A Model for Volunteers

ust as thousands of delegates from across the country were returning home from the Presidents' summit on volunteerism in Philadelphia last spring, the ribbon was cut on a new computer learning center in the city for volunteers and students of Project GIVE (Government and Industry Volunteers for Education).

With better luck, Project GIVE's center might have caught the attention of the national media so heavily focused on Philadelphia during the summit. While the timing of the opening of the center seems coincidental, the decisions to double the time devoted to tutoring and to extend Project GIVE's services into the summer were inspired by the calls to service by Presidents Clinton, Bush and Carter at the Presidents' Summit on America's Future.

The goal of the summit was to help 2 million children at risk by the year 2000, by generating commitments to provide them with mentors, safe places after school, a healthy start, job skills and the opportunity to perform their own service to the community. Those commitments, and others made since then, will be monitored by America's Promise-The Alliance for Youth, headed by Gen. Colin Powell.

The summit tapped into a wellspring of inchoate feelings that life in America must have greater meaning than that articulated by its politicians and advertisers. A 1989 survey cited in Poor Richard's Principle (Princeton University Press, 1996) by Robert Wuthnow, showed "96 percent of the public said 'making the world a better place' was at least fairly important to them, and 78 percent said that it was very important or absolutely essential in their lives."

Project GIVE's experience in tutoring and mentoring children might provide a model worthy of emulation, given that President Clinton used the summit to commit the Defense Department and other agencies to providing mentors and tutors for an additional million children over the next four years. GIVE is a joint project of the Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC) and Alcorn Elementary School in Philadelphia. It began 34 years ago.

Combined Federal Campaign funds are used to rent a government bus that brings Alcorn students to DPSC two days a week after school. Those selected for the program are borderline students who might not advance to the next grade without extra attention. The children are provided a safe haven immediately after school, the most dangerous period of the day for inner-city children. Last year, some tutors even spent one lunch hour per month in conference with teachers to identify their students' needs.

Signs of Success

Unlike a more rigorous volunteer program, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Project GIVE neither screens its volunteers nor provides significant training. Nevertheless all 15 tutors are federal employees, most of whom were investigated as a condition of employment. Given the secure environment and supervision, the elementary nature of the studies and the importance tutors attach to their endeavor, the absence of screening and training appears to have had little negative impact. In fact, the mere presence of concerned adults appears to matter more than any other resource.

When asked to assess the impact of Project GIVE upon her students, Alcorn Elementary principal Regina S. Jones says "most students in the program performed at a higher level, thus enabling them to be promoted to the next grade." She says the program ultimately may play a role in influencing some children to stay in school. In fact, Jones says, since students cannot participate in Project GIVE on the days they are absent from school, attendance on program days has dramatically improved. Jones observes improved social skills in the children, and, consequently, fewer fights and thefts.

However, Jones does have one concern about the program-the need for more volunteers and more time spent volunteering.

Attracting Volunteers

Representatives from DPSC's Office of Corporate Communications have been invaluable in assuring Project GIVE's office space and computer initiatives were implemented after legal review, and in publicizing the project to attract volunteers.

Nevertheless, finding volunteers is a problem. Project GIVE had 30 tutors as recently as three years ago. Downsizing and fears of further cuts, which tend to make employees turn inward and focus on their own future, have reduced that number by half. As a consequence, only 15 students have volunteers assigned to them. Ten vacant computer stations, however, might prove reason enough to enroll additional students, with or without additional tutors.

Some agencies have given employees the option of using paid time to volunteer, although DPSC has no formal policy. Thus some federal employees volunteer on their own time, while others volunteer on the taxpayers' time. Although explicit time-off incentives might attract additional volunteers, greater thought must be given to what actually prompts people to volunteer (and what factors may restrain them)-both at DPSC and at the national level.

Walter C. Uhler is chief of financial services at the Defense Contract Management Command in Philadelphia.