Jobs in Volunteer Management

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The word volunteer is derived from the word volition, which means ''out of one's own will.'' Jobs in volunteer management naturally involve performing various tasks voluntarily. The important aspect here is the personal decision to want to engage in a particular activity notwithstanding the fact that there may not be any financial benefits attached to it. A volunteer in most cases does not get remunerated for his or her services unless there is an agreement to the contrary. There are various places where volunteer services are rendered. The agents could be nonprofit organizations or organizations that engage in charitable actions, participating in activities geared towards promoting the welfare of the community or in rescue missions and operations in times of crisis and disaster.

Several organizations do require people working on a voluntary basis. Volunteers are also required for some events that take place annually, like tournaments and marathons, and indeed all other games. Without volunteers, such events would be very difficult to hold. With volunteers playing a key role in such and other major events, there is a growing need to come up with programs to make volunteering more organized as opposed to a random kind of thing.

It is at this point that volunteering ceases to be just an ''out of willingness'' kind of job where one works without pay, and instead changes into a career or a profession. As mentioned earlier, several organizations do need, and consequently do have, volunteer management jobs. Some of these organizations include hospitals, charitable organizations, and social welfare organizations, to mention but a few. Therefore, the first question is answered that yes, there are jobs in the volunteer field.



Being a volunteer manager is not an easy task. There are some things that must always be considered and adhered to in this particular job. Volunteers in an organization are actually employees just like the rest, and must be treated as such. For their part, volunteers must not only do their work, but also do it in compliance with the set rules and regulations of the organization. Volunteer management involves examining a group of people carefully, vetting them, making selections from the group, and subsequently supervising. It is a fact that though a person may be willing to engage in a volunteer job, it is not everybody who can actually perform the job. A careful and wise selection must therefore be made. Having made the selection, the group selected must then be organized and supervised. This is what volunteer management entails.

As mentioned earlier, volunteer management is now a career, and most organizations have established departments that solely deal with particular activities. With such a department, organizations are now able to gain more access to the larger community, since most of the volunteers are members of the community. This in return is a boost to the organization as the public slowly gains confidence in the organization. In today's world, unlike in the past, volunteers are not only found in nonprofit or charitable organizations, but also in profit making organizations.

Due to the rapid expansion that is being experienced in the field of volunteer management, there are diversified jobs in this field. Some of the tasks are management, coordination, administration, marketing, and customer relations, among others. Although these jobs are differently defined in specific organizations, there are some duties and obligations people employed in these capacities are expected to fulfill. Some of these duties are fundraising, planning, management of risks, training and supervising junior volunteers, and public and customer relations.

Prior to getting a job in the volunteer management field, it is mandatory to possess some very essential skills and character traits. The skills include, but are not limited to, the ability to correctly judge the character of a person. This is important as this will help to easily determine who can and who cannot be a volunteer based on their character and personality. It is also important for one to have some leadership skills. This is important because as mentioned above, the job entails, among other things, management and supervision of other, junior volunteers. It is also important for any person desiring to join the volunteer management field to be flexible enough to easily fit into any environment. Being able to work under minimal or no supervision at all is yet another test that a person must pass in order to get this particular job, as is being able to handle various tasks at the same time. Another skill that may be required is the knowledge of several languages, as the job is social in nature. One must therefore be able to communicate with as many people as they possibly can. The strength and courage to address people is vital in this field, as one will need to do some public speaking at times.

While many believe that volunteer jobs do not require any specific educational background, it is worth noting that jobs in volunteer management are now considered professional, and that in addition to having the right personal skills, some accreditation is also crucial. To hold a senior position in this field, for instance, one must be a degree holder with a number of years experience.

Any person desirous of joining the volunteer management field must embrace professionalism, dedication, and commitment together with patience. They must also dispel some fears that have always been associated with the field, especially in regard to remuneration. It must be remembered that volunteer management jobs are careers like any other, and therefore they are remunerated, and the salaries vary with the different levels that there are.
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