Exjackly

I volunteer to take other peoples' teenage boys camping - for fun.

Not exactly the top choice of that many people.  Especially those that do not have any kids of their own.  Yet, it is something that I really enjoy and look forward to.

It is partially because of the great outdoors.  It is fun to sit on the back porch with a glass of sweet tea and watch the sunset and people using the park next door.  Getting further out is even more fun for me.  Driving up to a popular lake, hiking along a mountain creek or backpacking into a heated canyon excites me.  Testing my skills against nature makes me content.  Succeeding against difficulties most people shun makes me proud and confident.

That is not the main draw of being a Scoutmaster and taking other peoples' sons camping.

Teaching

Many of the boys that I work with come from stable homes and families that are solidly middle class.  Despite being urban, they have a great environment to grow up in.  A few are less fortunate, living in single parent homes.  A few camp as a family, but for several, Scouting is their best (only?) opportunity to get into the outdoors.

It is also my best opportunity to teach.  I estimate that I have spent more than a year outdoors during my life.  Usually in 1 to 2 night increments, but several one to two week expeditions.  This has made me comfortable and competent in the outdoors - although I will not claim to be an expert.  I do know enough that I can teach the basics of comfort, survival and Leave No Trace.

Part of the enjoyment for me is watching the young, uncomfortable ten-year olds grow up into experienced, confident, competent teens and young adults.  The best part if that it is about more than just camping and hiking.

Responsibility

The boys learn about the requirements of responsibility.  Usually, it is by suffering the consequences of not being responsible.  For the smartest ones, they only forget the poncho or the extra layer of clothes once.  For others, it is a regular experience forgetting important bits of gear or information.  Fortunately, I have never had a situation where I've needed to alleviate the situation for a health or safety reason.

The best ones begin to demonstrate the responibility beyond themselves.  Some volunteer to teach the newer scouts.  Others step into leadership roled in the troop and flourish.  Each scout grows up in their own way, but it is rewarding to see when it finally 'clicks' and they begin to understand what the program is truly about.

Those scouts that get it account for most of the scouts that earn their Eagle award.  It is a proud moment when each of them receives that award - the cumulation of a lot of work on their part and their parent's part with the willing assistance of many others.

Results

In the end, the reason that I enjoy being a Scoutmaster so much is that the results are so impressive.  I have fun spending time in the outdoors, working with young men who are learning a lot and beginning to demonstrate the skills of leaders and model citizens.  For the small amount of money that it costs, the rewards of the program are so great.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

As a youth as well as an adult, I recognize that I am in a fortunate position. My parents are still alive and living together. I have never been estranged from my extended family. I even get along well with my in-laws. So, for my entire life I have had a traditional - and very supportive - family.

Not everybody has that opportunity. Especially now, I realize just how many people do not have the same support and understanding at home. For some, it is because they are in a single parent household. Others are in blended families. Still others have significant rifts within their families.

Part of this is due to the highly mobile nature of our society. It makes it difficult to keep extended families together, and in some cases it can even pull apart nuclear families. Neighbors are not friends like they used to be, since the faces in a neighborhood change so regularly and quickly. The greatest tragedy of all of this mobility, is that when something happens within a family that is living together to cause problems, help may not be close by.

One organization that is trying to make a difference is Big Brothers/Big Sisters. They try to match up volunteer mentors one-on-one with a 'Little' - a child who can use another positive influence on their life. I have a Little who I have been matched with for a couple of years. It is a small commitment of time, but worth it for the friendship that has developed.

The program puts significant effort into the match process - both to weed out unsuitable or inappropriate mentors and to try to develop a good match that will last for years. From my limited experience, it works. K and I get along well and have many interests that match. It is certainly something that I want to continue on.

If you think that you can make a difference in somebody's life, I encourage you to check out Big Brothers/Big Sisters. There are many Littles in the program who are waiting for a match - especially the boys. Somebody who can listen and let their Little know that they are valued can make all the difference in the world. Do you have it in you?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

It is difficult for me to understand why some people do not volunteer. Especially with so many worthwhile organizations always having trouble finding enough people just to keep their programs functioning. In many cases, with more volunteers, these organizations could expand their programs to reach and help more people.

I know I cannot help every deserving organization out there. So, I have chosen the ones I volunteer for carefully. One of those is the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The BSA is committed to helping boys grow into responsible young men that exhibit the best morals, citizenship, and self-sufficiency possible.

As a youth member, I benefited from the time and effort of many adults who worked with the program. As a youth member, I did everything I could with the program and believe my efforts helped improve it. As an adult,I have now been a member for several years and am now entrusted with running the program for a unit. I am the leader, despite not having any children yet.

I choose to put in the hours each week for the program though, because I believe in what it is doing. Having experienced it, I know that with the right leaders, who are committed for the right reasons, and with the right support from the parents the impact can be life-long and life-changing.

Boys who may or may not have a good environment at home have a chance to learn fun skills and absorb life lessons in an environment that allows them to fails safely, that challenges them year after year, and which recognizes achievement. It is a challenge to balance running things and letting the boys have their turn. The challenge is part of the reason it is so rewarding when everything goes right.

If the job of a professional Scouter was not so focused on raising money, I would consider that as a career option. That is how much I have seen this programoffer in changing lives and developing boys into men to be proud of.

Even if the BSA is not the right place for you to volunteer, I strongly urge everybody to find the right place and contribute.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I am a strongly committed volunteer. Anybody who knows me quickly learns that. At different times, I have been active with my church, the Boy Scouts of America, my homeowner's association, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Toastmasters. Each time I jump in with both feet and give of my time and effort as well as money.

The question is Why?

I volunteer for many reasons. The first is that as I grew up, it was simply a part of being a good citizen. My parents gave me that example, and it still feels completely normal. I was taught you need to contribute. The way you contribute will vary from person to person. In a healthy community, most people will volunteer some of their time and money to help the community in some way.

My biggest contribution is to the Boy Scouts of America. I volunteer there because the program was good to me growing up. Even though I do not have any kids yet, I am able to give back to the program. To the best of my ability, I am not contributing to 35 boys' lives on a regular basis and interacting with many more several times a year. I can see them learning things I struggled with and enjoy seeing them grow and master new skills and gain more confidence.

For that program, it is the idea of giving back to an organization that helped me coupled with the reward of seeing the impact I have. Your reasons can, and should vary. Serviceleader.org has its own article on reasons to volunteer.

To be honest, I cannot picture what my life would be like if I did not volunteer. It is not only a part of how I define myself, it is an important part of how I live.

Long live volunteering, and I hope each of you has found or finds soon your reason and place to volunteer.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!