The world of WORK
Every day I get up to work. Sometimes I work for money and sometimes I work for free. At times the work I do for free adds more value to my life than the work I do for money. The worldview is that work = money. Do you agree?
In South Africa we do not have a volunteering mindset. Maybe it is part of our history? The question is how do we change this?
The world of work is changing. We now have more of a portfolio approach where work for money will be one of the components of the whole. Work for many is already not the 8 to 5 world that many of us grew up with. Technology allows work to happen anywhere and anytime 24/7/365. We can work in an office, face to face, at home, locally and globally day or night.
If all of the above are facts that already exist, maybe the question we should be asking is what defines my life and how do I add value.
Just a few thoughts for a Saturday afternoon?????
Labels: boomer future world of work baby boomers, volunteering
posted by Scribblings of Lynda Smith @ Saturday, March 20, 2010
7 Comments
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7 Comments:
Great thoughts and comment Lynda.
wrt building a culture of volunteerism, I think we need to start at school level. Many schools do encourage the learners to participate in volunteer programmes but we need more of it. It needs to be standard for all learners.
When I was at school my mother volunteered as a first aider for Red Cross and my father as a fireman for Randburg Civil Defence. I did a lot as a Girl Guide and then joined Civil Defence as a radio operator.
All though I stopped when I got taken up by my career and new family life I remembered how I'd enjoyed it. That memory returned when I found more time on my hands at around 40 and so I started again. Without the past experience I may have done something different.
Last year a work committment made it very difficult for me to fit in my main volunteer activity. Faced with the possibility of having to stop I became even more aware of the important role it plays in my life. I get as much value out of it as those who receive the service.
There is a human need to be of value and to make a difference. Volunteering can fill those needs in the most awesome manner.
Thanks so much for your comments and suggestions. I agree with you about the influence this has on us when practiced early in life and reflected in the values of our parents. My parents served on governing boards of the schools, were Rotarians and involved in Girl Guides and Scouts. In turn we also belonged to these organisations. Maybe a year of service for all would be the way to go in our nation.?
I really like the idea of a year of service. A gap year for every young person, but one that both grew the young person as well as the community.
The challenge is in the creating of an infratructure to organise and support this. I would think one doesn't want an enormous unwieldy body to do this but rather a number of already in existence NGO's that have proved themselves alreadt capable and well structured. And then support them with a fund from government.
I think it is a great option for the current place we find ourselves in as a Nation. It should not be compulsory but a well thought through program that adds value to both sides and done through public private partnerships. A choice of 10 national options that have built value, integrity and structure. This also helps these orgnisations to be sustainable and be able to scale where necessary.
Great article Lynda.
Great to find another South AFrican blogger here! I volunteered for four years at a home for the mentally-challenged. I did it when I had time, i.e. verging on retirement. At the moment, I spend four hours a week at our local library, shelving books as our government is continually paring away library funds and the staff are hard-pushed. I really enjoy it.
Great to find another South African blogger on Blogspot. I used to volunteer at a home for the mentally -challenged for four years, when I had time - i.e. verging on retirement. Now I shelve books at our local library four hours a week. I love this.
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