SITE

I used to volunteer as a co-facilitator for a cancer support group. When I started, we immediately followed up each weekly evening session with a de-briefing by the then volunteer coordinator. The de-briefing gave us a chance to discuss things we did, we should have done, didn’t do, or did “lousily.” We also had the opportunity to process our own emotions about what had transpired during the course of the support group session. The experience was educational and supportive for those of us who co-facilitated these sessions and had a lot to do with my continuing as a co-facilitator.

Then the volunteer coordinator resigned to go back to school. She was replaced by someone whose commitment to the work appeared less than compelling and you know, when you’re volunteering, you’d like to think that the paid staff has at least the same level of commitment and enthusiasm as you do. Not the case. The post support group sessions ceased and my interest and desire to continue gradually diminished to the point where I turned in my “resignation.”

You get the lesson here.

Larry Ullian is a Director of Program Development at USM’s Muskie School of Public Service.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 14th, 2008 at 6:54 am and is filed under People, Retention. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.