But I’m Glad There’s a “U” in Volunteer
Communities thrive not because of teams, but because of you, the volunteers who make them happen.
You may have heard it a thousand times: “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” and as much as that phrase makes my eyes roll, it’s true. Teamwork isn’t about ego; it’s about collaboration.
Still, I’ve always thought we’re missing something.
Because while there may be no “I” in team, I’m very glad there’s a U in volunteer.
Volunteering Starts with U
Volunteering is personal. It starts with you. Not “the organisation,” not “the community,” not “the team”. Just you deciding to get involved.
No one’s paying you. No one’s forcing you. You’re not doing it to climb some imaginary leaderboard (though a free T-shirt never hurts). You do it because you care.
In Joomla, where meetings stretch across time zones and most people are powered by coffee and goodwill, volunteers are the glue that holds everything together.
They don’t just keep the lights on; they build the lights, wire them up, and then tidy up the cables afterwards.
Everything happens because someone, somewhere, raises their hand and says, “I’ll do that.” That simple act is what makes everything else possible.
Volunteers Make Teams Human
A team without volunteers is just a committee. Committees talk. Volunteers do.
A paid team will always have deliverables. A volunteer team has commitment. And you can’t buy that.
A volunteer team has no job titles, no HR department, no “Friday motivation” emails. It runs on energy, curiosity, and the occasional stubborn refusal to let things fail.
When people show up because they want to, not because they have to, the atmosphere changes. The creativity flows. The sense of ownership deepens.
That’s when the magic happens. I’ve seen it so many times in Joomla over the last twenty years. Someone says, “I’ll help with that,” and suddenly the impossible becomes possible.
Volunteers don’t ask for permission. They just do. (And yes, sometimes they break things. But that’s okay — it’s how we all learn.)
The Quiet Heroes
Volunteers rarely get the spotlight. They’re too busy making things work.
They’re the ones fixing that one line of code nobody noticed was broken, tidying up the documentation, or making sure the coffee arrives on time (arguably the most important job of all).
They don’t need applause, although they certainly deserve it. What they really need is you: your time, your curiosity, your willingness to join in. Volunteering isn’t about perfection. It’s about participation.
When people share values, something special happens. There’s a natural sense of trust, collaboration, and empathy. You stop worrying about who gets credit and start focusing on making a difference together.
That’s the essence of great teamwork. It doesn’t need to be forced, managed, or micromanaged. It just flows.
So, Thank “U”
To everyone who’s ever raised a hand, joined a call, written a line of code, answered a support question, or simply asked, “How can I help?” I thank you.
- Your contribution matters more than you might realise.
- You’re the reason projects thrive, events happen, and communities endure.
- You’re the reason open source works.
There’s no “I” in team, but there’s a U in volunteer. And honestly, without you, Joomla would not exist and that makes all the difference.
