A Quick Reflection on the Benefits of Seeking Mentorship
I started my first full-time position in the Volunteer Administration Profession four years ago. In truth, it was my first full-time job since graduating during the height of the recession. I quickly learned that like any profession, finding a mentor was crucial to learning how to navigate the unique obstacles of managing volunteers as well as the workplace culture in general. Mentorships also offered me the opportunity to grow confidently into my role.
I am lucky to work for an organization that values professional development and had a supervisor that was eager to get me involved with our statewide professional organization called the North Carolina Association of Volunteer Administration (NCAVA). Because of this emphasis on professional development, I was encouraged to network and meet fellow volunteer administrators from across all sectors of business.
A common misconception is that volunteer administrators only work in nonprofits. Because of this, it is easy to forget you can seek valuable advice and mentorship outside your same sector. My most valued mentors work in extremely different organizations. Our workdays and mission statements are completely different. The only element of our jobs that connects us is the fact that we work with volunteers. With this being said, our knowledge and advice are easily transferable between sectors and can often bring a fresh perspective to our organizations. Looking back, my mentors have unselfishly shared tips and tricks that I have carried back to my organization and vice versa.
One quick example of this comes from a roundtable discussion that NCAVA sponsored. A question was posed about a nonprofit who’s recognition budget had been cut drastically and they were looking for more examples of free or low-cost recognition options. Just within that room, there were representatives from nonprofits ranging from animal rescues to social work, as well as, representatives from the private and public sectors. Coming from a heavily data-driven government organization, I was able to suggest publishing their annual report in a way that thanked their volunteers. It was something simple that we do but was not even recognized as a possible recognition option in their organization. In return, I learned of some different awards that I could nominate my volunteers for such as the Governor’s Award.
Mentorship is not just about sharing advice. The camaraderie aspect can also help to inspire confidence in a new administrator of volunteers. A personal example of this is that after my previous supervisor took a new job, I found myself planning our prestigious recognition event for the first time. I was able to seek advice and most importantly encouragement from some of my NCAVA colleagues that I recognize as mentors. Two of them were able to attend the event and it was a boost to my confidence just to see them there. It was a relief to have people who understood all of the work that went into the event and the importance of recognition within our industry. Having colleagues to discuss “challenges” and “wins” with is extremely valuable. This is especially true when your position is one of a kind within your organization. Mentors just don’t share advice, they support and build confidence in the next generation. I am truly grateful for the ones that I have found.
Social Media; Gathering Professional Advice from Across the Country
Reflecting on the value of my mentorships got me thinking about how empowering it is to share our knowledge and to seek advice from other volunteer administrators from diverse backgrounds and organizations. These differences are what make mentorships so powerful. We can leverage those differences for a fresh perspective on similar issues. It is easier than ever to make these connections with the power of social media literally in our hands.
Eventually, this realization led me to create a Facebook post asking for other administrators of volunteers to share their advice and experiences. Through the power of social media and a few shares from professional organizations such as the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement, Directors of Volunteers in Agencies - Tarrant County, and the Land of Sky Association of Volunteer Administrators, the post started to take off. I was excited to see so many diverse volunteer administrators interested in sharing their knowledge and experience.
Volunteer Administration professionals from near and far, different age ranges and experience levels, and even from different sectors contributed to our list. See some of the advice they shared in the above carousel of photos, and if you are compelled to share your own, please feel free to leave a comment below. Lastly, remember to seek out mentors and/or become one yourself!
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO SUBMITTED ADVICE TO US VIA OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
This NCAVA Times Article was written by:
Mary Owens
Resource Development Manager
City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
(Your name could be here! submit article ideas to ncavacommunicationsteam@gmail.com )