I think people, especially retired people, come here and are burned out. Also some people here want to put others into boxes, and that’s usually not a good idea. The way through is to establish good relationships with newcomers and those who have gotten over the burnout syndrome. In the final analysis, relationship-building is the key to getting individuals involved in helping our community to grow and prosper.
To get younger, employed people involved, you have to find their interests. They might just be willing to work on some project. Then you have to learn what young people are good at or might be good at. It is difficult when young people are employed because so many organizations meet during the day. If I were to do something about it, I’d ask the guys I associate with and know, “Who in the community should we be talking to about volunteering?” And then go and talk with them.
There’s a lot of research that proves mental and physical health is maintained better when people stay active. I think volunteering and exercising your mind and body as opposed to being a couch potato goes a long way toward longevity. Yet some people on their own volition shut-down and never engage. At first I was perplexed about them but now conclude that it doesn’t make much sense to spend a lot of time or effort trying to recruit them for community work.
The agenda suggested by senior sage leaders to advance the quality and level of civic engagement is daunting but doable. Difficult economic times may well provide the best opportunity for people to pull together and generate the enthusiasm and energy needed to implement many of these ideas.
The Uses of Positive Psychology
Perhaps all it takes is someone thanking newly-engaged volunteers for the work they are doing. Recent research in the field of organizational psychology shows that expressed appreciation can be an exceptional motivator. These findings resulted from a recent shift in perspective called “positive psychology.” We now know that if we catch people when they are doing things right, rather than criticizing them for doing things wrong, we are likely to create conditions for increased motivation and sustained activity. So we might ask, “Is it possible that these new volunteers have not been fully appreciated for their initial services?” “Is this why their involvement is often short-lived and why they view their service as a sacrifice rather than as a source of personal benefits?”
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