By Amy Schabacker Dufrane
April is National Volunteer Month, giving all of us the opportunity to recognize those who selflessly share their time and energy for worthy causes. At HRCI, our volunteers contribute their skills and HR knowledge in many areas across our organization. Through volunteering, they are networking with other HR professionals and equally important, they are helping our profession learn new skills and earn recertification credits.
Where did the concept of being a volunteer start? Some trace its roots back to 12th century Britain, where volunteers staffed hundreds of hospitals. People helping other people has been a founding principle of many humanitarian organizations. One of the most famous is the Red Cross, which started during the Civil War under the guidance of Clara Barton. While medical care was the initial impetus for volunteerism, its popularity has spawned a wide range of causes including YMCA, Habitat for Humanity and the Peace Corps. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush launched the 1000 Points of Light campaign and established April as National Volunteer Month.
At HRCI, our wonderful volunteers help guide a number of key initiatives. For example, HR professionals contribute to item writing, item review and forms review for our certification exams. Exam Development Panels are conducted virtually or in-person depending on the exam. The volunteers supporting the Exam Development Panels have earned HRCI credentials and represent a range of experience, gender, culture, race and geographic diversity. Another opportunity to volunteer includes the Certification Council, which has governance and oversight of HRCI’s certification programs.
It’s been my experience that HR professionals are enormously generous. HRCI is equally grateful for their contributions, which we recognize come from their motivation to advance our important profession. There is no better way to describe the magnitude of their impact than by sharing their own words on the experience.
“For me, contributing to the HR profession on a global front has been my vision, which the HRCI has given me the opportunity to fulfill,” says Babs Francisco, Group HR Data and Systems Director at Klöckner Pentaplast in Birmingham, England. “Over the past ten years, volunteering in various capacities at the HRCI has afforded me benefits that transcends the immediate act of service, fostering knowledge sharing amongst a community of HR professionals from diverse backgrounds with diversity of thoughts, and cultivating personal growth. In giving, I have received the invaluable treasures of fulfilment, purpose, and the profound joy of making a positive difference in the world of Human Resources.”
Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance at The League for People with Disabilities, Dawn Witherspoon, shares, “I dedicate my time to volunteering as a way of expressing gratitude for the blessings in my professional and personal life. Volunteering for HRCI allows me to give back to a profession I deeply care about. Working in HR every day is a privilege, and serving as a SME for HRCI is equally challenging and rewarding. Despite feeling exhausted after editing meetings, I also feel accomplished knowing that the work is both challenging and impactful. I am continuously learning from the incredible group of SMEs, coaches, and individuals from HRCI and Pearson VUE, which makes the experience incredibly rewarding.”
“Volunteering with HRCI has been a passion and joy over the last six years. Not only is it a way for me to give back to the HR profession, it’s also an excellent way to keep my skills up to date as an HR professional and build relationships with HR colleagues around the world,” says Elyse Wampler, Global Organization Development and Learning Manager for Ohio-based OCLC. “I think it’s important to volunteer in this way because it provides an opportunity to continue to push the HR profession forward. Without volunteers who are actively working in HR, we will miss the opportunity to understand and evaluate new and different trends in the profession.”
Indeed, you are all correct. Without our volunteers, we miss so much: the chance to learn from each other while driving innovation and advancements within HR. We are so grateful to our volunteers for your contributions during National Volunteer Month and every day. Thank you from all of your friends, fans and colleagues here at HRCI.
