Tane on Men in Volunteering
Volunteering is a space that has traditionally been viewed as going out and helping the community. When moving into this space myself, it didn’t take long to realise that this field is female dominated. Now that I reflect on my experience within the volunteering space, I ask myself why is it that currently men struggle to come into this space?
When I discussed with my friends why they don’t take up volunteering opportunities themselves, initially issues of time availability and lack of experience come up. Interestingly, as the discussions got deeper, we started talking about the preconceived values and ideas people have around volunteering. As some pointed out, many of the opportunities within the volunteering space require some level of nurture, whether that be for other people, animals, or the environment. Historically in Western culture, nurture has been viewed as a feminine trait which places women traditionally as better equipped to work in volunteering. As I let this sit with the group, I reflected on my own volunteering experience.
When I arrived at university it dawned on me that I have a desire to make things easier for future generations e.g., the transition into university, creating connections with others, and taking up opportunities. I have been involved with many opportunities that have helped young people, whether as a mentor, a big brother, or a leader. Regardless of the title, at the forefront of my interactions was providing a safe space for young people to discover themselves. I began to realise that these activities were building my passion of helping young people navigate the world.
Many positive impacts have come from the opportunities I have been a part of. For example, being a sub-warden at a uni hall allowed me to help hundreds of first year students settle into university and help them discover their passions beyond study. Other programmes like Hands-On at Otago have allowed me to meet high school students from around the country and show them what university has to offer. For me the most meaningful outcome has been showing students that everyone has the same challenges and hesitations around moving away from home and starting a new chapter of their life. Being a mentor for many students below me has allowed me to pass on my knowledge while also gaining insight into how I can navigate my own life.
Despite many positives coming from these experiences, at times challenges do arise. One of the biggest challenges I feel are the negative stereotypes that surround young men, that we’re irresponsible, self-centred and lacking life experience. For example, working this year in an after-school care programme, I’ve sometimes worried that these stereotypes could affect how trusting parents are of me. It’s made me question my impact, sometimes affecting how much I enjoyed the experience. Being a young person doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t have the confidence in myself to give good advice to other young people, especially since I went through similar scenarios not long ago and can draw from my own experience.
What I encourage is for guys to give volunteering a go. It doesn’t have to be your preconceived idea of volunteering e.g. street appeals, but rather finding ways to contribute positively to your community or a cause you care about and leave the space in a better place than you started. I have learnt to lean into my lived experience, and feel that men can positively impact young people’s lives through being relatable and sharing our journey. It can be nerve-racking to get into volunteering but it’s worth it - I recommend starting with a one-off opportunity before committing to long-term roles and try not to let confidence issues or negative stereotypes stop you from getting involved.