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As a public policy and budget wonk, advocate, lobbyist, and five-year veteran of city government (Washington, DC), as well as a social worker by training, I LOV

As a public policy and budget wonk, advocate, lobbyist, and five-year veteran of city government (Washington, DC), as well as a social worker by training, I LOVE the question and am stoked 1) by the responses and 2) by the number of responses. I am a firm believer in doing something. As others have said, get informed, get connected, and then get and stay active. This can be personal stuff or political stuff. It all needs doing. Play to your strengths. And I would document even if it's just for you. What you did and why you did it. What worked, what didn't. It's good to have a contemporaneous written record.

dmofp 6y ago
I really liked this. I struggle with the same question as OP so very interested. What do you think stops people from doing something? Is it lack of information? Learned helplessness? What would help most in that moment when we think "I need to do something"?
- susiecambria 6y ago
  All of what you wrote, unfortunately. But this problem can be solved. If you believe in helping people, I believe you should model voluntarism for your kids, nieces, nephews, older relatives, neighbors, etc. You don't have to do in a way that says aren't I great I volunteer. It can be something like sharing starting with holidays and then expanding to non-holidays. Perhaps encourage a smaller holiday fete at work and direct the resources to something like gifts for a shelter, Toys for Tots, shoe box gifts for homeless shelters, etc. My grandkids, for example, learn about helping others at Christmas buy picking out a toy and donating it to Toys for Tots. This is a super important life lesson and it's reinstilled frequently. Or, there's the volleyball team. I was new in a job and pulled together a volleyball team to play in a tournament sponsored by an org I volunteered for. We had t-shirts and folks raised money. And it was fun! The team members and board members bonded in an important way on something that was bigger than us and our "issue." While the tournament sponsor did not get more volunteers out of our team, they appreciated that I was more committed and that they got new donors. There are so many things that prevent people from volunteering/giving/helping. Very often, people will help, they just need to be asked or encouraged. People don't know where to look for ways to participate in some civic something. https://longevity.stanford.edu/three-reasons-why-people-dont-volunteer-and-what-can-be-done-about-it/ https://longevity.stanford.edu/three-reasons-why-people-dont... provides details I can't. Interested individuals should still volunteer/help/do something even if others don't.
  - dmofp 6y ago
    Starting with holidays is a fantastic idea. One of the obstacles for me personally is finding time. I'm usually so overwhelmed with work/kids/family stuff, every spare moment seems both inadequate and too precious (e.g. catch up on sleep). On holidays, though...i'm usually more free.
    - susiecambria 6y ago
      Keep in mind the holidays are highly sought after days to volunteer. Get in early if you want to put in time at a soup kitchen, etc., particularly on Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you are holiday shopping with the kids, you might be able to add on a little shoe box shopping. The items can be picked up at a drug store, Target, Walmart, etc. The kids can help you pick out and pack up. Then drop it off at a local shelter, church, whichever kind of group is collecting. Have a great time! And don't stress. Find something that works for you. You're much more likely to do it again :-)
      - dmofp 6y ago
        Good to know. Thanks a ton for the ideas. I really hate how helpless i feel about the world sometimes, any push in the direction of action is a good one.
fudged71 6y ago
This advice is so vague. Are there frameworks or best practices? What resources could help? Or is it purely incremental and case-by-case?
- SamWhited 6y ago
  Sometimes encouragement and positivity help too, not every answer has to have specifics and detailed plans :)
- susiecambria 6y ago
  Not the reaction I expected, but a valid one! Here goes: There are best practices on the organizational side. I'd have to do some research to determine nonprofit and civic organizational adoption. My gut is that at least in the US, best practices adoption for volunteer engagement/management is not widespread. In my own experience, very few of the organizations I've worked with or know even kinda well have the capacity (and/or interest) in implementing best practices. And I would assume that informal neighborhood groups are not adopting them. From the perspective of an individual, there are resources for identifying volunteer opportunities, though this various by jurisdiction. Some places have active and robust volunteer referral systems while others have lots of active civic groups (think Jaycees, Junior League) that are central to life in that place. Other places have nonprofits and people volunteer there. What resources could help? Good question. I think that depends on what 1) people want and 2) organizations want. In my experience, many people who volunteer approach their voluntarism as "take what I give you." Meaning, "I will give what I give, when I decide to give it, how I decide to give it and I'll do it the way I see fit." In some cases, this might work for an organization. I've seen it be accepted by organizations because the organization does not have time (more likely has not made time) to develop a volunteer program with job descriptions, intake, and every other important element needed. If an organization were to develop a volunteer program, a bunch of resources are needed including staff. Back to my original comments for a sec. Getting involved is kind of like the wild wild west. Jump in an do something, there's little organization or governance, particularly on the street-level stuff of trash pick-up, etc. Here's an example: When I worked for then-Mayor Vince Gray, there was one winter that was colder than usual. VCG wanted more than the helping the homeless during hypothermia season status quo. So leadership and staff got together to develop the city's cold emergency plan. Basically, anyone without shelter was encouraged to get on a bus or go into a non-shelter on the coldest nights. We fed people, gave them stuff (dry clothing, etc.) and caseworkers were available to help if people wanted. At something like 2a on one of the first days of this plan, I was doing a site visit to a bus. (Did the staff need food, water, etc.) It was dark out, save for the bright street lights that made the snow-covered everything sparkle. All of a sudden, there's singing and laughter. A small group of 20-somethings came in happy as could be carrying cups of hot chocolate, boxes of donuts, hot pretzels, and more. They handed the food out, chatted for a few, and then took off for the next bus. This merry band of do-gooders made me smile. They made many on the bus smile. They came out in the wicked cold to make sure that people who were homeless had warm food and drink. All I know about them is that they lived around Georgetown and were in professional programs. Stepping up, doing something can be something as simple as this.

dmofp 6y ago

I really liked this. I struggle with the same question as OP so very interested. What do you think stops people from doing something? Is it lack of information? Learned helplessness? What would help most in that moment when we think "I need to do something"?

susiecambria 6y ago
All of what you wrote, unfortunately. But this problem can be solved. If you believe in helping people, I believe you should model voluntarism for your kids, nieces, nephews, older relatives, neighbors, etc. You don't have to do in a way that says aren't I great I volunteer. It can be something like sharing starting with holidays and then expanding to non-holidays. Perhaps encourage a smaller holiday fete at work and direct the resources to something like gifts for a shelter, Toys for Tots, shoe box gifts for homeless shelters, etc. My grandkids, for example, learn about helping others at Christmas buy picking out a toy and donating it to Toys for Tots. This is a super important life lesson and it's reinstilled frequently. Or, there's the volleyball team. I was new in a job and pulled together a volleyball team to play in a tournament sponsored by an org I volunteered for. We had t-shirts and folks raised money. And it was fun! The team members and board members bonded in an important way on something that was bigger than us and our "issue." While the tournament sponsor did not get more volunteers out of our team, they appreciated that I was more committed and that they got new donors. There are so many things that prevent people from volunteering/giving/helping. Very often, people will help, they just need to be asked or encouraged. People don't know where to look for ways to participate in some civic something. https://longevity.stanford.edu/three-reasons-why-people-dont-volunteer-and-what-can-be-done-about-it/ https://longevity.stanford.edu/three-reasons-why-people-dont... provides details I can't. Interested individuals should still volunteer/help/do something even if others don't.
- dmofp 6y ago
  Starting with holidays is a fantastic idea. One of the obstacles for me personally is finding time. I'm usually so overwhelmed with work/kids/family stuff, every spare moment seems both inadequate and too precious (e.g. catch up on sleep). On holidays, though...i'm usually more free.
  - susiecambria 6y ago
    Keep in mind the holidays are highly sought after days to volunteer. Get in early if you want to put in time at a soup kitchen, etc., particularly on Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you are holiday shopping with the kids, you might be able to add on a little shoe box shopping. The items can be picked up at a drug store, Target, Walmart, etc. The kids can help you pick out and pack up. Then drop it off at a local shelter, church, whichever kind of group is collecting. Have a great time! And don't stress. Find something that works for you. You're much more likely to do it again :-)
    - dmofp 6y ago
      Good to know. Thanks a ton for the ideas. I really hate how helpless i feel about the world sometimes, any push in the direction of action is a good one.

fudged71 6y ago

This advice is so vague. Are there frameworks or best practices? What resources could help? Or is it purely incremental and case-by-case?

SamWhited 6y ago
Sometimes encouragement and positivity help too, not every answer has to have specifics and detailed plans :)
susiecambria 6y ago
Not the reaction I expected, but a valid one! Here goes: There are best practices on the organizational side. I'd have to do some research to determine nonprofit and civic organizational adoption. My gut is that at least in the US, best practices adoption for volunteer engagement/management is not widespread. In my own experience, very few of the organizations I've worked with or know even kinda well have the capacity (and/or interest) in implementing best practices. And I would assume that informal neighborhood groups are not adopting them. From the perspective of an individual, there are resources for identifying volunteer opportunities, though this various by jurisdiction. Some places have active and robust volunteer referral systems while others have lots of active civic groups (think Jaycees, Junior League) that are central to life in that place. Other places have nonprofits and people volunteer there. What resources could help? Good question. I think that depends on what 1) people want and 2) organizations want. In my experience, many people who volunteer approach their voluntarism as "take what I give you." Meaning, "I will give what I give, when I decide to give it, how I decide to give it and I'll do it the way I see fit." In some cases, this might work for an organization. I've seen it be accepted by organizations because the organization does not have time (more likely has not made time) to develop a volunteer program with job descriptions, intake, and every other important element needed. If an organization were to develop a volunteer program, a bunch of resources are needed including staff. Back to my original comments for a sec. Getting involved is kind of like the wild wild west. Jump in an do something, there's little organization or governance, particularly on the street-level stuff of trash pick-up, etc. Here's an example: When I worked for then-Mayor Vince Gray, there was one winter that was colder than usual. VCG wanted more than the helping the homeless during hypothermia season status quo. So leadership and staff got together to develop the city's cold emergency plan. Basically, anyone without shelter was encouraged to get on a bus or go into a non-shelter on the coldest nights. We fed people, gave them stuff (dry clothing, etc.) and caseworkers were available to help if people wanted. At something like 2a on one of the first days of this plan, I was doing a site visit to a bus. (Did the staff need food, water, etc.) It was dark out, save for the bright street lights that made the snow-covered everything sparkle. All of a sudden, there's singing and laughter. A small group of 20-somethings came in happy as could be carrying cups of hot chocolate, boxes of donuts, hot pretzels, and more. They handed the food out, chatted for a few, and then took off for the next bus. This merry band of do-gooders made me smile. They made many on the bus smile. They came out in the wicked cold to make sure that people who were homeless had warm food and drink. All I know about them is that they lived around Georgetown and were in professional programs. Stepping up, doing something can be something as simple as this.