Activity of the Week

Understanding Your Volunteer Story

... While It's Fresh

As your time as a volunteer comes to an end, you may sense that the experience has formed you, perhaps profoundly. You may also suspect it will continue to have an impact on your life for many years to come.

In fact, you will have an important story to share and initially the best person to tell it to is yourself. A wonderful way to prepare yourself for the future is to begin to understand the circumstances and experiences that have led up to these final days as a volunteer.

Former volunteers can tell you that ongoing reflection on your volunteer story will indeed continue to surprise and enlighten you for years to come. Some alumni have an easier time with this than others. We've found that what makes a difference is first familiarizing yourself with your story and assessing it while it is still fresh in your mind and heart.

Suggestions: Here are some thoughts to help you get started and take stock of your volunteer or mission experience. At least initially, focus on what happened to you rather than why things happened. Work toward the big picture, getting a sweep of your entire time of service. The beginning, middle and end of your term of service are equally important.

Try to bring to mind patterns and defining moments, the relationships and incidences that established the direction of your volunteer year. Look for times when you learned from mistakes and times when you repeated the same mistakes over and over. Consider what you have regretted and , conversely, what brought you great joy.

Reflection Questions: Taking Stock

Here are some questions that will help you unpack your volunteer story. You could answer them privately in a journal, in a reflection, or you could share your answers with a friend.

1. What were three occasions during your time of service when you felt very elated?

2. What were three times when you experienced deep sadness?

1. What were three occasions during your time of service when you felt very elated?

2. What were three times when you experienced deep sadness?

3. Volunteers often feel they gained more than they gave. What did you gain? Give?

4. Name the people who you helped the most during your period of service.

5. What were your favorite holidays and how did you celebrate them?

6. What were some things, if any, that angered you during your period of service?

7. What were some of the unexpected challenges of living in community?

8. What initially motivated you to consider doing volunteer service?

9. What were some ways your motivation changed over the past year (s)?

10. What was your relationship with money during your volunteer service?

11. What were some ways your relationship with God changed over the past years.

12. How has your understanding or practice of faith changed during this time?

13. Did you volunteer experiences make any differences in how you prayed? Explain.

14. Did you begin to see yourself or think of yourself in any new ways? How?