Representing the Interests of the Community: What Happens When Volunteers Take Their Roles Seriously

When news first broke in March that veterans of the Iraq War had received inadequate treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, few people know that a medical center volunteer would soon be credited with bringing the story to light.  In doing so, the volunteer clearly demonstrated the dual role of a volunteer’s efforts: to serve the interests of the organization and the interests of the greater community. In this Points of View, the authors discuss what happens when volunteers take their responsibilities seriously and go public with organizational problems, offering a blueprint that will help volunteer managers know how to prepare both volunteers and organizations.