The Danger of “Plug-in” Volunteering — Why “Checking the Box” isn’t Enough
I was probably only five or six when I first volunteered for the day with my family. It was the beginning of the tradition we continue each year — we volunteer somewhere new and feel slightly better about ourselves for “doing our part.” Though it feels better than doing nothing, this also makes me wonder, are we actually making any difference? The elementary school students I worked with on a humid August day probably wouldn’t remember my name now, and I’ll never know the families who received the vegetables I washed the following year. I didn’t know this at the time, but this style of volunteering is called “plug-in” because it’s just as easy to “plug out” as it is to plug in. My one day in a school, or in the back of a soup kitchen didn’t change my outlook or perspective on those I was serving. Instead, I checked a box that made me feel slightly less guilty for the privilege I experienced and moved on to enjoy my summer vacation. So, the question remains; is this style of service actually impactful? Is all service “good service?” Here’s my take:
While many see “plug-in” style volunteering — where volunteers participate for short periods of time infrequently — as the best route to changemaking, this style merely offers a temporary solution to a long term problem. Systemic change transpires when volunteers build and maintain intentional, authentic relationships with the people they work with which “plug-in” style rarely allows for. Instead, consistent support and encouragement equips young individuals with both the autonomy and courage to change the systems that have previously restrained them.
“Plug-in” describes activities in which volunteers may participate for a few hours at a time every few months, often doing tasks that do not include interaction with the group they are serving. This often comes with what authors David M. Donahue and Star Plaxton-Moore call a “doing time” mentality in the sense that many volunteers do it merely to meet a requirement for their school or institution (Donahue). Common examples include working at a food bank, going into schools for the day, even sending emails can count. While helpful, these are what I would call “band aid solutions’’ — i.e. they’re not long term. Now, let’s be honest, if someone gets a cut, they do still need a bandaid, of course. But when the cut is deep, it needs more than that, it needs a more sustainable solution.
This style of volunteering falls under the category Keith Morton would deem “Charity,” as it is direct service with arguably minimal impact (Morton). The biggest disadvantage with charity is that that’s all it is: temporary, short term impacts. It doesn’t question the systems in place or aim to change them, but rather hopes to have an immediate impact on those served. It allows volunteers, rather carelessly, to still have some net positive impact on a cause. Yes, the short-term impact is there, but no efforts are made to create a long-term solution. Plug-in style volunteers adhere to the systems in place rather than aim to change them, causing those in power to remain in power, while those without rely on them. This dependency is one of the most dangerous outcomes of this system. One of the greatest privileges one can experience is autonomy over their own lives, education, and resources and having to rely on a (sometimes unreliable) system, does not allow any power dynamics to shift.
Systemic change happens when those who have been oppressed by the system are empowered to change it. And I believe change must begin with youth, and specifically the educational opportunities granted to youth.
Youth are empowered through long, trusting relationships with mentors. Youth must believe in themselves and trust that they will be supported enough to take the risks necessary to create change. As Lisa Bottomley writes, “when someone is consistent, it means that we can rely on them” (Bottomley). This reliance is what allows young individuals to feel secure in themselves and those around them.
I’ve experienced this firsthand as a dance teacher for four years. One dance class won’t change a dancer’s life or their outlook on themselves, but by consistently showing up for them week by week allows them to improve their self-esteem and find their voice through both their art and activism. When faced with tough challenges, we were able to overcome them because we had built trust between us. This doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does change.
Ultimately, the goal is that youth will be able to seek higher education that can bring them the success and platform they need to create change. This is not to say higher education is the only solution, however in a time where our society values a degree so much, giving all children access to that opportunity is critical.
The argument I make is not perfect because Band-Aids can be useful. “Plug-in” style volunteering is often seen as the best form of volunteering because it is approachable to those with limited time or investment in certain issues. That said, if we go into volunteer work with the intention of checking a box or making ourselves feel better, we will never actually question why things are the way they are (Nadal). One of the greatest ways we can empower youth is to allow them to think for themselves and to question the systems around them. It is also important to encourage them to recognize and differentiate the systems that restrain them and those that have the ability to uplift them.
Many have raised the argument that some people simply don’t have time to commit to volunteering more than once a year or once every few months. Sure, that totally makes sense, and also the goal isn’t necessarily to volunteer more, it’s about being consistent. As Bottomley says, “Consistency in relationships can mean doing what you say you are going to do” (Bottomley). 826LA is a great example of an organization that relies on the work of plug-in volunteers but creates a larger impact through the consistent relationships students create with mentors. If you have one day a year, go to the same school and learn the students’ names. If you have one day a year, learn about why there’s a soup kitchen to begin with. If everyone who volunteered did it in a consistent way, the children served will learn to trust and in turn feel unpowered to trust themselves to seek opportunities inside or outside of the systems in place.
