Staying Connected After Shnat Sherut
As the first cohort of Shnat Sherut 50+ draws to a close, one thing is clear: this is not just a one-year experience. For many volunteers, it has become a defining chapter in their lives, a year of service, growth, belonging, and purpose. Unsurprisingly, ending the year is proving harder than expected.
Throughout the program, bonds were formed, not just with fellow volunteers but with local communities, landscapes, and a renewed sense of personal meaning. As July 31 approaches, the urge to preserve these connections has grown stronger. Enter the Alumni Circle.
A Network Shaped by Shared Purpose
The Alumni Circle isn’t just a nostalgic reunion group. It is emerging as a dynamic network designed to keep the spirit of volunteering alive in different forms. Some graduates plan to remain in their host communities and are seeking ways to stay involved locally. Others are exploring ways to return for shorter commitments, a few days a week, or a few months a year. Still others want to maintain the social and emotional bonds that were formed, even as they return to their homes and routines.
The circle offers multiple paths forward: staying active in the field, supporting new volunteers, joining social or learning groups, or even getting involved in advocacy and strategic development. In all cases, the aim is the same: to honour the experience and continue contributing.
Co-Designing the Future
What’s especially exciting is that the Alumni Circle is not being built for the volunteers, it’s being built with them. Program organizers are working alongside departing volunteers to identify needs, test ideas, and shape the structures that will support this next stage. From WhatsApp groups to meet-ups, workshops to mentorship networks, the format is flexible, but the motivation is firm.
This continuation is not just good for the volunteers. It is vital for the program. A strong alumni network strengthens recruitment, provides continuity in the field, and ensures that the knowledge, insights, and relationships built during the service year don’t disappear but instead deepen over time.
The End Is Just the Beginning
The passion to stay involved is a clear signal that Shnat Sherut 50 Plus is more than a project, it’s a movement. A year of volunteering may end, but the impact, relationships, and energy it generates can go on.
With the launch of the Alumni Circle, we are witnessing that next chapter take shape, not as a farewell, but as a beginning.
