By Lynn Hennigar, NS GovLab fellow
Inspiring — that’s how I would describe my experience with the NS GovLab. From the very beginning, this experience has been demonstrably different from many of my other volunteer efforts.
My involvement started when two friends separately sent me information on the Lab and invited me to apply. Which I did. That initial application, which was so much more than my name and some general information about myself was followed by an interview. You might think that this rigorous process would lead to fewer applicants — but 75 people applied to be fellows.
It was inspiring for me to walk into that first Lab gathering and instantly feel welcome. The feeling that something awesome was about to happen was palpable. Somehow the organizers had brought together an amazing “group of the willing.” People with incredible intelligence, a depth of experience and alternative viewpoints, who want to make change to current systems in place. I would have been comfortable working with anyone and I love my team. We each bring something unique to the table and are so much more than the sum of our parts.
You will recognize NS GovLab in this description of what volunteerism is from the online paper “The Past is Prologue”:
“Volunteerism is both reactive and proactive. It is a response to current events, social problems, and community needs that volunteers are often the first to identify. Volunteers can take-action before institutions and government are willing to offer services. As such, volunteers are pioneers and experimenters, unlimited by the restrictions of tradition, public statutes, need to make a profit, or availability of initial funds. By creating or urging others to create programs, volunteering challenges the status quo.”
Lots of organizations are struggling to find volunteers and blaming this issue on our aging population. The impact of the internet, social media and everything that comes with them is influencing all aspects of our lives. We’ve never been more connected and isolated at the same time.
Many of the traditional ways people have volunteered and made a difference in their communities are under threat. Most of our systems, institutions, organizations, and opportunities to volunteer represent a historical way of doing things and historical way of thinking. Volunteering for the GovLab represented a new and different way of giving back for me.
This Lab has invited people to engage over a significant period of time and is prototyping a new way for people to give back to their community. We are being challenged through new ways of thinking, to let go of structure and embrace the uncertainty that experimentation demands. I believe that’s where the inspiration comes from.
Recently retiring in 2017 put Lynn on the search of what comes next. Working as a publisher throughout her professional career has provided her the opportunity to reflect her community. Lynn has a drive to make life better for others, which motivated her to work with NS GovLab.
