Comments on: Are We Overlooking What May Be Our Biggest Challenge Yet? http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet Maine Conversations about Volunteer Management Mon, 6 Oct 2008 16:50:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Dorothy Grannell http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet#comment-61 Dorothy Grannell Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:50:52 +0000 http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet#comment-61 How about finding more ways that people can volunteer from home? Perhaps managers and staff should look at the things that can be done off site that do not need to be directly supervised by staff. Especially if it is a long time volunteer with a good track record. the person could still be involved with the organization but not during office hours. They can report hours and tasks through VolunteerMaine.org. In addition, an offer of a recommendation for the person who now has to re-enter the job market can go a long way towards improving the person's morale. How about finding more ways that people can volunteer from home? Perhaps managers and staff should look at the things that can be done off site that do not need to be directly supervised by staff. Especially if it is a long time volunteer with a good track record. the person could still be involved with the organization but not during office hours. They can report hours and tasks through VolunteerMaine.org.

In addition, an offer of a recommendation for the person who now has to re-enter the job market can go a long way towards improving the person’s morale.

]]> By: Carla Ganiel http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet#comment-57 Carla Ganiel Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:00:34 +0000 http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet#comment-57 Margaret, this is a very insightful post on a challenge I hadn't considered until you brought it up. I agree with Anne's point about boomers as well. One of the things we know about boomers as a group is that they haven't saved a great deal of money for retirement. That issue, coupled with an economic downturn, may force many workers to remain in the workforce much longer than they intended. Margaret, this is a very insightful post on a challenge I hadn’t considered until you brought it up.

I agree with Anne’s point about boomers as well. One of the things we know about boomers as a group is that they haven’t saved a great deal of money for retirement. That issue, coupled with an economic downturn, may force many workers to remain in the workforce much longer than they intended.

]]> By: Anne Schink http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet#comment-55 Anne Schink Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:26:57 +0000 http://www.volunteermaine.org/blog/are-we-overlooking-what-may-be-our-biggest-challenge-yet#comment-55 We've been reading so much about the impact of Boomers on the economy and the volunteer sector, but this slice of information really blurs the line between work and volunteering. People may be staying longer in the workforce than they originally intended, for all the reasons Margaret suggested. Those who need some financial support will try to supplement their income some how, and Margaret's right about how this will affect volunteer recruiters. Maybe it's time to explore ways to support a person as a volunteer like reimbursements for mileage. Maybe some of those traditional volunteer jobs will have to become part time paid jobs. It is going to require some re-thinking on everyone's part, but surely the workforce and the volunteer world will have to adopt flexibility as one key ingredient. We’ve been reading so much about the impact of Boomers on the economy and the volunteer sector, but this slice of information really blurs the line between work and volunteering. People may be staying longer in the workforce than they originally intended, for all the reasons Margaret suggested. Those who need some financial support will try to supplement their income some how, and Margaret’s right about how this will affect volunteer recruiters. Maybe it’s time to explore ways to support a person as a volunteer like reimbursements for mileage. Maybe some of those traditional volunteer jobs will have to become part time paid jobs. It is going to require some re-thinking on everyone’s part, but surely the workforce and the volunteer world will have to adopt flexibility as one key ingredient.

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