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June 12, 2006

Op Ed: Managing Volunteers in Honduras


Ben Fohner

When people ask us why we spend so much time and effort working in, thinking about, and advocating for Honduras, the answer seems obvious. We remember the smiling eyes of a Honduran toddler first visiting a doctor, the happiness and celebration of a village after the construction of a potable water system, looks of relief on the faces of family members surrounding a cured patient, and the personal bonds among new friends, standing out on the canvas of hardship that permeates Honduras. One memory, like millions of other factors, can easily justify our involvement in everything from volunteer clinics in Honduras to showing up to the office on Monday mornings, excited to begin another week. In non-profit organizations, as in all assembled groups working toward a common goal, individual motivation is essential to overall success. By understanding why people choose to immerse themselves in Honduras working toward particular humanitarian goals, group leaders can more effectively recruit and retain volunteers, which is essential for organizations to help more people in greater ways across further areas of Honduras.

According to the Harvard Business Review, workforce motivation is key to the success of all groups, whether a corporate office or a non-profit clinic. “Only through [understanding] motivation can managers help their employees generate the excellent performance that enables companies to boost profitability.” While organizations working toward health goals in Honduras are not looking to bolster their quarterly profit, they are striving to implement as broadly as possible highly effective programs that will create the most positive impact. As the key to achieving their lofty goals, organizations must recruit and retain an effective, well-trained corps of volunteers, which is possible only through the effective motivation of such people.

Those who choose to spend their time in Honduras are motivated by distinct factors, which can be categorized. For some, the promise of developing and honing new skills serves as the driving force for involvement, while for others, religious reasons prompt dedication of personal time and resources. Others are inspired by the bonds that form between themselves and the clients served by organizations, while another group attributes their involvement to personal appeals from friends that are already involved in such organizations. A few recognize the opportunities that organizations present to travel to remote areas and experience a foreign lifestyle, with still others pointing to more obvious benefits, such as compensation or recognition by a university admissions committee. Regardless of the factors, motivation plays a key role in staffing non-profit organizations and achieving group goals.

Directors must remember that their organizations not only contribute to the world by providing a service to those in need, but they also provide an irreplaceable environment to those that spend their time volunteering. They provide factors, from religious experiences to a glimpse into the eyes of a Honduran child, which motivate, drive, and provide meaning to the lives of countless volunteers around the world. Understanding these desires, an essential task for directors, can enable the organization to better highlight their unique service niche, inspire new volunteers to participate, and stimulate existing volunteers, thereby striving toward the goal of painting over the blank canvas of hardship in Honduras.

Posted by hilton at June 12, 2006 02:32 PM

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