Somos voluntarios

One of the strangest parts of my job is being the volunteer coordinator.  I always feel really young when doctors/nurses/interpreters/whoever call the clinic for information and talk to me...it's like I'm a fake grown-up or something.

Good Samaritan Clinic is run entirely by volunteers.  It's something I love, but at times is an extra challenge.  After all, volunteers often have a different level of commitment than paid employees do.  Plus, everyone has their reasons for volunteering, which affect their attitudes and actions at the clinic.

As a general rule, my volunteers are awesome.  They recognize that they have time and talents which can be used for a greater good, and it's obvious that they're enjoying themselves when they're at Good Samaritan.  But there are a few people that are more difficult to deal with.  They may only come when they feel like it, completely disregarding the schedule that takes me forever to make.  They may be super demanding of the clinical coordinator's time and my time, always expecting us to dote on them and essentially kiss the ground they walk on.  They may be there to alleviate some sort of guilt they have, serving only to make themselves feel better and then talking about it constantly.  They may have very poorly informed opinions that they like to share, regularly inserting words that are inappropriate for a professional medical setting (see also: misusing the words 'gay' and 'retarded'...do you know how awkward it is to tell someone your parents' age that their language is inappropriate?!)

I have been a volunteer with numerous organizations.  I've also sat through a million reflections on why it's important to serve and whatnot.  But being on the other end has given me a lot of new perspective.

There are some people that just want to feel needed.  I have to essentially entertain them, even if it means wasting my time to come up with petty tasks for them to do.  It's hard to swallow sometimes because I really just want to tell them that their 4 hours per month is helpful but is not actually that important in the big picture.  But at the same time, I respect the fact that they're trying to do something for a greater good than just themselves.  

I wish I could tell everyone to be patient and flexible.  After all, those are probably the two most necessary qualities of people working at small non-profits, despite the fact they're so rare...

I can't help but wonder how many volunteer coordinators have gotten frustrated with me in the past...I just hope thinking about this makes me a better volunteer in the future at places where I'm not a coordinator.