Volunteering: Why Me? Part 1

Mona Fazzina PT, DPT, GCS, CEEAA, and Education Chair, of the Virginia Physical Therapy Association, shared her thoughts and experiences with Volunteering and Networking, topics that touch all our professional lives. 
 
Below is a Q&A with Dr. Fazzina.            
 
1.  What made you want to volunteer?
 
The desire to help someone else, to contribute to my profession and community, and be a part of something meaningful.  Frankly, it also helped me to be a part of the organization and to have a voice.

2.  How do you find opportunities?

I look at the organization’s website as a way to scout out opportunities knowing that I would not be pressured into volunteering. I have done this with APTA, FSBPT and state chapter organizations. In addition, I have done this at church, in universities, and in the community.  It is fast, and one can do this quietly, thoughtfully, and invisibly!  It helps to place all volunteer opportunities on the website with contact information. This way the first few steps into volunteering are low-key. That said, there is a time and place to step out of one’s comfort zone. Nothing great happens in your comfort zone.

I find opportunities in person, at the local and state chapter meetings. For example, I stopped at every booth in the APTA Pavilion at CSM earlier this year. I did not hear ‘No we don’t need volunteers.’ On the contrary, there was plenty of opportunity to help and get involved.  At VPTA conferences, I just looked at what others were doing, people who looked busy, and they seemed to be enjoying it! I asked questions, exchanged contact information and got involved.

I pick up brochures where I can, read newsletters online and keep an eye out in that way as well. There is usually contact information on these pieces of information and a way to communicate with someone about volunteer opportunites.

3.  How easy was it to get involved?

I believe in ‘doing small things with great love’ (Mother Theresa). For example, after a local meeting instead of leaving right away, offering to help put away things is a great start. Or helping before the start of the meeting. I once helped someone collect plastic badges at the end of a conference, and then helped to collect items from a silent auction table at the end of a conference. During that conference, I met a PT who gave me valuable advice in pursuing the ABPTS certification. We have remained professional friends to this day.

I didn’t want to be pressured into something that I was not keen on, so I started small. Just do something that takes a short amount of time versus not doing anything at all. If you have 1 or 2 hours to help us, we can use that! 

You would be surprised how many people would appreciate it if approached by someone who simply said, “Can I do something to help?” Most people think they have to commit to many hours, weeks or months to get things done. We can use 5-10 minutes of help, 1-2 hours of help or more.  Start somewhere.

4.  What preconceived notions did you have prior to volunteering?

“It’s for people who have plenty of time to spare.

“Once I volunteer, they’re going to ask me to do more

“I’ll get stuck doing something I don’t want to or like to do.”

“I’ll be stuck doing all the work.”

“Someone else can do it, It looks like they have enough volunteers anyway”

“I don’t think they need help; looks like everything is running smoothly and they aren’t asking for help.”

5.  What do you get out of volunteering?

A lot more than I bargained for! By this I mean that my original intent in volunteering was to help someone. Maybe rearrange tables and chairs in a room at the end of a meeting. However, the people I met while volunteering have been great to build my network.  They knew more, did more, enjoyed the practice of physical therapy more, and seemed more excited about their work. They were learning and teaching, mentoring and being mentored.  It was a world that I was not a part of, until I began to volunteer.   I found a happy by-product of extending yourself and helping someone else is making professional connections. I discovered that in the process of helping someone I was helped.

There is also the opportunity and privilege of contributing to my profession and community. Volunteering has helped me to increase my knowledge about Physical Therapy. It can be a great way to discover, develop and strengthen your leadership and organizational skills. It has also revealed to me my weaknesses and what I need to work on in order to improve communication and relational skills.

Volunteering has also given me a voice, a say in matters, and a way to contribute.

6.  Why do you recommend it? 

It’s a win-win. It’s hard to lose when you are going the extra mile to do something.  Volunteering has allowed me to demonstrate my nurturing nature and has widened my perception.  Volunteers are not asking, ‘What’s in it for me? How much will you pay me?” Their real question is, “What else can I do to help you?” There is a certain altruism in their motives that is refreshing. I’ve yet to meet someone who had sore regrets about volunteering. Volunteers are on a fast track to professional development. You learn a lot of soft skills that you don’t read about in a textbook. You will find those skills helpful for professional development, advancement and improvement.

For example, when you are interviewing for a job, some potential employers will sense that you are a giver, someone who is going to contribute, add value and work hard. This goes beyond putting something down on your resume just because it looks good.  Volunteers often rise to the top.

I once attended an event and I was told, ‘Be careful, they’re recruiting volunteers and may drag you into signing up!’ I was confident that I could say yes, or no, depending on the time commitment, my skills, and my willingness to learn. I cannot say yes to everything but the call to volunteers should be clear and consistent so that people know what they are signing up for in terms of time, commitment, duration and so on.

For potential volunteers, I would say, step out of your comfort zone, it’s simpler than you think. Don’t approach volunteering with the mindset of ‘what’s in it for me’ or ‘is this something that I will have fun at?’.  Find a need and fill it. You may discover in the process that there is much in it for you and that you are having fun but don’t lead with that. Lead with ‘What can I do to get involved with VPTA, to help someone else?” Volunteering gives you the opportunity to have a voice and to contribute.

6.  What are your key takeaways? 

Show up, take initiative, start somewhere.

In healthcare, academics and business, it is increasingly prevalent that we are recognized and compensated for producing good results with high performance. It is incumbent upon all of us to be well rounded professionals. There is so much value in volunteering:  it is free training to learn a host of skills, and it is free networking. The fringe benefits of volunteering can also be career advancement, professional development, and the opportunity to help other clinicians, students and yes even patients! 

I started volunteering years ago because a certain opportunity presented itself to volunteer 2 hours of my time once every 2 months on the Professional Development Committee within the State Chapter. It turned out to be very interesting although initially I just sat quietly in the meetings, absorbing everything and learning how committees function. Over time I realized that I was more than curious, I was interested and then I slowly discovered that I had something to contribute and from there, it was the next logical step to ‘do more’ because I saw how much I enjoyed helping someone else and frankly it helped me as a clinician, student and professional. While on the Professional Development Committee, I rubbed shoulders with faculty, administrators, students, leaders in private practice, leaders in hospitals, pediatrics, orthopedics, acute care and trauma units, Clinical instructors, Clinical coordinators, leaders in residency programs, etc. I was networking without realizing that I was networking.

I am unsure of situations where people meet and say, “Hey do you want to network? Oh good, I can network with you, let’s sit down and talk and network.”  Good networking doesn’t usually happen like this. It happens as a fringe benefit and a consequence of working hard at something, rubbing shoulders with others while working, learning together, eating together, walking together. The first rule is to show up, be present, be there. The next is to ‘find a need and fill it’.  In this way, you are part of a vibrant community of professionals. You find that as you sought to help someone else, you were being helped yourself, maybe even unawares. For example, at a VPTA conference, the people that you meet during the day of the conference while you’re there helping and working and learning and sitting in a classroom, could turn out to be the people who choose to socialize with you later in the day or over the next few weeks. And that can lead to developing professional connections that can be mutually beneficial. This happened to me repeatedly over the years as I volunteered and I have seen it happen for others too unfailingly, time and time again. Volunteering is often the ‘work’ in networking. They are not always mutually exclusive. Conferences are environments were networking happens and it happens best to those who are there and working hard at volunteering! 

I should add that not every volunteer position is one that I initially pursued. Some opportunities came along because someone else asked if I would consider an opportunity, without that, I may not have ever stepped out of my comfort zone.   Remember, while you are working at something seemingly small, that you may be asked to step up to do something bigger. So whatever small thing you are doing, work at it with all your heart. Look for others to encourage, learn to recognize diligence and success in others and give them opportunities to step into bigger roles. Don’t forget to do for someone else what others have done for you. When you see potential in others, help that person develop that potential and discover their passion. It could be that you see something in them that they are unaware of. If we all only did what we thought we could do, nothing extraordinary would be accomplished. Let your reach exceed your grasp!

To be fair, there are also seasons when you may find yourself volunteering 1 hour a month and no more, and seasons when you are more involved. There is an ebb and flow which creates opportunities. I realize that not everyone is at a point in their lives where they can give the same number of hours each month to an endeavor.

Look at your professional association website; there are numerous opportunities spanning varying lengths of time, various levels of commitments and requiring various skill sets. You are bound to find something that turns out to be a great fit for you.

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