Best Time of Life to Volunteer
David Newton and I are teaching a course in the Spring aimed at encouraging and training young people to join boards of not for profit organizations. I was talking to one young man named Bob who was interested in the course but not sure if he had the time right now in his life to join a board. He was just starting a family and said he thought life would be less hectic in a few years when the kids were older and he could probably find time to volunteer as a board member then.
That got me thinking about when might be the best time in a life cycle to become a volunteer. When young professionals are just out of school they are very involved in the social scene and don't think much about the not for profit world. As they begin to settle down like Bob and have children they think that is the hardest part and soon they will have time. When the babies go to school and get involved in activities and sports, parents become drivers and logistics experts. Next the career takes off and everyone is working long and hard hours.
The classic time for involvement for many professionals is close to the end of the career when the kids are through college and financial security seems possible. They want to "give back" at that time and start by getting on a board and contributing money.
I wonder if that is truly the best time? Would it be better to join a board when you are young and idealistic and believe you can change the world? Or in the middle rather than the end of your career when you have some wisdom to share and enough energy to truly provide leadership to a board?
Comments
I do think that younger people should encouraged to seek board involvement. My first experience on a board was formative and gave me the confidence to pursue later similar experiences. I was in college (Alma College) when I was elected to be the student representative. At first I felt over my head, and stayed quite but as I began to gain a better understanding of the issues I became more vocal. Things that I previously had no reason to care about such as: deferred maintenance, budgeting, ethical endowment investing, and the administration/faculty dynamic; became my responsibility. That responsibly drove me to learn and become confident with the process. Everyone has to go though a learning curve when joining their first board, I was lucky to have my first experience so early. This early experience has benefited greatly. In large it was so positive because several board members took time to explain how I could be beneficial to the conversation and showed me with their actions that my perspective as a student was important. Since that time I have continued to work with and on boards. My experiences tell me that the earlier we start young people, who are interested, on this path the more we will benefit from their participation, perspective and experience.
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