It is easy to feel overwhelmed. Problems seem so big, and our hands and voices seem so small.
Yet, there is something powerful about putting our hands to work in a meaningful way. There is something encouraging about discovering voices who are drawn to work that calls us too.
It is a gift to have a companion in finding this meaningful work and community – a gift given every day by volunteer managers.
At their best, volunteer managers are curators and matchmakers – finding the connections between what an agency needs and what a volunteer has to give.
They are stewards and witnesses – harnessing and honoring the collective talent that moves a mission forward.
They are visionaries and artists – co-creating possibilities on an ever-changing canvas.
They are coaches and counselors – building a team and cultivating it into more than the sum of its parts.
They are guardians and guides – upholding the values that inspire and propel agency efforts.
They are advocates and activists – crafting the place and space for community voice and action.
In a world that feels ever fragmented, volunteer managers patch together the individuals who show up. They create a beautiful quilt out of our diverse talents and experiences.
In the process, we find out what our hands and voices can uniquely do. We find a community with whom we can do it. We feel a little less overwhelmed and a little less lonely and maybe even a little more hopeful – thanks to a volunteer manager.
With gratitude and admiration for all those who help us find our place as volunteers, Happy International Volunteer Managers Day! (International Volunteer Managers Day is November 5.)
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