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We talk a lot about volunteering around here. It’s our hope and desire to provide relevant, helpful information, inspiration and resources for you.
But I think it’s time to take a step back, to think about how we got here–to this world filled with thousands of volunteer and volunteer travel options. By taking a look into the history of American organized volunteerism, we can see how individuals and organizations strategically brought about social change. We can learn from them, what to do and what not to do, and we can dream about what lies ahead.
1736- Benjamin Franklin assembles a group of about thirty men to form the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia. The men’s equipment includes “six leather buckets and two stout linen bags, each marked with his name and the name of the company, which he was to bring to every fire.” (History of Philedelphia, John Thomas Scharf) Thanks to Franklin’s initiative, Philadelphia establishes a structure for all subsequent fire companies.
1857- The first YMCA is established by George Williams in London, England as a way for young men to stay active in physically and spiritually uplifting ways. Captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan is inspired by this English endeavor, and establishes the first YMCA in Boston on December 29, 1851. YMCAs soon began springing up all over the world.
1881- At age 60, Clara Barton establishes the U.S. branch of the American Red Cross. Providing so much more than medical and spiritual support to the soldiers, Clara doesn’t rest when it comes to serving those affected by the Civil War. After years of waiting to have the Swiss organization approved in America, Clara’s proposition is answered and the Red Cross is finally approved by Chester Arthur. Read more about Clara’s amazing volunteerism and the beginnings of the Red Cross here.
1919- First Bureau of Volunteer Services is created in Minneapolis, MN. The hope is to “conserve war time enthusiasm for peace time needs of the community.” (The Family: journal of social casework, Volumes 3-4 By Family Service Association of America,)
1933- Franklin D. Roosevelt forms the Civilian Conservation Corps and plants around 3 billion trees. This was a crucial move, especially in areas affected by the dust bowl of the dirty 30′s.
CCC recruits getting ready to leave for Messula
1964 – VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America) and other national services is created to fight the war on poverty. Originally Kennedy’s dream, it is realized by Lyndon B Johnson, who says, “Your pay will be low; the conditions of your labor often will be difficult. But you will have the satisfaction of leading a great national effort and you will have the ultimate reward which comes to those who serve their fellow man.” (find full article here)
1987- New York City launches CityCares, a program aimed toward getting young professionals involved in volunteer opportunities. They later change their name to Hands on Network in 2004. Hands On currently “includes a powerful network of more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve and creating meaningful change in their communities. Annually, the network delivers approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at about $600 million.” Read more here.
1989- President H.W. Bush develops a “3-part strategy to make community service a national policy of the highest priority.” One year later, in response to his call, Points of Light Foundation is created “as an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit org to encourage and empower the spirit of service.” (read more here)
2000- VolunteerConnections.org is launched to help volunteer centers utilize technology. A few years later it becomes 1-800-Volunteer.org which is now used by individual volunteers to search for opportunities and events, and by non-profits who are able to recruit volunteers online.
Often times it’s easy to feel over-looked or unappreciated as a volunteer. Usually not many people know of your service, not many people thank you, and often even the effects that you have are rather small. But we hope that through looking into history you’ve seen what volunteerism has and will accomplish. As history shows, there is always potential for growth in doing good, always innovative thinkers needed, and always greater effects than we would ever expect!
Big Thanks to Hands On Network who provides a very informative and comprehensive timeline of the history of America’s voluntourism, where much of this information is found. Thanks to other sources cited throughout as well!
The following is another guest post from Kayleen. Read on to learn some simple and practical ways to cope with the stress of being an international volunteer.
Teaching fifth grade for a year in Bolivia with new pressures on me to help my students ace their standardized tests often gave me tense shoulders and a tight stomach. Far away from the comforts of home, I had to learn how to deal with my stress in different ways. Here are some cross-cultural, volunteer-friendly (read: cheap) ways I found to cope:
- Take the bus. I loved seeing true Bolivian culture when I used public transportation, and walking to and from the bus lines helped me exercise away my stress.
- Blend in. Making friends with young Bolivian singles ended up being my favorite way to hang out. Not only did they know the inexpensive ways to de-stress, I learned many things about their culture and was able to improve my Spanish fluency. (Note: I was grateful that a few of my friends had been exposed to other cultures to some degree; they had a high tolerance for my crazy North American behaviors.)
- Chill out. Carving out a small time for myself each night kept me from being inefficient during the day. I often used my time to find a music website that allowed me to create playlists for free. In this way, I kept up with some American pop culture and listened to songs that expressed how I felt in my own language.
- Stay connected. Sunday afternoons were correspondence time for me. I took a few hours and wrote to friends and family back home, and I weekly skyped with a friend. This both showed that I cared and helped me gain perspective about my volunteering.
- Work out. Jogging is so against the laid-back culture of Bolivia that I felt like a crazy person when I went for runs. As lame as they sound, exercise videos helped me stay in shape and released endorphins which kept me happy and less stressed.
- Buddy up. I sometimes chose to eat lunch with another volunteer. Being able to process my experience and hear hers kept me from going crazy. Missing ten or twenty minutes of prep was worth the bonding that happened during those lunches.
- Be reasonable. Teaching fifth grade does not save the world. Some days, though, I felt its weight on my shoulders. I occasionally made a list of my end goals for the year so that I realized that I was not solely responsible for the people my students would one day be.
- Write it down. My journal from last year is one of my dear possessions. I’m so glad that I recorded my actions and emotions. Also, writing down how I felt helped me realize what big growth was happening in my life and feel justified in being a little tired.
- Wear a smile. When I remembered that my purpose in teaching was to serve others, I was always a little humbled and a little glad. Keeping a good attitude helped me be confident, and it probably made me more approachable to both teachers and other volunteers.
Being a full-time volunteer usually means limited personal time. It wasn’t easy for me to schedule in time to relax, but I’m glad for the times that I did, because they kept me sane during a rough year. I hope they can be helpful to volunteers in similar situations.
The following is a guest post from a volunteer named Kayleen, who just spent a year volunteer teaching in Bolivia. Please read on to hear wonderful and poignant reflections about the challenges of volunteering abroad, and how the struggle is worth it in the end.
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My sister drove me to school on the first day I taught in Bolivia. On the road ahead of us were mountains, the foothills of the Andes. Peaceful, unchanging for hundreds of years. A place to hide from the rest of life. Here I was, having just volunteered a week ago to teach fifth grade at this international school, and all I wanted was to escape to the mountains.
I stood in front of my classroom, lips trembling, hands clammy, heart pounding as I introduced myself. I have a degree in linguistics, and my experience teaching consisted of throwing Spanish vocabulary cards on the floor and having my students jump on them to learn their words. I felt (and was) clueless as to how to lead twenty students in core curriculum for an entire year.
My first few months I was blissfully ignorant. I had no idea what I was doing and that worked for me. I was young enough and fun enough that my students liked me and were willing to learn unconventionally. Parents were kind when their kids came home telling them that they could chew gum if it helped them concentrate (not worth the help in concentrating, trust me). However, after about two months of “teaching” it was time to get serious.
I was a volunteer who had stepped into a role only because no one else would. I had no experience and few skills. And my class was behind in our curriculum, behavior problems were surfacing, and I was losing my “first time’s a charm” high. I loved my students, and to do what was best for them, I needed to learn how to be a real teacher.
How did I become a real teacher? I worked harder than I probably ever have in my life. I woke up early, I went to bed late, and I ate, slept, and bled fifth grade. My stipend was enough for me to pay rent and transportation, but I ended up eating a lot of wheat empanadas, a cheap street food there. My social life became asking other teachers how to run lit circles or who was misbehaving during music. I dove into a pool of volunteer teaching, and I wasn’t about come up for air until I was done.
When the year was finally over, I took a deep breath. I felt like I had just finished a marathon—sore, tired, thirsty, but mostly numb from overstimulation of every part of me. I had to ask myself two questions. First, did the students even benefit from having me as their teacher? Second, was it worth the sacrifice of leaving comfort and making myself exhausted for a year? These questions were answered in two different ways.
First, did the students even benefit from having me as their teacher? Second, was it worth the sacrifice of leaving comfort and making myself exhausted for a year?
A few days into vacation, one of my student’s mothers called and wanted to take me out to lunch with her son. As we sat at one of the nicest restaurants in the city and waiters piled meat onto our plates, she started telling me her life story. Amazing stories of living in three countries, being chased in all three by the common theme of love. Now she lives in Bolivia and devotes her life to loving the underprivileged children there. Before we left the restaurant, she looked me in the eye and thanked me for knowing how to love her son that year. Worth it.
Two months later, before I left Bolivia but after feeling had returned to my body, mind, and heart, I finally got to escape to the Andes. My friends and I climbed a huge hill that looked over Lake Titicaca—snowcapped mountains in the distance and a beautiful harbor below. As I stood there taking in the view, I realized how far I had come in one year. I grew in understanding not just the cultures I was surrounded by, but also how cultures work. I learned how be be an adult. I learned how to get hurt and keep going. I learned how to keep going when there seems to be no one to move forward for. Worth it.
The following volunteer story and advice is from a very experienced volunteer named Sarah. Read on to find out 5 qualities you need to be an amazing volunteer!
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For the past five years I have been volunteering with Praying Pelican Missions (PPM), an organization that leads short-term mission trips in numerous Central American and Caribbean countries, Mexico, and the United States. I started as a participant on these trips, traveling to Belize with my church to join in the service projects and community outreach. After my freshmen year of college, my involvement with PPM changed from week-long volunteer trips to month-long internships as a trip leader in Belize and Miami.
Both as a participant and through leading volunteers, I picked up on several characteristics and qualities that make a great volunteer. Here are five:
1. Flexibility
In the volunteer world we can spend hours planning and organizing something just to have it unravel in a few minutes. It takes someone with the ability to adapt and be flexible in those situations that really makes or breaks the outcome of the situation.On one trip, the bus got a flat tire and soon after changing it the new tire exploded as well. Though it wasn’t planned, the flexibility of that group was amazing. They used unfortunate circumstances to work together and get to know each other better versus just sitting on a bus.
2. Energy
Volunteering can take a lot of energy. There always seems to be a lack of sleep and to hit the ground running each day can be kind of rough. One week, I was in the southern part of Belize with a group working at a local church there. Numerous people were getting stomach sicknesses; the work was physically exhausting, and the intense heat and humidity did not help the situation. However, I was amazed and encouraged by the unrelenting energy the group put forth each day. As a leader, it’s one of the most encouraging and exciting things to see. It really showed how much the group believed in what they were doing.
3. Creativity & Imagination 
We can probably all agree that people who are creative and have good imaginations are great to be around. The level of passion and excitement they bring doesn’t allow the craziness of the unknown to overwhelm them or the drain of the mundane bring them down. Volunteering doesn’t need to be a solemn or straining thing. When individuals use their talents, passions, and humor they bring life into the tasks at hand. Allow yourself to dream; bring your creativity into whatever you do because it leaves your own personal and sincere mark.
4.Integrity
As a volunteer, people trust you with their facility, community, and organization–which is an extreme responsibility. Relationships between organizations can be hindered by a an individual’s thoughtless acts. One of the most helpful things I’ve seen in our volunteers and something we look for in future interns is integrity. In my own experience, leading trips with other staff brings such a dependency on one another that we honesty and sincerity is so important. When people are sincere in their every day life it enriches their volunteer work in a way that speaks louder than words. The way you serve really shows how much you care- and those you serve see it.
5. Sacrifice/Selflessness
Volunteering is just that- sacrificing of one’s time, energy and services without expecting anything in return. Although it is exceedingly rewarding, the reality is the passion behind volunteering can wear thin at times. Sometimes there are days when it seems you’ve given all of yourself, and it’s not fun, it’s not exciting, it’s just sacrifice. It’s at this point when we have to examine what we are doing- is it worth our time and effort? Because when we realize what’s important, living for ourselves is not so appealing anymore.
Sarah Slegh, pictured below with children from Belize, has a passion for world missions, service and prayer. She is a senior at Northwestern College studying graphic design.
Curious about Praying Pelican? To learn more, give, or get involved, click here.
One of our partner organizations, uVolunteer, offers international volunteer programs in several countries around the world. The following is a few excerpts from a recent uVolunteer, Kaetlyn, writing about her time volunteering at children’s homes and orphanages in Kenya.To read Kaetlyn’s full story, please visit the uVolunteer blog. Thanks to Kaetlyn and uVolutneer for sharing a great story!
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On Feb 15, James, Celia and I head out for our first day at the New Life Orphanage. The babies are go gorgeous, they have the cutest brown eyes and curly hair. We had a little orientation at New Life, and then started to take care of the babies. Our duties included showing the babies affection, feeding them, and keeping an eye on the toddlers so they don’t get into mischief, especially when we go outside. Every child is so unique and special. It warms your heart to know that you are helping make their day a little better. You are showing that you are there for them, and that they are loved and special. I loved the feeling of picking up a crying baby and cuddling them back to happiness. It is a feeling like no other. A three year old named Bernard loved to play with my hair. He took my hair clips and pony tail out and would try to redo my hair.
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Today at RAHA I helped the mommas make chapatti. I then helped the Lions plant a garden. We planted carrots, onions and lettuce. They boys have so much energy and they are so positive. They are really nice to be around. We had a game of football with them. They are very talented in football and a lot of them want to be professional football players. James and I worked on shapes with the dolphins. A lot of them really struggled with it, they called a rectangle a ‘rectriangle’. It was very rewarding to see most of them catch on to what you are teaching them. It really makes you feel like you are making a difference for them. I worked with Benson Lucka on addition and subtraction. He requested that I give him homework every day. In the morning, he would come to RAHA and make me correct his work. I helped the tigers learn multiplication and long division. Alex was struggling, so I kept him after class was over to help him. He was so proud of himself when he finally caught on.
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A man asked us if we could buy him some bread and milk. We agreed and he offered to get the trolly for us. He came in the store with us and soon our trolly was filled with bread, milk, sugar, oil, ugali, and shoe polish. We were unsure of the need for him to buy shoe polish, so after that we told him we were going to pay. We felt good doing this for him as he told us he lived in the slums and had 5 children that have not eaten yet today. We were happy to help!
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Sadly, this is our last week out in Kenya. We had such an amazing time; I never want this experience to end. We went to New Life every day this week for around an hour in the mornings, then went to RAHA Kids after. Michael came to talk to the boys on March 21st. When he walked in the room, all of the boys knew who he was and they were very shy. They were so shocked to see a celebrity has come to see them. James and I had a great feeling of success knowing that we are really helping these boys. We went to New Life and I donated the rest of my donations. A 94 year old lady from Canada made a bunch of blankets for me to take to give to the kids in Kenya. She requested that I take a photo for her of a baby in her blanket. I got my photo for her and I know she will be so happy when I give it. We gave the babies lots of cuddles and enjoyed their company. I am going to be so sad to leave them as they are all so cute. We booked our safari for this weekend, and were so excited to go. We saved the best event for our last weekend in Kenya. I taught the Lions a lesson about the body, focusing on the blood and blood vessels in the body.
Our friend Monica from A Pair of Panties & Boxers is part of an exciting volunteer opportunity coming up this summer through SIC and The Peak Foundation called the Kilimanjaro Challenge. Here are some ways from Monica that you can help us get the word out about the Kilimanjaro challenge.
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Support For International Change (SIC) is an organization that is dedicated to limiting the impact of HIV/AIDS in underserved communities. We’ve teamed up with The Peaks Foundation, an organization that coordinates global mountain challenges for women who seek adventure, a sense of personal achievement, and an opportunity to make a positive difference in the world.
This August we have organized a ‘1 Peak 1 Week Kilimanjaro Challenge’ to support women in Tanzania living with HIV/AIDS and to reduce its impact by providing education, economic and social support.
Here are 3 ways you can help:
1. Sign up for the challenge! We are currently looking for fearless females to scale the highest freestanding mountain in the world: Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro. This challenge begins this summer, August 12-21. Click here for more information and a brief itinerary.
2. Spread the word about the ‘1 Peak 1 Week Kilimanjaro Challenge’ with your readers and fe
llow wanderlusters. This is a great way to explore the world and make a positive impact in the local community.
3. Tweet the following message for a chance to win one of SIC’s Tuko Pamoja bags:
RT Contest: Support #Tanzanian women with #HIV/#AIDS by taking on our “1 Peak 1 Week Kilimanjaro Challenge!” http://bit.ly/frwtsB
A huge thanks to Paula for sharing her volunteer story!
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Two years ago I ventured to Kenya for a year to volunteer my services, share my privilege, participate in a multi-cultural experience, and conduct environmental conservation and sustainability research during a 6-month expedition with Global Vision International. We lived on a remote island in the Indian Ocean without running water or electricity. I participated in various marine (primarily cetaceans) and terrestrial (primarily the Angolan Black and White Colobus Monkey) conservation and research projects. As part of a BTEC certification program I was hands-on with the team building and daily planning of environmental research surveys, emergency action planning, risk assessments, base management, expedition logistics, and data entry supervision. Our expedition team also taught English classes and workshops at Mkwiro Primary School. I also consulted and served as Project Manager on various capacity building, development and community projects including writing a Swahili to English translation manual
After the expedition ended, I remained in Kenya after being offered the opportunity to intern with CORDIO-EA. There, I worked to update their website and, as Project Manager of the “Schools to the Seas” program, I was blessed with the opportunity to share the magnificence and beauty of nature and the marine environment as well as water safety instruction with local school children. I also developed curricula and trained teachers to become environmental educators and stewards.
I feel honored to have taken part in such a special project and hope to be able to continue to do work that makes such a positive contribution to society and future generations. So, the next leg of my journey was to come to Honolulu, Hawaii where I am in the last semester of getting a Masters degree in Global Leadership & Sustainable Development. I plan to head back into the world to apply my communication and service-leadership skills to make a humble yet tangible contribution to humanity by encouraging, inspiring, and promoting global justice, cultural sensitivity, and the principles and values of sustainable development in an academic setting.
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Our boss here at Volunteer Card, Ryan, and his family have been volunteering in Thailand and Burma for the past few weeks. True to form, Ryan’s got his hands in a ton of different projects, but his main goal is to help organize initiatives to rescue girls from the massive sex slave industry in southeast Asia. We’re super proud of him! He’s been blogging, and here are some excerpts from his time so far. Look for more to come.
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The Burma Thailand border is one of the most picturesque places on earth. The mountains, rivers gullies, trees and cliffs paint and exotic, rare and deeply beautiful landscape.
Nestled into these mountains are burnt homes, landmines, refugee camps, displaced people, shattered lives the other remains of war and destruction.
The beauty of the creation stands in stark contrast to the evil destruction of man.
The Burmese army has a habit of coming into a village, raping the woman, making the little boys child soldiers, burning the homes and then setting land mines around the burnt homes to prevent anyone from returning. These displaced people are streamed across the Burma Thailand border.
We visited an official refugee camp, it was called a camp, but really it was more like a city. 50,000+ refugees altogether – and this was just one of 9 official camps, and countless unofficial refugee villages.
Then we visited the KT orphanage for refugee children. The kids would run to meet you with huge-smiley-hugs. (just like my son Colin would run to meet me, except they just met me an hour ago.)
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We made the 7 hours drive from Chaing Mai, Thailand to a village near the Thailand/Burma border. Refugee camps line the border and are filled with people fleeing the conflict in Burma.
It only takes a few minutes to realize that something is different here. There is a seriousness to everyone you talk to around here. It is the seriousness that I have only encountered in people who have been in conflict and crisis.
We found out there was shelling today only a 2 hour drive from where we are staying tonight.
This is real. That’s the only way I can put it.
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Si Nang – a day of days.
I’ve heard about the issue, read UN reports about Indonesia Sex Trade, even watched documentaries about this issue, but nothing could prepare me for what we were about to see.
We drove up to an entire village surrounded by high brick walls about 5 blocks long. There is a gate and a guard to get in. The village is called Si Nang.
Inside is an entire mini city of brothels – large buildings with no windows and only one door. Each building was painted a bright cheery color for some sick reason.
Because inside was some of the heights of cruelty to the most vulnerable. We counted 35-40 buildings that lined up along the streets.
Each building had a bar and a ‘cell tank’ where they line the girls up for their ‘customers.’ (aka: gutless perverts)
The mood was quiet and tense in the van. We were being watched because they spotted our camera. We tried to film, but were promptly yelled at. The driver told us we had to get out of there. We may have been in slight danger, but it was nothing compared to the danger these girls experienced everyday. My jaw hurt the next day from clenching it so tightly for so long.
There were over 1000 girls walled in this village and could not escape.
I’m not a weepy guy – but the next day it just hit me while we were getting our kids ready.
I had to excuse myself and hide in the bathroom because I could not stop the tears from coming. It will take a long time to fully process.
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