Editorial - Issue #65

2001 was the Year of the Volunteer.

The local United Way campaign had a print ad that featured the slogan I do it because I can. Since first seeing this advertisement, I’ve been trying to decide why I volunteer. What is it that moves me from noticing that something needs doing to actually making room in my life to include another task?

I’ve decided that the slogan does not fit my situation, although it is accurate that I am able to do the volunteer work I’ve taken on.

When I agreed to my volunteer work, I had no previous experience for any of my jobs. I had never worked in the desktop publishing field, but Homebase needed an editor. So, in a weak moment, I said, “I’ll do it!” That was eight years ago and I have learned many valuable skills.

The same can be said for my work as the “computer lab teacher” with my children’s classes. When I first agreed to do that job, the school was using MS-DOS computers. I had only ever worked on Macs, so the children and I learned together.

So, why do I volunteer? I volunteer because I want to. I volunteer because I can’t tolerate the idea of the work not being done. I volunteer because doing the tasks gives me satisfaction (outweighing the occasional frustrations and pressures).

In short, I make room in my schedule for another task that should not be my sole responsibility, but is.

Why am I sharing this with all of you? Well, MAW and Homebase exist because, over the past 17 years, many women have chosen to volunteer. Many of the MAW stalwarts have recently returned to the paid work force or to school and cannot give the same amount of volunteer time to MAW as they once did. As a result, many tasks that used to be done are no longer being done.

As an organization, we need to decide what we want to accomplish. Are the life and times of the stay-at-home mother very different from 17 years ago?

There are lots more playgroups and parent resource centres, but there is still little or no recognition that the unpaid work we do is valuable to our society. Public policy seems to say you’re either for a fully-funded national daycare programme or for “Mom-at-Home.”

MAW says, why can’t you have both choices? Why do women have to sacrifice so much when it comes to having children? After 17 years, the choices are still, return to work and leave your baby with strangers or stay at home with your baby and give up all hopes of advancing in your profession.

Those of us who have lived the stay-at-home mom path want better choices for our children. Clearly, MAW still has important issues to work on and policy changes to bring about.

The Steering Committee needs to know what you care about and what hardships you face. We need new volunteers to work on policy development, research, lobbying and, of course, Homebase.

This is your organization. We really need to know you to show that you care whether or not MAW exists. You don’t need to live in Ottawa or have any previous experience - most of our meetings are done via e-mail or the telephone. What we need is your practical assistance.

What can you do? Write an article, poem or letter that helps others to understand your reality. Draft a policy statement. Attend a meeting. Distribute MAW materials to your circle of friends and acquaintances. Broaden the subscription base for Homebase. Take an executive post in MAW.

These are all positive ways that you can express your commitment to the central ideal that MAW upholds. That ideal is that an integral part of achieving equality for women is the freedom to define, for ourselves, the role of motherhood, the conditions of motherhood and the environment in which our children are born and raised.

Cheers,

Lisa Menard

Editor, Homebase

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