Report Network Meeting: Which glasses do you put on?

What glasses do you put on when looking at volunteer work? That question was central during the meeting. Which glasses do you put on? Perspectives on volunteering, which we organized on October 6 at Beautiful Boules WestAbout 60 volunteer coordinators from Amsterdam and the surrounding area came together to exchange experiences, discover new perspectives, and explore how volunteer work remains attractive and relevant in a changing society. This resulted in a fresh outlook and a pleasant morning.

Start with the human.

Under the guidance of Willem-Jan de Gast, author of Working with volunteers, participants were encouraged to look at different ways of viewing volunteer work. An important starting point: do not begin with the vacancy or the task that needs to be done, but with the person. What does someone bring? What does someone want to learn? What energizes someone? And how much time and space does someone have? When talents, motivation, and possibilities are taken seriously, space for involvement is created. Sometimes someone does not fit a particular organization or task. Even then, the conversation does not have to stop: perhaps there is another place within or outside the organization that is a better fit.

Four glasses on volunteer work

Willem-Jan de Gast showed that we can view volunteer work from different perspectives. From a market economic lens highlight the volunteer as an unpaid employee quickly. From a social psychological lens state motivation central, but there is a risk that volunteers are overly relieved of their responsibilities. The activist glasses volunteer perspective, they see themselves as individuals who take initiative and drive change. And from a ecological or systemic lens it’s about the movement of energy, knowledge, ideas, and networks between people and organizations. None of these perspectives is right or wrong. Rather, consciously switching lenses can help to see new possibilities.

What is the value of volunteer work?

One of the most interesting conversations was about the value of volunteering. When does a volunteer actually become a cheap laborer? And what distinguishes voluntary work from the work of a professional? These questions are not always easy to answer. However, it became clear that the value of volunteer work goes beyond the number of hours or tasks someone performs. Volunteering can contribute to connection, development, meaning, and engagement in society. That value exists for those who contribute as well as for the people and organizations that benefit from it. This also requires something from organizations. Not only looking at what needs to be done but also making room for what volunteers themselves bring.

From organization to ecosystem

Volunteering does not take place within the walls of a single organization. Organizations are part of a larger network of neighborhood initiatives, businesses, schools, social organizations, and other partners. By consciously utilizing those connections, new forms of voluntary engagement can emerge. Perhaps the key to a particular issue lies with a partner you have never considered before. Or new energy is generated when organizations tackle an obstacle together. Therefore, it is valuable not only to ask: what do we need? but also: who do we know, what can we share, and what can we possibly achieve together?

A few insights to take away

From the conversations, various insights emerged:

• Start with the human. Look at talents, motivation, interests, and possibilities, not just at the task.
• A different target audience sometimes requires a different approach. What works for one group of volunteers does not necessarily work for another.
• Make talents visible. Give volunteers space to not only do what is asked, but also to share what they can and want to contribute.
• Work with different circles. Initiators, active volunteers, supporters, and users each have their own motivations and questions.
• Make room for the unexpected. Voluntary energy can arise through short forms of commitment, trial internships, new collaborations, or an unexpected encounter.
• Find each other. Volunteer coordinators often encounter the same issues. By addressing them together, we can achieve more.

A new pair of glasses opens new possibilities

The essence of the meeting: appealing volunteer work starts with attention to the individual, becomes stronger when we consciously look from multiple perspectives, and gains more space when organizations collaborate beyond their own boundaries. Putting on a different lens may feel a bit strange at first. But sometimes it allows you to see exactly what you didn’t notice before.

Thank you to Willem-Jan de Gast for the inspiration and to all participants for the open discussions and practical examples. And of course to Beautiful Boules West for the nice place!