Andrew Leigh, member for Fraser, was kind enough to give mention to CASE in his column in The Chronicle this week. He’d written asking for comments on people’s experience in the community service sector here in the ACT. I was happy to oblige. While its a fraction of our discussion the basic point was that if you’re thinking about volunteering, try to make sure you’re utilising the skills that come naturally to you. People are often surprised that my default position is not to encourage everyone to volunteer, even if they feel strongly about a topic. The cost of a failed volunteer (i.e. someone who stops showing up) is huge to an organisation trying to expand its staffing base, especially when funding is tight. The key to consistent and persistent community service is focusing on an area that you can leverage your natural (or day job) skills.
