Reflections of an Intuitive Volunteer

Volunteering Qld

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everyone can make a difference

connecting action with reflection

REFLECTIONS OF AN INTUITIVE VOLUNTEER:

While abroad I worked and lived in an environment where I was able to access and develop my “intuitive wisdom” and grow as an activist for social change and community development. The holistic nature of the school encouraged me to become an active presence – to work with the students, beside them and to share in their lives. This was the first time that I had worked in an environment that invited me to slow down and reflect on the process, allowing me to connect and interact with the students in deep and meaningful ways. From this experience I learned what it meant to be an intuitive volunteer – to simply possess

Over the years I have been fortunate to have had experience as a volunteer in both a domestic and international setting. My desire to volunteer has come from a need to help strengthen and enhance communities and to improve and enrich the lives of others. When I first decided to become a volunteer, I could never have imagined the journey it would take me on. My most recent experience of volunteering abroad in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was one that showed me the true value of volunteering. While in Cambodia I worked for one year at a non-profit technical school for poor, disadvantaged and marginalised youth. It was here that I undertook communications activities to increase funding for the school, while also offering my services as a full-time English teacher.

REFLECTIONS OF AN INTUITIVE VOLUNTEER: CONNECTING ACTION WITH REFLECTION 01

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Written by Melissa CloseMelissa has a background in Marketing

and Public Relations, in particular within the nonprofit space. She is

interested in developing innovative ways of working with and in community

development and towards social change. Melissa has worked as a full-time volunteer in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and has seen first-hand

the contribution that volunteering can make to communities

and demonstrate connectedness and awareness within my service to others. Being intuitive means going beyond the “doing” and finding the “being”. When there is balance between action – the doing, and reflection – the being, we can experience richer outcomes and more meaningful solutions. It is one thing to experience the joys of volunteering, but another all together to allow yourself to be deeply immersed in the experience and present in the process.

In a world that is fast moving, dynamic and technologically driven, it is becoming increasingly apparent that there is a level of disconnect between people and the environments in which we live. With this disconnect, there is a tendency for people to focus on action to the decline of reflection, the outcome rather than regard for the process and on externalities with little attention given to inner awareness. Having the capacity to identify and respond to dynamic energies (both within yourself and your external environment) that arise while in the process can create an experience that is emergent and free flowing.

Tapping into your intuitive wisdom does not require that you live abroad or give a year of your life to being a full-time volunteer. All volunteers are created equal in that they all have the capacity to drive meaningful change no matter what the scope. Throughout my time as a volunteer I have found that some of my most enriching experiences have come form working with and in my local communities. It is in these spaces that I have felt a strong sense of value and purpose. The feeling of connectedness towards a cause, group or organisation is fundamental to enabling intuitive wisdom to emerge and thrive. This is simply because we enter a space where there is a desire and willingness to slow down, reflect and engage profoundly in the process of development and change.


HOW TO BE AN INTUITIVE VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER IN A SPACE THAT YOU BELIEVE INVolunteering is a unique practice that has the capacity to strengthen and enhance communities, all the while enriching a volunteer’s personal growth and development. In order to be genuine in your service as a volunteer, you should find a cause, group or organisation that resonates deeply with you. There are many externalities that demand our attention and pull us in different directions, however, finding a space that you are particularly passionate about will enable you to give more of yourself to being a change-maker in that field.

AVOID SLACKTIVISM Volunteering is a selfless act that requires you donate your time, energy, knowledge and expertise. It is difficult to remain authentic if the work you are undertaking as a volunteer does not resonate with you. There is nothing worse than committing to doing something that does not motivate and fulfil you. Falling into the trap of “slackvism” where your motivations are not necessarily genuine hinders the potential for you to contribute to meaningful and long-standing change.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF & GO BEYOND TICKING BOXESIt is outside of your comfortable zone where the magic happens. Sometimes we have to be uncomfortable and really test our limits in order for great things to happen. Some of my greatest life lessons and most cherished memories have come from my ability to step out of my sphere of comfort and into a realm of the unknown. Volunteering is an opportunity to go beyond ticking boxes and challenge yourself – it is a chance for you to contribute to meaningful change, connect with like-minded people and to grow as an individual. ACCESS YOUR INTUITIVE WISDOM & STRIVE TO BE AUTHENTIC To be intuitive is to be authentic in your service as a volunteer. This means showing honesty, integrity and accountability in your actions towards yourself and those around you. Accessing your intuitive wisdom is not an abstract concept – it is simply about finding joy in the work you do and by connecting, reflecting and accepting the process. If you can seek to do this you will develop greater accountability for your actions, a willingness to acknowledge and respond to dynamic energies that arise in your environment, and mutually beneficial relationships will emerge and thrive.

TRUST YOURSELF & HAVE FUNThe most important thing you can do as a volunteer is to trust yourself. Be the change you want to see – all change starts with you. In challenging yourself there may be times when you question your strengths and capabilities. You are strong and you are capable. When you hold back you obstruct the change you could be making and the experiences you could be having. The key to being an intuitive volunteer is to trust yourself, have fun and enjoy the process!


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Reflections of an Intuitive Volunteer