Ever Wonder What It’s Like To Work With Spark As A Volunteer?

 

A few months ago we shared what it’s like to work with Spark from the perspective of the nonprofit.  But what about the volunteer? We’ve written about why people initially become involved with Spark and what drives them to volunteer, but what do they think about their experience after they’ve complete a match?  Today, we wanted to share what volunteers thought of their pro bono experiences, in their own words.  Below is feedback to a few questions we ask our volunteers after they have completed a match.

 

This is what they had to say….

 

Working with Spark was…?

 

• “Beneficial not only on a professional level, but also on a personal level.  There was the obvious benefit of furthering and applying my skills as an accountant, but also the opportunity to connect with a non-profit on a personal level.  Seeing a business not just as a ‘client’ is an awesome experience, and allows you to focus on their mission and vision, and not just their bottom line.”
• “Working with Spark was a very rewarding experience for me, and the process was well defined.  I liked that the project was well scoped, keeping us on track. Our coordinator kept us moving along, when life tends to get in the way.”
• “Very positive, very easy, clear guideline and expectations, strong communication, well vetted project.”
• “Working with Spark was a seamless and enjoyable experience.  From being matched, to connecting with my match, to facilitating the meetings and more, they made sure both parties were on track and on-task.  It was great.” 

 

What did you like most about your volunteer experience?

 

• “My Spark match made me feel so helpful, and knowledgeable.  She opened my eyes to the not for profit space, and she provided me with personal reflection that I’ve integrated into my everyday life.”
• “It was gratifying to know that I could help an organization deal with some tough issues.  I have had two matches and both were extremely positive.”
• “Practicing a skill that I enjoy- photography.  Nice, friendly, helpful people both at Spark and at the organization.  People, always the people.”
• “The opportunity to sit with women doing great work in the community.”
• “It fit around my schedule and didn’t ask us to be creative.  The requirements weren’t too restrictive in regards to budget and design constraints.”

 

What did you like least about your volunteer experience?

 

• “Scheduling.  I just never really like figuring out scheduling.”
• “The timeline was pushed back a bit as our original plan had to be adjusted.”
• “The year goes by way too fast.”
• “Leaving a project is always difficult, but I know that it is critically important for any project to ultimately do the work themselves.”

 

What’s next?

If you are interested in getting in on the fun as a volunteer give us a call! We would love to have a chat about our process and what types of volunteer opportunities you’re most interested in.