[MIham] new article July Newsletter - VOLUNTEERING

[FSK]

Here is another article for your club newsletter. If you have room in your
next copy I'd appreciate you including this article.
Thanks
73

John D. Meyers, NB4K
American Radio Relay League
Division Legislative Action Chairman
218 Cory Lane
Butler, Kentucky  41006-8995
H. 859.472.6690
C. 589.512.9598


                                                         VOLUNTEERING

Excerpts taken from the ARRL 1988 Communications Manual



            A volunteer; A person who performs or offers to perform a
service of his or her own free will, A person who renders aid, performs a
service, or assumes an obligation voluntarily. Do you fit this description?

            As the Great Lakes Division Legislation Action Coordinator
(DLAC), I have asked the State Legislative Action Coordinators (LAC) when
making first contact with prospective Legislative Action Assistants (LAA) to
make sure before they accepted the position that they were asked to take, to
read the description before they make a decision. In accepting the volunteer
position they will be expected to do the work, knowing that circumstances do
arise and that make it impossible to carry through. But all in all we all
are expected to do the job we accept.

            The LAC has asked you to take this position because they feel
you can and will do the work involved. They have asked you to take this
position because they need it done and feel you were the best person to do
it. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the ARRL.  They are difficult to find,
more difficult to keep, and at times, we all can be difficult to work with.
Volunteers come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, sizes, backgrounds,
skills, experience, and levels of motivation. They have their own reasons
for participating and their own specific needs which must be met if they are
to continue to volunteer. Their needs, abilities, and accomplishments
determine the ultimate success or failure.

            We must remember that volunteers are human beings with human
needs, goals, attitudes, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Since
volunteers are the basic resource that we will be working with, it will be
to our advantage to get to know each other as well as possible. Generally,
volunteers will do precisely what they are asked to do - no more - no less.
As each individual has his own likes and dislikes, it maybe necessary to
demonstrate the full value of some assignments which are important though
unpopular. Volunteers must believe in what you are asking them to do is
really needed. Volunteers don't like to be underutilized, and tend to
disappear when kept cooling their heels for a significant length of time.
They will work for long hours under the worst conditions as long as they can
see the need for it. Most will do anything you ask as long as they're
treated properly. If you mistreat or abuse them, they may not volunteer
their help again.

            It would be physically impossible to discuss in this article
every possible reason why people join a volunteer group. Generally speaking,
they volunteer and join to satisfy a personal need. The majority of your
volunteers though joined out of a need they have to serve the public or
hobby in a way they best know how: as communicators. These are the
volunteers you should direct your efforts toward. You've got to find out
what their needs are before you can attempt to satisfy these. In short, the
best way to find out why your members volunteered is to ask them!

            As volunteers they have a right to expect courteous,
considerate, fair and impartial treatment from the leadership. Courtesy is
always in order; rudeness will cost us dearly.  In addition to learning and
compensating for their weaknesses and being tolerant of their faults, you
must also consider their feelings. Don't forget that you are taking precious
time from their families. They also have the right to expect you to make a
reasonable effort to learn and apply the skills and techniques of
communications management. You will be expected to make mistakes -- admit
them openly, and learn from them as you grow into your new role. You will
also be expected to keep them informed as to what is happening and why.
Unfortunately, some members will expect much more of you than they have a
right to expect, and often more than you can do. They may expect you to
change situations over which you have no control, force other volunteers to
change their habits, provide them with privileged treatment or status, fire
a useful assistant because they happen to dislike him, or other equally
inappropriate actions. In short, they will tend to forget that you deserve
the same treatment from them that they expect from you. Each member has
different job demands and family requirements, as well as other outside
interests.



John D. Meyers, NB4K

Great Lakes Division

Division Legislative Action Chairman
            --... ...--  ..-. .-. .- -. -.-   -. ---.. ..- ...- ..


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