Yesterday, I had a discussion with some colleagues about how we may get residents in the neighbourhoods we engage to present themselves “better” to volunteers especially those from corporations who provide funds and other resources. This discussion was triggered by feedback that these residents do not brief the volunteers well enough on their tasks or explain to them how their time and efforts add value to their neighbourhood.
The goodwill from corporations is important for the sustainability of our work and obviously, we want to create a positive experience for these corporate volunteers lest we lose their support. However, this does not mean that training residents to be more competent in managing the volunteers is the solution.
These residents lack the skillsets to manage an event to the satisfaction of others, but they are not working for an organisation and only working for their community. When we access them via organisational standards, they fall short and doing so is not in the service of a community’s efforts to meet their needs.
The United Nations Division for Social Policy and Development defines social integration as “the attempt not to make people adjust to society, but rather to ensure that society is accepting of all people.” We subscribe to this and believe that people’s shortcomings do not define them and if we get hung up with the imperfections in people, we will never be able to discover their strengths and abilities.
Organisational logic is necessary for productivity and to survive in a set-up that continually strives for output and efficiency, one must always put forth their best side. Weaknesses are not revealed as they would threaten one’s relevance for the organisation. In a sense, organisations do not create the space for one to be wholly present.
On the other hand, a strong community is one which has the capacity to accept people’s imperfections. As we know, every one of us is imperfect and I believe that we would consider it a blessing when we find ourselves part of a community that welcomes us regardless of our warts and all. A community where we are fully present and where our failures, imperfections and shortcomings do not define or dimmish us.
Wishing everyone a holistic Easter Weekend.
For peace and community,
Gerard
Communities recognise and accept fallibility, and do not try to change it. When we view fallibility as a condition of being human, we see it is within the capacity of the family and neighbourhood to deal with the condition and even see the gift in it. – John McKnight & Peter Block
