The Value of Volunteering Project Management Skills In Your Community.
26 Jan 2006 - David Schincariol, PMP, CA, MBA

We all realize the value of project management in our workplace, but have you considered how volunteering your project management skills can help your community?

The Project Management Institute considers volunteer work vital to advancing the practice, science and profession of project management worldwide.  From international and local associations to industry organizations and registered charities many community programs require project management skills.  The opportunity exists locally for one to get involved with a wide range of causes from helping the homeless, animal welfare and children's needs to sports and recreation, women's organizations, and more.

As a project management volunteer you have the opportunity to meet new people, practice your project management skills and even learn new ones. Best of all you are rewarded as the contribution of your time can make a valuable difference to your community and by volunteering you are also assisting in increasing community and industry awareness about the importance of project management and PMI certification.

From a personal interest level, volunteering is a great opportunity to explore Project Management roles and responsibilities within various environments and fields that may be of interest to you but are not currently part of your day to day career. This career and interest development opportunity offers a unique chance to gain experience in a field you may be curious about or have a passion for.  Even if your volunteer work is only part time or weekends, providing your community assistance ultimately affords you valuable insight into Project Management arenas you may not have traditionally thought of using your skills in.

Volunteer work also has many professional development benefits.  For example, if your volunteering involves initiating, planning, executing, controlling or closing projects it can be included in fulfilling your 1500 hour requirement towards your  PMP certification. Likewise, existing PMPs may use these volunteer hours towards PDUs required for their PMP re-certification.  For those certified PMPs, who must achieve 60 PDUs every

3 years, volunteered project management services fall under Category 5 of continuing certification requirements.  What this translates into is that this time can count to a maximum of 20 PDUs per cycle provided your professional services are provided free of charge to a non-employer or non-client customer group.

Regardless of the motivation for your volunteer work, when assessing volunteer opportunities consider five decision areas, keeping your personal interests in mind:

1.    Is the volunteer work for a cause of personal value?

2.    Will the experience further ones professional development and skills?

3.    Will it help one develop a network of contacts?

4.    Is one able to contribute a valuable resource to this organization?

5.    Is one able to commit the time the volunteer organization requires?

Satisfying these five questions for your personal volunteer choice will help ensure it’s a rewarding success.  For those of you interested in volunteer opportunities, the West Coast BC chapter is starting a volunteer program in your area. Interesting in volunteering?