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Reaching out while moving up
Volunteering helps young professionals sharpen and share their skills

by shelly whittet

Kristen Hunyady, a 28-year-old veterinary technician, spends long days working with animals. When Saturday arrives, she gets to spend the day playing with her dog and her friend Brea at the dog park. Later, the two head out for lunch, giggling and making fun of each other. In the afternoon, they might work on pottery together, or just sit around and talk. It is an amazing friendship that enriches both their lives, but it’s not just any regular friendship. Hunyady is 12-year-old Brea’s “Big,” an affectionate term for mentors in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

Young professionals throughout Wisconsin are finding volunteerism helps them connect with their communities, benefiting them both personally and professionally as they help others. Nonprofit organizations throughout the state are working to make connections that help young professionals live more successful lives and improve their communities.

Volunteer centers such as the United Way of Dane County and the Volunteer Center of Brown County have witnessed an increase in young professionals’ interest to volunteer and have noticed businesses encouraging employee volunteering.

Agencies throughout the state are working to find opportunities that help young professionals network and become more engaged in their communities. Busy working people from the ages of 25 to 40, growing more established in their careers and looking to get involved, have become a key group for recruitment. “They are motivated by different things. They’ve always given, their workplace encourages it, they think they may need help at some point, or they have received help,” says Kristi Shepard, United Way of Dane County’s director of leadership giving.

They have also found that young professionals without families of their own often have more time to contribute, with a wide range of specific skills that benefit organizations. “They fill various essential functions and are a wonderful resource that brings important skills to nonprofits,” says Christine Danielson, Volunteer Center of Brown County executive director. “We consider our volunteers as non-paid staff. We have a committed young woman who works as an accountant that comes in on a regular basis to pay the bills and do payroll. That’s something we don’t have the money to pay someone to do.”

For volunteers, volunteer agencies and those they serve, one of the largest benefits of volunteering is the opportunity to help build and become a part of a community. “Young professionals really want to get involved in the community but don’t quite know how to make that connection,” Danielson says. The Rosenberry Society is an organization of young professional volunteers and donors founded by the United Way of Dane County. Activities include kickball games, luncheons with local CEOs and volunteer days with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“We’re bringing people together. They get to network with others, get to feel good about their community and feel good about the contributions they’re making,” Shepard says. Similar “next generation societies” can be found throughout the state.

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curb magazine 2005: balance for wisconsin's young professionals