Richard Froese
South Peace News

Passing the volunteer torch from the dedicated senior generation to younger people has seen changes and challenges in communities like High Prairie.

“Committed long- term volunteers in the High Prairie region are getting older and many are unable to continue,” says Louise Myre, manager of Big Lakes Family and Community Support Services.

Time is of the essence, others say.

“The main reason we hear for people not volunteering for the board, committees, and teams, is the amount of time that they feel they will have to commit,” says Tom Duchesneau, president of High Prairie Minor Hockey Association.

However, another says new volunteers are vital.

“It’s important for any board to have new people, to give fresh new ideas,” says Kim Dumont, director of High Prairie and District Food Bank.
“Many new board members often think outside the box for ideas more than longtime members. Dedication of someone on a board is something you have to have your heart in and extra time to do it.”

While many people say volunteers may be spreading themselves too thin as they serve on several organizations, Myre calls it “time poverty” where people have too many commitments.

“Those who do volunteer already feel overwhelmed and are maxed out,” Myre says.
“Young people with children and two working parents already have a full agenda just coping with home, children and work.”

Empty nesters and those later in midlife are more likely to volunteer for long-term service.

“On the other hand, many now have the means to travel and move around more, which isn’t conducive to ongoing volunteerism,” Myre says.

Volunteers want to serve in organizations with a mission and purpose that fits their passions and experiences.

“People want to be involved in something interesting and those with a caring personality would like to help others,” Myre says.

Times are different than generations ago.

“Younger people, tend to cut or eliminate long-term volunteer service because it is a different culture, I think,” Myre says.
“With technology and current child-rearing practices, younger people expect ‘instant gratification’ to some extent so may not find volunteering as rewarding as they would have in past times.”

Young people move around a lot from different communities and don’t set their roots too deep.

“It isn’t like the agricultural communities in the past where there was planting and harvesting and individuals, especially women, took the time to volunteer in between the busy seasons,” Myre says.
“In some ways life is more demanding.”

That’s a growing trend that many organization see.

“Parents are getting burnt out, having to do fundraisers for school, after school and sporting events,” says Simone Blacha, who chairs the board for the High Prairie Municipal Library.
“Compile that with the work demands and traveling for sports. People are getting very stretched, so joining an organization as a board member sounds like a big time commitment and in some cases it is.”

Sports and youth organizations such as minor hockey face a same challenge.

“All of our volunteers are very busy; some with multiple jobs, single parents, and/or children in multiple sports,” Duchesneau says.
“However, the more volunteers we have, the less work it creates and makes volunteering that much easier for everyone.”

Although local minor hockey has more than 330 registered players, not every family volunteers, which makes the burden that much more on those who do, Duchesneau says.

When volunteers burn out, they often leave and sometimes never return, he adds.

“In order to continue to offer a program of this nature, it is the members that need to take ownership and work to maintain a positive place for our children to play,” Duchesneau says.

For many people, their role on a board can often seem like a full-time job.

“It seems that when you get on a board, you’re a lifer,” says Henry Nyberg, president of Pioneer Threshermen’s Association at Triangle.
“Then you’re on a lot of committees and it’s a big job.”

He says the load for the role seems to grow and causes volunteers to burn out.

“Nobody wants the responsibility,” says Russell Fjeld, a director. “It takes a lot of time and paperwork.”

That’s also the case with the High Prairie Elks.

“Every time you have a committee, people are afraid they’ll be given too much work,” says president Mike Jones.
“It’s usually the same small group of people.”

With 60 members, the lodge can rely on a group of only 12 people.

While the average age of members is 55 years old, he says it’s vital for younger people to keep it going.

“If we can’t find ways to bring young people into volunteers, we’ll be in a crisis in a few years.”

For some reason he says he doesn’t know, young people aren’t attracted to volunteer as much as the older generations.

“People just have other interests, I guess,” Jones says.