Toy Story
Although this week I have volunteered at the Naperville Cultural Centre, enrolled in golf
lessons (!), driven with the handbrake on and on the wrong side of the road, attended a meeting of the Pageturners Book Group, visited a casino and attended a synagogue service with members of a local church as guests, I still feel I have too much time on my hands.
So with this in mind, I arranged to meet up with Diane Ernst, volunteer organiser for the Dupage Children's Museum.
What most British people don't realise is quite how important voluntary work is in the U.S. It is planned into the children's school curriculum. It helps you get into college. Even businessmen are encouraged to spare some time.
Now the more cynical among you may think this is just a good way for organisations to save money. You wouldn't be wrong, of course, but in Naperville alone there are around 300 non-profit organisations, whose sole purpose is help others.
The museum, for example, does have regular staff members, but also an army of volunteers who appear to be supremely well organised. There is a training scheme, various benefits apart from being paid, of course, and they will supply references should you ever decide to be selfish and actually try to work for money, perish the thought.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, on Monday at 9 a.m. I will be reporting for duty. I'm going to write publicity material for them, but later in the week will begin training as a facilitator. That's actually a fancy title for someone who hangs around playing with little children all day.
The museum, you see, is a like a gigantic playroom full of fun things to do. In encourages learning through play, so one minute I could be playing in a wind tunnel, the next splashing about in a water tray. The downside is there will be all those little kids around, but I'm sure they won't mind if I join in.
Of course the real reason I have chosen this place is not because of any love lost for children. It's only a two minute drive from where I live, so hopefully even I should be able to manage that. If not, I could always get one the little ones to drive me home in their pedal car....
lessons (!), driven with the handbrake on and on the wrong side of the road, attended a meeting of the Pageturners Book Group, visited a casino and attended a synagogue service with members of a local church as guests, I still feel I have too much time on my hands.
So with this in mind, I arranged to meet up with Diane Ernst, volunteer organiser for the Dupage Children's Museum.
What most British people don't realise is quite how important voluntary work is in the U.S. It is planned into the children's school curriculum. It helps you get into college. Even businessmen are encouraged to spare some time.
Now the more cynical among you may think this is just a good way for organisations to save money. You wouldn't be wrong, of course, but in Naperville alone there are around 300 non-profit organisations, whose sole purpose is help others.
The museum, for example, does have regular staff members, but also an army of volunteers who appear to be supremely well organised. There is a training scheme, various benefits apart from being paid, of course, and they will supply references should you ever decide to be selfish and actually try to work for money, perish the thought.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, on Monday at 9 a.m. I will be reporting for duty. I'm going to write publicity material for them, but later in the week will begin training as a facilitator. That's actually a fancy title for someone who hangs around playing with little children all day.
The museum, you see, is a like a gigantic playroom full of fun things to do. In encourages learning through play, so one minute I could be playing in a wind tunnel, the next splashing about in a water tray. The downside is there will be all those little kids around, but I'm sure they won't mind if I join in.
Of course the real reason I have chosen this place is not because of any love lost for children. It's only a two minute drive from where I live, so hopefully even I should be able to manage that. If not, I could always get one the little ones to drive me home in their pedal car....
posted by Hilary at
9:28 AM
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