So Why Should You Volunteer In Your Profession?

Fiona Royer
Assistant Director of Stewardship
Lincoln Park Zoo
Board Director, ADRP

You manage volunteers, you advocate for volunteers, you even volunteer in your spare time. So why should you volunteer in your profession, too? There are plenty of good reasons!

Someone helped you get started, right? So why not do the same for others embarking upon their careers in Donor Relations? It can be hard when you start out and don’t know where to go to for advice. You want to clarify best practices, you wonder what your peers are doing, and you question your own judgement. Offering a friendly face to a newbie can make a huge difference.

By volunteering in your profession and meeting other professionals you get to expand your network, to the benefit of everyone. Suddenly you have access to a pool of experienced people. Whether these become online contacts that you can bounce ideas around with or lunch buddies you can let off steam with, the benefits are immense.

You know the old adage, “a problem shared is a problem solved”? It is so true. By stepping up and becoming more involved in your profession you are exposed not just to more people, but also to people in different areas with different backgrounds and experiences. Working with others on a challenge you just can’t seem to resolve will often reap rewards; teamwork always makes for better results.

By volunteering to participate in planning ADRP educational forums, you can guide your own learning experience. Have you always wanted to know how others create effective personalized stewardship plans, what best practices are utilized for Board management, or the latest innovations in donor recognition? You can work on a committee that determines content for conferences and reviews presentation proposals.

If you’re not satisfied with just steering your learning, how about shaping our profession? Submitting a proposal to present at a conference affords the opportunity to reach a wider audience and sphere of influence. Maybe you have a unique way of categorizing your donors, or perhaps you’ve been able to harness social media to great success. You know more than you think and you have much to offer to others.

And while you’re stepping up and offering your expertise to others in the field, you might meet your idols, too. I can think of some donor relations colleagues that I have seen giving talks in the past, whom I have since been honored to collaborate with. Meeting such talented and esteemed folks is very inspiring and humbling. A little hero worship is ok!

Because we are in this field, we are very much aware that giving back has proven benefits for our health and well-being. Aside from our instinctive belief that this is true, there is also scientific data to support it. So in addition to volunteering at your local food pantry or dog shelter, remember to volunteer in your profession, too, and generate some extra good vibes!

Above all, volunteer in your professional field because you can. We are in the business of extending a hand, saying thank you, and generally spreading good karma. It is part of our DNA—what makes us tick—that we would naturally seek out opportunities to give back.

By volunteering with ADRP I have truly enriched not just my own learning experience, but also my personal experience. I have met talented and generous people who have not only helped me become a better stewardship professional, but have become true friends. What began as a project remotely processing data led to planning the Midwest Regional Forum for several years, and has now brought me to a position on the ADRP Board for which I am truly grateful. And it all began by simply checking a box indicating an interest in volunteering.