The New Volunteerism Project

The Archival Collection of
Ivan Henry Scheier

Section XVII

Miscellaneous

June 1999

Introductory Notes – Miscellaneous
Ivan Scheier
July 1999

It’s true, as said before, that the materials catalogued here are largely because I could think of no other place to put them. But there are some common characteristics, nevertheless. Principally, these are methods that were relatively distant from the main concentrations of my work, and were never followed up significantly. Nor, with one minor exception, were any of them ever published. I support one could argue that the first three of the four entries in this section shared a theme of encouraging a more wide speared attitude of importance attached to volunteering, expressed in a wide range widespread individual participation and financial support.

"The Revolution in Recruiting" about ten pages of training handouts, dating from the mid-seventies to the late eighties. There is my typical interest in using ordinary, human-type, relatively informal approaches, as distinct from technical and maybe impersonal. The section on setting ceilings on recruiting targets, is a somewhat unusual sub-topic in the subject of recruiting, as is, perhaps, the exercise on "Perceptual Recruiting" – get more people involved by opening up your definition of "volunteer" and counting more of the people you already have. (Here, see also the section on "Expanding the Universe of Helpers.")

"Traveling Exhibit on Volunteering" Even the small planning grant was turned down, more’s the pity, because I still believe this would have been a great idea for educate people to the value of volunteering or confirming them in that view. It would therefore serve as an excellent foundation for recruiting (see above). Judge Keith Leenhouts of Volunteers in Probation talked about doing something like this quite a few years before this proposal and, with others, might actually have begun it, at least – possibly at the University of Alabama.

"Matching Citizen Participation" Again, this could have gone beyond positive rhetoric and put a lot more muscle behind an agency’s effort to create and maintain a significant citizen involvement program. As such, this folder might also have been placed in the section on "Empowerment." Conceivably it might also fit in the section on "Feasible Fundraising," thought in fact it didn’t prove all that feasible in terms of adoption. One exception to that, was a proposal very much like this adopted by National Public Radio in relation to its affiliated stations. Neither the present proposal or I had anything much to do with this, that I know of.

"Self-Help and Helping (SHAH)" A brief section from the book 'Exploring Volunteer Space.' Worth following up and perfecting, I think, is the concept of integrating self-help with help of others.

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Ivan Scheier
Stillpoint
607 Marr
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, 87901
Tel (505) 894-1340
Email: ivan@zianet.com

For comments and editing suggestions please contact Mary Lou McNatt mlmcnatt@indra.com