Motivation to Energize the Masses

By Jennifer Tran

With spring in the air, the number of things to do before the end of the semester seems endless. Although the tests, projects, papers, and homework workload continues to grow, spending the afternoon outside with friends, going to concerts or theatrical shows, and partaking in other forms of spring fun can challenge the productivity levels of students and put a stress on the number of waking hours that students can handle. Although I had to confront my own difficulties in staying focused, I also faced obstacles in fostering a high level of enthusiasm that invigorates my volunteers at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen and enables them to honor their weekly commitment to volunteering.

As the weeks of spring semester dwindle down to finals, my volunteers have begun to miss their weekly shifts, citing reasons from homework to the need to cram just a few more hours for a test. While I understand that an increased workload might mean putting school before volunteering at times, it has put me in a difficult position as a Program Director because I am ultimately responsible for my volunteers and must explain the absences to those that work at the Salvation Army. Despite the challenges that come with being a mediator between the staff at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen and the volunteers, I think it has been a great learning experience in figuring out ways to motivate and inspire my volunteers.

Instead of suggesting or even implementing punitive measures, I have tried to empathize with my volunteers, helping them complete their weekly shifts by allowing them to be more flexible and to implement volunteering into their schedules when they can. I have also tried expressing volunteer appreciation through various methods such as giving out candy to thank-you notes. Nevertheless, I believe that more needs to be done and I plan to continue brainstorming ideas, which will improve volunteer retention by making volunteers realize that their volunteering commitment can be the highlight of their week and that their efforts truly make a difference in the community.