions, condescension, and poor time management or over-commitment leading to burnout. All of these problems, however, are quite manageable and easily solved if communication occurs. When youth are involved, this can be a little harder, as the leaders need to remember to treat the young volunteers as equals and not patronise them, in order to keep them engaged and enthusiatic. This can be difficult for some authority figures, and if not achieved the volunteers will either withdraw or have a tarnished perception of volunteering and be hesitant to try it again. As Peter Levine, Director of CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) states "I think it is very important for the spirit of the program to match the real needs of a community and the values of the young people who serve." If not, the time spent is redundant, and nobody really gains anything from the experience.
There is also a current trend of 'compulsory volunteering', especially in the US, which is somewhat of an oxymoron and in a way defeats the purpose of the act. Again relating to doing more harm than good through unsuitable placements and lack of desire, putting young people off the idea of volunteering or community service. "When students or any individual perceives that he is being controlled externally, the natural human response is to lose enthusiasm for the project and toward the behaviors that are being promoted." (Deci & Ryan, 1985)
Court-ordered community service has also been a long-standing form of punishment for minor offences and there is much debate over whether it is beneficial (to either party) or not. Offenders faced with the ultimatum of mandatory service or jail time are put in a rather difficult position. What sane person would willingly choose to be behind bars? Hence choosing the service option is usually the preference, however the offender is likely to carry out their tasks begrudgingly, which is unpleasant for all involved. Other law-abiding volunteers often take offence to the fact that the work which they enjoy is perceived as 'suitable punishment' for a crime.
However, in most instances offenders do get to choose where they are placed and what activities they assist with, so at least they could put their skills to good use. There are also instances where they have carried on their volunteering after their mandatory hours have been completed. So sometimes good can come from bad after all.
There are pros and cons to any field in life, even volunteering. For positive outcomes all 'round - youths need to ensure they are committed to and enthusiastic about their volunteering endeavours, and organisations need to be adequately prepared and managed. Otherwise things tend to go pear shaped...
And sometimes, you can be thrown to the lions.
Win-Win Situations
There are many advantages for youth who participate in voluntary work and/or community service, and for those they assist. Recently in New Zealand, the self-formed Student Volunteer Army weren't afraid to get their hands dirty helping victims of the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, that may have otherwise been left to fend for themselves.
Helping those in areas assessed as 'low-risk' may not have been exactly life saving, but that doesn't mean the assistance wasn't required or deeply appreciated, especially by the elderly. The SVA are continuing their great work to this day, and have branched out into fields other than disaster relief.
Volunteering, realistically, isn't wholly altruistic. While there are some saints on Earth that live to help others with no reward other than the warm fuzzies they receive, there can be a lot to gain personally from volunteer work. Many youths are giving their time to gain work experience, find better jobs, enhance their career options, or even to gain guidance as to which career they should choose. “The economic climate is a big factor in the increase but there is more awareness of the value of volunteering among young people.” says Patrick Daniels, YouthNet's Advice and Volunteering Manager.
Improving social skills (p.9) and making friends/building relationships is also a big motivator for youths to volunteer, as they meet people from all walks of life who they may not otherwise come into contact with. It provides a wider circle outside of family and school, and in most cases leads to other oppotunities and ventures also - like a domino effect.
It can remove a feeling of isolation and boost confidence. Youth volunteers also gain someone to look up to in their mentors, a relationship not as strict as parent/child or teacher/child, but still an authority figure that can offer advice and teach life lessons in perhaps a more relaxed way, through activities which are enjoyable and beneficial for all. Through helping others we can indeed help ourselves in the process.
Youth volunteering is a win-win situation and statistics show it is on the rise, having doubled in Australia to 32% between 1996-2006. In New Zealand, as of 2009, the rate of youth volunteering was 27%. It should be strongly encouraged by parents and schools, although not forced, with options readily available and easy to find information about. A recent study showed that the most popular fields youths chose to volunteer in were mentoring/counselling, sports/cultural activites, and health/emergency services.
Helping those in areas assessed as 'low-risk' may not have been exactly life saving, but that doesn't mean the assistance wasn't required or deeply appreciated, especially by the elderly. The SVA are continuing their great work to this day, and have branched out into fields other than disaster relief.Volunteering, realistically, isn't wholly altruistic. While there are some saints on Earth that live to help others with no reward other than the warm fuzzies they receive, there can be a lot to gain personally from volunteer work. Many youths are giving their time to gain work experience, find better jobs, enhance their career options, or even to gain guidance as to which career they should choose. “The economic climate is a big factor in the increase but there is more awareness of the value of volunteering among young people.” says Patrick Daniels, YouthNet's Advice and Volunteering Manager.
Improving social skills (p.9) and making friends/building relationships is also a big motivator for youths to volunteer, as they meet people from all walks of life who they may not otherwise come into contact with. It provides a wider circle outside of family and school, and in most cases leads to other oppotunities and ventures also - like a domino effect.
It can remove a feeling of isolation and boost confidence. Youth volunteers also gain someone to look up to in their mentors, a relationship not as strict as parent/child or teacher/child, but still an authority figure that can offer advice and teach life lessons in perhaps a more relaxed way, through activities which are enjoyable and beneficial for all. Through helping others we can indeed help ourselves in the process.
Youth volunteering is a win-win situation and statistics show it is on the rise, having doubled in Australia to 32% between 1996-2006. In New Zealand, as of 2009, the rate of youth volunteering was 27%. It should be strongly encouraged by parents and schools, although not forced, with options readily available and easy to find information about. A recent study showed that the most popular fields youths chose to volunteer in were mentoring/counselling, sports/cultural activites, and health/emergency services.
Saturday 6 April 2013
Positive Impact vs. Negative Impact
Firstly, my position on this topic is for. Yes, youth who volunteer gain many positive results from their experiences, and so do those on the receiving end of their work.
I've been researching this topic over the past two days, and have ascertained that there can also be negative effects of youth volunteering. I can therefore create a balanced argument for this topic.
Here are some of the links I have come across so far:
Positive impact highlighted
Child Trends: "Teens As Volunteers"
Ministry of Youth Development: "The Impact of Youth Work for Young People"
Student Volunteer Army: "History"
NZ Herald: "Social entrepreneurship: Solution to old problems?"
NZ Herald: "Student Volunteer Army to auction playhouse"
Volunteering Australia: "State of Volunteering in Australia 2012"
Weaving Connections - Tuhonohono rangatahi: "Positive Youth Development"
The Telegraph: "Volunteering legacy will help students find jobs"
Management4Volunteers Blog: "The By-Products of Volunteering"
The Times: "Volunteering is great experience"
World Volunteer Web: "Benefits of volunteering"
The Guardian: "So you want to work in the voluntary sector?"
The Guardian: "Youth volunteering portal launched"
vInspired
Negative impact highlighted
Lattitude Global Volunteering: "Avoiding the dangers of 'voluntourism'"
Sydney Morning Herald: "It was a dream job for her"
Management4Volunteers Blog: "Breaking Bounds"
Children and Youth Speak for Themselves
Blue Avocado: "Court-Ordered Community Service: Volunteers or Prison Labor?"
Stanford Social Innovation Review: "The New Volunteer Workforce"
eHow: "Disadvantages of Volunteer Work"
eHow: "Pros & Cons of Mandatory Community Service Projects Before Graduation From High School"
Good Intentions Are Not Enough
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "The Dirty Truth About Disaster Fundraising"
The Telegraph: "Orphanage tourism: help or hindrance?"
Management4Volunteers Blog: "The Totally Bad Volunteer Experience"
Peter Levine: "the promise and perils of volunteering"
How Stuff Works: "How Volunteer Burnout Works"
I've been researching this topic over the past two days, and have ascertained that there can also be negative effects of youth volunteering. I can therefore create a balanced argument for this topic.
Here are some of the links I have come across so far:
Positive impact highlighted
Child Trends: "Teens As Volunteers"
Ministry of Youth Development: "The Impact of Youth Work for Young People"
Student Volunteer Army: "History"
NZ Herald: "Social entrepreneurship: Solution to old problems?"
NZ Herald: "Student Volunteer Army to auction playhouse"
Volunteering Australia: "State of Volunteering in Australia 2012"
Weaving Connections - Tuhonohono rangatahi: "Positive Youth Development"
The Telegraph: "Volunteering legacy will help students find jobs"
Management4Volunteers Blog: "The By-Products of Volunteering"
The Times: "Volunteering is great experience"
World Volunteer Web: "Benefits of volunteering"
The Guardian: "So you want to work in the voluntary sector?"
The Guardian: "Youth volunteering portal launched"
vInspired
Negative impact highlighted
Lattitude Global Volunteering: "Avoiding the dangers of 'voluntourism'"
Sydney Morning Herald: "It was a dream job for her"
Management4Volunteers Blog: "Breaking Bounds"
Children and Youth Speak for Themselves
Blue Avocado: "Court-Ordered Community Service: Volunteers or Prison Labor?"
Stanford Social Innovation Review: "The New Volunteer Workforce"
eHow: "Disadvantages of Volunteer Work"
eHow: "Pros & Cons of Mandatory Community Service Projects Before Graduation From High School"
Good Intentions Are Not Enough
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "The Dirty Truth About Disaster Fundraising"
The Telegraph: "Orphanage tourism: help or hindrance?"
Management4Volunteers Blog: "The Totally Bad Volunteer Experience"
Peter Levine: "the promise and perils of volunteering"
How Stuff Works: "How Volunteer Burnout Works"
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