From the Desk of Hazzem Koudsi, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Prince Edward-Hastings.
I have written in the past on why volunteering is so important – for both the organizations that benefit from the volunteer efforts, and for providing the individual volunteering with a sense of altruism, personal fulfillment, or a desire to contribute to a cause they believe in. There is a flip side to this regarding appreciating the efforts of desperately needed volunteers in our community, which enhances their overall experience and fosters a positive environment.
As some of you may know, I am not only the CEO of this fantastic organization by day, but also volunteer my time to the Rotary Club of Belleville and other charities that ask for a helping hand from time to time. I was recently asked to help coordinate parking for community members attending weekend festivities. My involvement was truly minimal and lasted only 30 minutes.
However, I learned a lot within those 30 minutes. Within this short time, the behaviour I was met with had me extremely disappointed. Not only was there disrespect towards myself and my colleagues, but additionally to the security staff trying to maintain order and safety for everyone coming to enjoy the festivities. A few individuals were expressing negative commentary when asking if they could park in the spots set aside for disabled patrons. Obviously, the limited amount of those spaces was specifically saved for those needing the appropriate accommodation. Unfortunately, one even became outwardly aggressive and amplified to a verbal confrontation over the matter. On top of this, numerous eye rolls and inappropriate comments seemed to be the norm when having to reroute drivers to another lot when the first had filled up. It’s no wonder organizations are having a challenging time finding volunteers to help serve our community. We all lose when volunteerism drops to low levels, in large part due to the way they are treated by the public.
In essence, being nice to volunteers is not just about being polite; it’s about creating a supportive and appreciative environment that recognizes their invaluable contributions. This approach not only benefits the volunteers but also strengthens the organization and our community as a whole. Please consider this the next time you receive help or support from a volunteer, thanking them and sharing your appreciation for their efforts can go a long way to make our community better.