a) educators
already helping with kids at school and think that's enough
have to balance family
don't like to work for free
don't want to get involved
burnt out on working with kids
need all the money they can get; felt they don't get paid enough and don't owe the
community
age
feel like they have too much to do already
insensitivity; shyness maybe
have different ideas and can't form groups
uncomfortable
used to bossing kids; can't be bossed--can't take direction
bitter about youth today; don't think there's any hope
don't want to influence students
may have lost some faith in the community
They're already doing a great task.
Feel they do enough for the world and deserve a break.
opportunities are not known
b) students ages 5-12
can't do much
parents protect them
too young/ not informed
few organizations would take them this young
would get bored; attention spans are short
shyness, confidence is low--little strength
they don't know about what they can do for the community
not qualified agewise; low maturity
watching TV
they are the ones who need to be cared for [THE POINT! Another Way pairs them with
mentors.]
People would not take their interests seriously
no direction---doesn't sound fun
should be playing!!
not old enough to care
no morals
too young to need to worry about problems; not their responsibility
no transportation
no immediate reward
lack of patience/skills
lack of organized opportunities ( cannot do work independently)
not asked much, people overlook them
too young to take on important tasks
c) students ages 13-21
other relationships
lazy, don't want to; not motivated
the coolness factor; if friends saw them they wouldn't be cool
their friends aren't doing it ; not social enough
don't care/ not informed
no places will take them
don't want to have more [responsibilities]
watching TV
no direction---don't know how; hard to find a place to volunteer
false sense of security
being discouraged by adults
don't know about places to help out; they are discriminated against
caught up in instant gratification; don't care
self-esteem---community image
don't care about helping unless had a personal experience with a particular problem
d) students age 21 to 30
commitment to school first
more concerned with world issues
raising family
don't care / not informed
living away from home and getting own start
need a real job
working too hard
nothing to keep this group from volunteering
never had opportunities to help before and so do not have a habit of helping
no faith
e) people ages 31 to 49
commitment to family and jobs first
raising family
don't care/ not informed
already have a good hard job
feel too old; figure their time in society is pretty much done anyway so why try and
improve it [society].
feel that their vote is enough
set in their ways; ignorant, denial
nothing to keep this group from volunteering
feeling superior and not wanting to help
no faith
feel like they have given enough in taxes
opportunities are not known
too old; arthritis
f) people over age fifty
can't do many things
retired; enjoying themselves---don't want to work any more
may lack the strength and dexterity necessary
think they are too old and feeble /not informed
they need the help; cranky
lack energy; health reasons
would rather judge and stay clear
Absolutely nothing to keep this group from volunteering
would rather travel
don't think they will be heard; don't have enough self-confidence
They feel they're done with the community; it's the young people's job
Think that society owes them something
Probably consider themselves not important enough
too old; they think it's their time!
don't feel needed; able
not in tune with the younger generations
don't care anymore; think world is in disrepair already
too old to make much difference
afraid of harassment
they feel useless; aren't valued enough
resent the hostile community
think they don't have to volunteer because they are the elders
feel they are going to die soon anyway and anything they do won't help until they are dead
may be too old in mind; may feel they have nothing to offer
g) health care professionals
feel they are already giving to the community
think they are a higher class
don't want to commit when they are on call and may not be able to keep commitment
don't think about it, lack of motivation
want to be pad for their efforts
where would they volunteer? hospitals?
already working for government
sick of helping people; need to relax
see bad situations everyday at work
they want money for the stress they have to handle
way overworked; deal with the poor and needy constantly; exhaustion
no faith
haven't been asked; overlooked resource
h) lawyers
don't care about volunteering; not interested
concerned with money
feel they're too sophisticated
too wrapped up in selves
already make money by helping people
may not look good helping out; might be chastised
volunteering is of little significance/ too minor a service
don't want to get involved
feel too good to do volunteer work; less important people can do it
job takes too much work; still might though
scum; they're slime bags; just jerks---only want money
need to relax
sometimes, not enough reward for them
nothing to keep this group from volunteering
Are you serious?
They don't see places they can improve
See the need but find it too large a problem
too stressed; would complain a lot
no faith
may already do a lot of pro bono work; ;need to be paid
i) the business community
concerned with money; not much else; talk to computers more than people tied
up in money making ideas
too tired to help out after job; at war with government
volunteering is of little significance/ too minor a service
don't think people are in need
don't want to get involved
too professional to spend time on that
feel themselves too important; don't want to get dirty
they won't get a rewards; no profit from volunteering
nothing to keep this group from volunteering but they don't care
greedy; too fast paced
ignore problems; closed up in their own world; unaware or uncaring
Would rather donate dollars to clear conscience--"That's enough"
not a tapped resource
opportunities are not known
j) private non-profits
not enough $$
already volunteering ?????
not enough volunteers; struggling as it is
already don't make any money (Set kids straight on this one!)
spend all day working for free/ need money
They are the ones who need volunteers or already are!
Too busy with their own causes
nothing to keep this group from volunteering; no one approaches them
too goody goody for everyone else
spend money unwisely
no faith
looking too hard for perfect opportunity
uncoordinated
opportunities are not known
too rich to help everyone else
k) public agencies (social workers, police etc.)
not enough $$
already involved helping the public
believe government better
think they don't have to or else always on call; same problems at work
think that they can't really help
There are too few with lots of their own work
nothing to keep this group from volunteering
They're trying but can't get together
Deal with it all day so they don't want any more of it
Police are bitter with bad attitudes; don't think their time would be appreciated
no faith; feel it's too late; disillusioned
opportunities are not known
l) legislators
concerned with other issues; not interested; too distanced from people
believe government better
greedy, lazy
already involved helping the public
feel like they're too important; feel no need because they have power
too busy making laws to protect people
volunteering is of little significance/ to minor a service
too selfish
don't want to get involved; from their point of view - not problems
the community can do it themselves; don't really care about the people
look out for their next election
worry too much about their image and what to do to please the community
nothing too risky
arrogant and self absorbed; they would never do it.
different views; don't want to take sides
feel they are already fighting for a cause
They are working for the voters--not the people who are unable to vote
too concerned with regulating the lives of people who are well off.
(11) Put a check mark in front of everything you have done at least two times in your life:
(12) Place a check mark in front of those things that you feel capable of doing. Next, go back and add a star to those things you would like to do, and feel you could do if someone would train you and work with you. Some jobs may have several notations.
We combined questions 11 and 12 in the revised survey. Question 11 was supposed to get students to conclude that they are capable of doing more things than we suspected they realized. With a few exceptions, students were very much aware of their capabilities and in fact over-estimating their abilities may be the greater problem. In huge numbers they chose to do just about everything!!
We want leaders to understand that community service takes on a bad connotation in the minds of young people when judges sentence unruly youth to perform community service. When it is doled out as a punishment, community service becomes something that problem kids do!
On the positive side, a student told us he was an Explorer with the Spokane Police Dept. with a 1,000 volunteer hours!
Some students volunteered a few kind words which we appreciated:
"I liked the survey; it made me think."
"Q #12 was kind of long, but the rest really went smoothly."