A Good Problem: Residents That Want to Volunteer
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Adam Kuczynski
May 7, 2020
Public administrators may be used to the sometimes incredibly difficult job of recruiting volunteers. Begging, pleading and offering promises of recognition or rewards of self-fulfillment often fall on deaf ears. However, what about when the opposite problem arises? When volunteers, motivated by some sense of duty, just show up uninvited? Or, with the best of intentions, attempt to work within a convoluted set of rules?
The COVID-19 crisis is another such example when public administrators need to be prepared to deal with the well-meaning individuals who want to help—but do not know how. Residents, while attempting to assist their community, can come in underprepared for the situation, both materially (through necessary personal protective equipment), physically (with health problems of their own) or mentally (unaware of the scale of the problem). At the end of the proverbial day, these “volunteers” may need as much resource-allocation as a victim of the original crisis. This, obviously, is an inefficient and ineffective way to manage an emergency.
In speaking with a municipal manager in the past week from Pennsylvania (who was willing to be quoted, but wished to remain anonymous due to the ongoing nature of the emergency), he told me, “I love the outpouring of support for our first responders, essential workers and front-line medical workers. I really do. However, organizing ‘morale car parades’ and trying to deliver groceries to elderly neighbors defeats the purpose of this particular emergency, which is to stay home.”
In other words, the COVID-19 crisis is different than a natural disaster or a terrorist event. What used to work in the past, like attempting to deliver food to fire-displaced neighbors or hold candlelight vigils, is directly against the advice of experts. Governors across this country have asked residents to stay at home—in no uncertain terms.
“I need you to stay at home. Doing so will save lives. It’s just that simple.” – Gov. Phil Scott, Vermont
“Stay at home, stay healthy.” – Gov. Jay Inslee, Washington
“We are really damned unhappy and we’re going to take action (against individuals gathering in groups).” – Gov. Phil Murphy, NJ
There are no mincing words in those statements—and these are essentially repeated by the majority of other governors and a variety of local officials throughout the country. In short, they wanted residents to stay indoors at varying times during their particular area’s perceived outbreak of COVID-19.
Yet, why did residents, who seemingly fully support the effort to contain COVID-19, break these rules? Obviously, there is some failure in communication.
Take the car parades, for example. These are parades of cars that will travel around a town, honking horns and waving to onlookers. They have been organized for a variety of reasons, including for teachers who wished to drive by students’ houses to reconnect with their now virtual class, if only for a second. It seems like it conforms to all the requests by government: social distance, usually masks and no prolonged interactions. Yet, they broke rule one: stay home.
This created quite a bit of confusion for public administrators. In Sparta, New Jersey, for example, the Police Chief asked residents for, “The immediate cease and desist of individual celebratory processions,” keeping in line with the Governor’s Executive Order asking people to stay home. A spokesman clarified that one of the concerns is that it draws individuals into the street. At least two other towns in New Jersey, Westfield and Linden, had car parades involving teachers, city workers, police and political figures.
So, what is to be done?
A teacher friend told me that her students are like her extended family; by participating in one of the parades, she felt like she was doing something to combat the crisis. Quite frankly, and she openly admitted this, she did not feel the warnings were meant for her because she was essentially volunteering, despite the danger. However, she was still in danger and breaking the executive order for non-essential workers.
This should be an eye-opening moment for public administrators. Hopefully, we will never have to deal with such a complex emergency again—but, it would be foolish to assume this was a unique event.
Some suggestions:
- Recognize that some people WILL WANT to do something to help the community during an emergency. This is NOT a negative—do not treat it as such.
- Find ways for those people to assist the community in a safe and effective manner. If you do not, they will develop their own means (see car parades).
- Communication is key. Start early and often with a consistent message.
Remember, having an active and helpful community is NOT A PROBLEM. It is just a resource that needs to be properly harnessed and managed. Unfortunately, it is something that often has to be done before an emergency.
Author: Adam Kuczynski, MPA, is currently completing his Ph.D. in Public Administration at Rutgers University-Newark’s School of Public Affairs and Administration. Adam has served in local government, and worked as a journalist and director of communications at a nonprofit. He focuses primarily on volunteerism and philanthropy, but also on transparency, administration, and law. He may be reached at [email protected].
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A Good Problem: Residents That Want to Volunteer
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Adam Kuczynski
May 7, 2020
Public administrators may be used to the sometimes incredibly difficult job of recruiting volunteers. Begging, pleading and offering promises of recognition or rewards of self-fulfillment often fall on deaf ears. However, what about when the opposite problem arises? When volunteers, motivated by some sense of duty, just show up uninvited? Or, with the best of intentions, attempt to work within a convoluted set of rules?
The COVID-19 crisis is another such example when public administrators need to be prepared to deal with the well-meaning individuals who want to help—but do not know how. Residents, while attempting to assist their community, can come in underprepared for the situation, both materially (through necessary personal protective equipment), physically (with health problems of their own) or mentally (unaware of the scale of the problem). At the end of the proverbial day, these “volunteers” may need as much resource-allocation as a victim of the original crisis. This, obviously, is an inefficient and ineffective way to manage an emergency.
In speaking with a municipal manager in the past week from Pennsylvania (who was willing to be quoted, but wished to remain anonymous due to the ongoing nature of the emergency), he told me, “I love the outpouring of support for our first responders, essential workers and front-line medical workers. I really do. However, organizing ‘morale car parades’ and trying to deliver groceries to elderly neighbors defeats the purpose of this particular emergency, which is to stay home.”
In other words, the COVID-19 crisis is different than a natural disaster or a terrorist event. What used to work in the past, like attempting to deliver food to fire-displaced neighbors or hold candlelight vigils, is directly against the advice of experts. Governors across this country have asked residents to stay at home—in no uncertain terms.
There are no mincing words in those statements—and these are essentially repeated by the majority of other governors and a variety of local officials throughout the country. In short, they wanted residents to stay indoors at varying times during their particular area’s perceived outbreak of COVID-19.
Yet, why did residents, who seemingly fully support the effort to contain COVID-19, break these rules? Obviously, there is some failure in communication.
Take the car parades, for example. These are parades of cars that will travel around a town, honking horns and waving to onlookers. They have been organized for a variety of reasons, including for teachers who wished to drive by students’ houses to reconnect with their now virtual class, if only for a second. It seems like it conforms to all the requests by government: social distance, usually masks and no prolonged interactions. Yet, they broke rule one: stay home.
This created quite a bit of confusion for public administrators. In Sparta, New Jersey, for example, the Police Chief asked residents for, “The immediate cease and desist of individual celebratory processions,” keeping in line with the Governor’s Executive Order asking people to stay home. A spokesman clarified that one of the concerns is that it draws individuals into the street. At least two other towns in New Jersey, Westfield and Linden, had car parades involving teachers, city workers, police and political figures.
So, what is to be done?
A teacher friend told me that her students are like her extended family; by participating in one of the parades, she felt like she was doing something to combat the crisis. Quite frankly, and she openly admitted this, she did not feel the warnings were meant for her because she was essentially volunteering, despite the danger. However, she was still in danger and breaking the executive order for non-essential workers.
This should be an eye-opening moment for public administrators. Hopefully, we will never have to deal with such a complex emergency again—but, it would be foolish to assume this was a unique event.
Some suggestions:
Remember, having an active and helpful community is NOT A PROBLEM. It is just a resource that needs to be properly harnessed and managed. Unfortunately, it is something that often has to be done before an emergency.
Author: Adam Kuczynski, MPA, is currently completing his Ph.D. in Public Administration at Rutgers University-Newark’s School of Public Affairs and Administration. Adam has served in local government, and worked as a journalist and director of communications at a nonprofit. He focuses primarily on volunteerism and philanthropy, but also on transparency, administration, and law. He may be reached at [email protected].
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