2008 Woodie Awards
Nonprofits look for volunteers to donate time, energy to community
Jeff Hall
Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Opinion
You may have noticed that today your opinion section is a little larger than normal, and it has a few faces unfamiliar to our regular readers.
Today the Daily Nebraskan has invited representatives from three local organizations to share their thoughts with us about their organization and how it fits into the Lincoln community.
While these prominent groups represent only a small fraction of the s serving the city, they were asked to contribute today for the variety of needs they address.
Community involvement is an essential and necessary part of every citizen's life, and it enriches the volunteer in many ways. First and foremost, volunteering gives people a sense of accomplishment and pride in the work they are doing to strengthen the place they call home. By providing an essential service to the community, it deepens their connection to their city, giving the volunteers a say and a stake in how the community functions and develops.
Additionally, community involvement offers a chance for individuals who share the same concerns about social and political affairs to meet, offering intellectual stimulation and a chance to make connections for business or other ventures.
For college students, community involvement can bring opportunities to build skills and viewpoints that may be lacking in the rarefied campus community. While some students study abroad to expand their horizons and broaden their world view, a student can achieve these same benefits by helping a low-income family or working with new immigrants to prepare them for an interview.
Students new to the state or to the city may find volunteering to be a positive way to get to know their new home while providing the opportunity to meet other dedicated, motivated individuals.
Not all work has to be entirely altruistic. Volunteer service looks great on a resume, and it can give recent graduates something to distinguish themselves from others when applying for a job. Service demonstrates motivation and a willingness to work in a cooperative environment. Accomplishments as a volunteer can also be emphasized in interviews.
Perhaps the most compelling reason to volunteer your time and skills is the acute need for your work and your effort as energetic and enthusiastic students. No city is without problems, and Lincoln is certainly no exception.
As a federal refugee resettlement site, Lincoln has a large population of refugees from all over the world. Groups such as Lincoln Literacy Council, featured here, assist in the transition from refugee to citizen by helping people new to the community learn English and the skills needed to find gainful employment.
Lincoln also struggles mightily with issues of homelessness and poverty, which is the focus of the Lincoln Action Program. By providing housing assistance, childcare, and financial and employment assistance programs, Lincoln Action Program directly mitigates the effects of poverty while offering those affected a means of improving their economic standing.
KZUM fulfills a crucial cultural role in Lincoln, providing an alternative voice for the community through listener-centered radio.
These organizations are not the only avenues to pitch in and help your community. Resources such as University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Student Involvement Office are great places to find a group that matches your skills and interests. There are hundreds of non-profits serving the Lincoln area, and all of them would love to have more motivated volunteers.
If you belong to another serving the Lincoln community, we invite you to write in and invite students to learn and contribute to your efforts.
Lincoln needs your help, and as college students you have the ability, the time, and the energy to have a dramatic and positive impact on your city.
Take pride in the place where you live - volunteer your time today.
JEFF HALL IS A SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR. REACH HIM AT JEFFHALL@DAILYNEBRAsKAN.COM
Today the Daily Nebraskan has invited representatives from three local organizations to share their thoughts with us about their organization and how it fits into the Lincoln community.
While these prominent groups represent only a small fraction of the s serving the city, they were asked to contribute today for the variety of needs they address.
Community involvement is an essential and necessary part of every citizen's life, and it enriches the volunteer in many ways. First and foremost, volunteering gives people a sense of accomplishment and pride in the work they are doing to strengthen the place they call home. By providing an essential service to the community, it deepens their connection to their city, giving the volunteers a say and a stake in how the community functions and develops.
Additionally, community involvement offers a chance for individuals who share the same concerns about social and political affairs to meet, offering intellectual stimulation and a chance to make connections for business or other ventures.
For college students, community involvement can bring opportunities to build skills and viewpoints that may be lacking in the rarefied campus community. While some students study abroad to expand their horizons and broaden their world view, a student can achieve these same benefits by helping a low-income family or working with new immigrants to prepare them for an interview.
Students new to the state or to the city may find volunteering to be a positive way to get to know their new home while providing the opportunity to meet other dedicated, motivated individuals.
Not all work has to be entirely altruistic. Volunteer service looks great on a resume, and it can give recent graduates something to distinguish themselves from others when applying for a job. Service demonstrates motivation and a willingness to work in a cooperative environment. Accomplishments as a volunteer can also be emphasized in interviews.
Perhaps the most compelling reason to volunteer your time and skills is the acute need for your work and your effort as energetic and enthusiastic students. No city is without problems, and Lincoln is certainly no exception.
As a federal refugee resettlement site, Lincoln has a large population of refugees from all over the world. Groups such as Lincoln Literacy Council, featured here, assist in the transition from refugee to citizen by helping people new to the community learn English and the skills needed to find gainful employment.
Lincoln also struggles mightily with issues of homelessness and poverty, which is the focus of the Lincoln Action Program. By providing housing assistance, childcare, and financial and employment assistance programs, Lincoln Action Program directly mitigates the effects of poverty while offering those affected a means of improving their economic standing.
KZUM fulfills a crucial cultural role in Lincoln, providing an alternative voice for the community through listener-centered radio.
These organizations are not the only avenues to pitch in and help your community. Resources such as University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Student Involvement Office are great places to find a group that matches your skills and interests. There are hundreds of non-profits serving the Lincoln area, and all of them would love to have more motivated volunteers.
If you belong to another serving the Lincoln community, we invite you to write in and invite students to learn and contribute to your efforts.
Lincoln needs your help, and as college students you have the ability, the time, and the energy to have a dramatic and positive impact on your city.
Take pride in the place where you live - volunteer your time today.
JEFF HALL IS A SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR. REACH HIM AT JEFFHALL@DAILYNEBRAsKAN.COM
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