TRANSFORMING DISRUPTION TO IMPACT

Experts in volunteer engagement discuss post-pandemic strategies in this essay collection, edited by journalist Bolton, consultant Steinhorn, corporate strategist Tennille, and tech businessperson Young.

Like many other sectors throughout the world, the “intricate tapestry of volunteerism” was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and by national conversations on social justice and systemic racism. Events of 2020, the editors assert, “transformed that fabric—completely unraveling some sections, fraying other areas, and adding entirely new threads throughout.” This book offers 19 essays by people who responded to this fact by approaching the sector from a “new perspective.” The authors range from community activists to academics, and the essays are roughly divided into four thematic sections. The first, “Landscape of Disruption,” stresses the lasting consequences of 2020 that will reverberate for years to come, from economic crises to racial inequity. “Rethinking Strategy” and “Rethinking Engagement” center on new strategies and practices related to volunteerism; for instance, in Steinhorn’s essay, “Redefining Community in a Hybrid World,” she urges volunteer coordinators to foster a sense of community in the face of challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. The book’s final section, “Rethinking Impact,” highlights the need for engagement with volunteers, who, “when leveraged effectively,” are essential to building “an organization’s capacity to accomplish its mission.” Despite its range of authors, the book’s prose style is consistently engaging, drawing on real-life examples and best practices, and it’s accompanied by a rich network of footnotes. Some may find it a bit heavy on corporate perspectives, but those engaged with faith-based organizations and civic engagement will still find representation. The book’s emphasis on issues pertaining to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color as well as immigrants and refugees is particularly noteworthy. As volunteer training director Wendy Vang-Roberts notes in her essay on racial equity, “achieving racial equity is lifelong work,” and it’s shown to be central to volunteerism’s long-term viability.

An important guidebook to rethinking volunteer work in the 21st century.