La Vida Idealist

When I recently asked four volunteer coordinators about the qualities they look for in potential volunteers, I was a little surprised by their answers. I’d expected that they would focus on college degrees, areas of technical training, and strong language abilities. While those characteristics are helpful, especially for long-term positions, almost everybody focused on personality aspects. It’s encouraging to know that the volunteer experience is open to anybody with a passion for social change, who is willing to put their heart and soul into the job.

Amanda Turner, Operations Manager at CasaSito

María Jesús Morales, Short-term Volunteer Coordinator at Common Hope

Stefan Ege, Operations Manager at Constru Casa

Yaëlle Stempfelet, Volunteer Coordinator at Safe Passage

Latest posts by Lisa Hetzel

• Evaluating Our Impact - December 23rd, 2009
• Educational Exchange with New Hope Teachers - December 15th, 2009
• How to Get Your Home-Culture Fix - December 4th, 2009
• What Are You Thankful For? - November 26th, 2009
• Nonprofit Network Launches Website - November 20th, 2009
• Graduation Season - November 13th, 2009
• Milking Your Tax Dollars from Afar - November 6th, 2009
• Going Green(er) in Guatemala - October 16th, 2009
• The Hidden Benefits of Volunteering - October 9th, 2009
• A Smorgasbord of Volunteer Opportunities, Chapin Style - September 28th, 2009