International Volunteer Day is celebrated on 5 December but what does it mean to be a volunteer?
Ivan Epstein, who is the chairman of the Sage Foundation, explained the ins and outs of volunteering. This foundation is the charity portion of Sage South Africa, a company that specialises in integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems with offices in Gallo Manor, Sandton.
Epstein said, “Celebrated globally for over 30 years, International Volunteer Day seeks to celebrate the power and potential of volunteering… Many people are actively involved in developing their communities; their employers do too. In fact, social engagement plays a vital role in our understanding of what it means to be a business person.”
According to him, volunteering is a great strategic move as it, together with social engagement programmes, give employees the opportunity to grow their participation in their community.
“[Volunteering] boosts their sense of well-being. Why is this important? Because happy, engaged people make great, motivated team members. When your company maintains happy people, it’s well positioned to achieve sustained high performance.”
He believes that the impact volunteering makes in society is extremely rewarding. “You would be amazed at what you can do to help an organisation… Something that is massively complex and or expensive to an NGO [non-government organisation], like painting their building, for example, might be within easy reach for you, thanks to your business network.”
He highlighted that if volunteers take a humble, listening approach to their work, they can easily have an impact, regardless of how much time and money they are able to contribute.
It is vital for those who aim to engage in volunteer programmes to establish effective communication networks with those they are assisting. He stressed that volunteering involves real-life matters.
Epstein discourages volunteers from making too many promises that may not all be fulfilled. “All parties must think carefully about their commitments, and stick to their word. Rather under-promise and over deliver than talk big and disappear.
“Your aim, ultimately, should be to forge a good long-term partnership. A flippant hit and run approach can result in undesirable consequences for all involved.”
Volunteering should be run efficiently and professionally and follow-up emails after a formal meeting are one way in which programmes can become more productive.
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