Sanctity of Human Life

Valuing Volunteers

Sanctity of Human Life Dept.

What is your attitude toward the volunteers at your center? Is it, “Well, a volunteer will have to do this since I can’t afford to hire a paid staff person?" Do you occasionally say “They are just volunteers?” or do you allow your volunteers to say, “I’m just a volunteer?” These statements irritate me because they imply a volunteer is less valuable or less skilled than a paid staff person.

As a former pregnancy center director, I never allowed these statements to go unchallenged. I wanted our volunteers to understand they meant more to our clients because they were donating their time and services; they were there because they cared, not because they were receiving a paycheck.

When a client realizes that this person has chosen to donate the gift of their time and meet with her, it has a huge impact. “Wow, this lady really cares about me and she’s not even getting paid!"

When a volunteer maintains client contact, reaches out and does everything possible to meet needs, credibility and relationships grow.

I strongly urge you to never lose sight of the importance of volunteers and never fail to include them as a part of your planning and services. Not only do volunteers make a strong contribution while at work, they each become ambassadors in their neighborhoods, clubs and churches. They are invaluable. Use them! Value them! Thank them!