Volunteering support is a crucial element of the Voluntary Sector (also known as the third sector, nonprofit sector, and community sector) usually comprised of organizations whose purpose is to benefit and enrich society, often without profit as a motive and with little or no government intervention.
For the average mind, volunteering support could be a worthless venture, but Miss Favour Egbune; CEO of Favourite Collections is one ardent Volunteer, dedicated to serving and enhancing humanity through volunteering support.
In this interview with Ken Gbados, she sheds light on her passion for volunteering support and the voluntary sector in general.
Excerpts:
Briefly Explain Volunteering Support To The Lay Man Who Does Not Know What It Entails
Volunteering Support means working with others to make a meaningful contribution to a better community. It is a form of helping in which people actively seek out opportunities to assist others in need, make considerable and continuing commitments to provide assistance and sustain these commitments over extended periods, often at considerable personal cost.
Several features mark it as a distinctive form of helping. Unlike the helping that occurs spontaneously in response to emergencies, volunteers typically seek out opportunities to help. Unlike the obligated helping that occurs in the context of ongoing relationships, volunteers typically do not know those they help in advance and have no prior bonds of obligation to help them.
Volunteering Support Seems to be Less Regarded In Nigeria, How Would You Say Your Passion Has Helped To Overcome The Challenges?
Oxford Dictionaries define a challenge as “a circumstance or obstacle that keeps people or things apart or prevents communication or progress.” When applying this to volunteering support, a challenge is what keeps someone from being able to volunteer or volunteer effectively. Common among these challenges are language, physical health, skill level, time, location, finance, and expectations.
Volunteering support is a passion for me; that sufficiently prepared me to take up the challenges that come with voluntary work. I believe there are no insurmountable challenges and I have never really had a day when I asked myself why I took to volunteering. I have enjoyed every moment of it. Challenges are part of everyday experience and when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Many People Have Described You As A Uniquely Passionate Volunteer (Very Unusual These Days). Where Did You Get That Attribute From?
Passion; volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless. In volunteering, passion is important because volunteers are individuals who have found a passion, and a purpose in their volunteer work. Through volunteering support, I derive a sense of well-being or personal satisfaction. In short, I have found their bliss.
Also, beyond the God-given factor, it is family. I grew up in a family where I was trained by a single mum (my dad died when I was really little). So seeing what my mum had to pass through as a young mother gave me that determination and passion.
Being able to pass through such a background and seeing where I am now (though I am not rich, I thank God for His grace), it pricks my conscience to see people suffer. Therefore, whenever I see that volunteering opportunity, I want to get involved in any little way I can.
As An Entrepreneur, You Host an Edu-Informative Section “Moments With Favourite Collections” On The World Satellite Magazine Every Monday And Friday. Briefly Highlight The Motivation And Is It Another Form Volunteering Support?
First, Favourite Collections is an online store, which deals in bags and perfumes. As a business, it is not just about random selling or retailing but also offering value on the use of products. This is the rationale behind ‘Moments with Favourite Collections’ (MFC); an educational and informative platform.
Volunteering Support is day-to-day life in different aspects of endeavours, just that Moments with Favourite Collections is in the business aspect. People volunteer in churches; singing in the choir, ushering etc are forms of voluntary services because it goes without pay. So volunteering is not just about NGOs or charity organisations.
Therefore, MFC could be said to be another form of volunteerism for me because we are adding value to people’s lives by bringing impact to life’s essentials. With those short nuggets every Monday and Friday on The World Satellite Magazine about one thing or the other, which people may not have taken seriously we learn, unlearn and relearn.
Finally, What Would Be Your Advice on Enhancing Volunteering Support in Nigeria?
Volunteers are becoming increasingly important for nonprofit organizations to reach their goals and overall mission. All over the world, many nonprofits are starting to diversify their offering for volunteers to fulfil this growing need.
Nigerian government and NGOs should create additional value for supporters in exchange for their valuable time. Some of these incentives include volunteer career development opportunities, virtual volunteering, flexible scheduling options, and much more. Providing incentives is a great way to increase volunteer recruitment success.
Another great way to induce volunteers to fulfil opportunities and continue to volunteer in the future is by providing a great experience. It may sound easier said than done but these are some of the many ways that the Nigerian Government and NGOs can enhance volunteer support in Nigeria.
