Before volunteering, one should look at the following suggestions:
1. Research the cause and issues important to you. Search for organizations that compliment the issues that motivate you the most to want to make a positive difference. If you can't find an organization that suits your interests, try starting one on your own. You can rally your friends, neighbors, businesses and family in your community to participate in your cause. It could be anything from cleaning up the grafitti and other vandalism around your community to visiting the local children's hospital or nursing home to make someone's day.
2. Consider your skills. Look for volunteer opportunities that compliment your skills and personality. For example, if you enjoy horseback riding and like to help children, perhaps you can volunteer at a therapeautic riding stable to offer assistance to children with disabilities.
3. Consider opportunities to learn & gain new skills. Perhaps you enjoy writing as a hobby and would like to expand your hobby into improving your writing and editing skills by volunteering at a local animal shelter and assist with the publication of their monthly newsletter. It can possibly even open the doors for a future career in writing.
4. Combine your goals. Search for volunteer opportunities that will help you achieve other goals in your life. For example, if you would like to learn more about cooking, volunteer at a food bank that teaches cooking skills. Or if you would like to be more active and lose a few pounds, volunteer at a city park or local YMCA to help out with the summer youth programs.
5. Don't over-commit your schedule. Make sure the time you want to give for volunteering does not interfere with other commitments in your life. You don't want to exhaust all of your energy where you may neglect other areas in your life. Manage your time wisely by searching for opportunities that fit your schedule and needs. If you can only handle something short term with a set maximum number of weekly hours, make sure you stress this to the organization's volunteer coordinator.
6. Prepare to be interviewed, when inquiring for volunteer opportunities. Nonprofit organizations have to be careful when accepting the services from volunteers. If you contact an organization with an offer to volunteer, you may be asked to come in for an interview and submit a resume and complete a volunteer application just as you would for a job interview. It's in the organization's best interest and most beneficial to those it serves to make certain you have the skills and commitment for the available volunteer opportunities.
7. Consider volunteering as a family. Look for opportunities suitable for everyone in your immediate family to do together as a team. When families volunteer together, the experience can bring them closer together. It can also teach young children the value of giving their time and effort. Such an opportunity, provides everyone in the family to skills and experiences never before enountered, which gives the entire family a shared experience as a wonderful family memory. Volunteering can even become an annual family tradition.
8. Volunteering from your home computer! Many organizations offer opportunities to do volunteer work over the computer. For example, you can be a peer mentor contact for a shut in with a computer. Another example would be to help edit and type a term paper for someone with a disability. This type of volunteering is excellent for those with limited time or no transportation.
9. Many community organizations are in need of volunteers. Hospitals, libraries, nursing homes, and churches use volunteers for a great deal of their work. Here are some further volunteer opportunities to consider:
Day Care Centers
Animal Shelters and other Animal Welfare Organizations
Neighborhood Crime Watch
Public Schools and Colleges
Halfway Houses
Community Theaters
Drug Rehabilitation Centers
Fraternal Organizations and Civic Clubs
Retirement Centers
Meals On Wheels
Homeless Shelters
Church or Community Sponsored Soup Kitchens or Food Pantries
Museums, Art Galleries and Monuments
Community Choirs, Bands and Orchestras
Prisons
Neighborhood Parks
Youth Organizations, Sports Teams, and After-School Programs
Shelters for Battered Women and Children
Historical Restorations, National and State Parks
10. Most importantly, give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering! Bring your heart & enthusiasm with you to volunteer opportunities. What one gives to his/her community is immeasurable! To all those that make a positive difference in our society, Thank You! Just imagine what more we can do to help our communities!
If you have participated or organized in a volunteer opportunity, please share your experience by responding to this blog. Thank you. Feel free to check out my other blog on volunteer vacations at:
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Hi. Good entry :)
I currently volunteer for an organization that is working to protect a massive natural park in my city. It's a lot of work (and a lot of poison oak!) but so worth it everytime. I really feel great about helping to improve such a central part of our community. Anyways, the scenery is absolutely beautiful, so who cares about a little hard work here and there ;)
Thank you for the compliment, 80six. :) And thank you for sharing your volunteer experience! What you are doing to help our environment is priceless! Your hard work will indeed pay off...I'm sure it already has! Stay away from the poison oak...ouch! ;) I'm sure the park is gorgeous! Enjoy the outdoors and never stop volunteering! Have a great day! ~kdirby
kudos... no one ever gives tips on volunteering. and alot of folks bite off more than they could chew....
thanks again... can i pass this on on my other blog?
(http://selfra.blogspot.com)
Thanks, DantresOmi. I hope a lot of people will benefit from my blogging advice and opinions.
Peace,
kdirby
Americorp is a great way to voluneer and get a $1000 education award at the same time. It's lots of paperwork, but as long as you finish the required hours, usually 300 in year's time, you get your reward.
here's a link for more info: http://www.americorps.org/
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
Hi, juliesBlueSkyFalling. Thank you for providing the link to Americorps. Are you involved in this organization? Can you expand on your volunteer activities with them? I am just curious, because I have thought of joining them as well and would like to know more about it from someone that has done it. I hope you find the experiences of volunteerism to be an invaluable tool throughout your life. Besides the great satisfaction of making a difference, I have learned so much and gained a great deal of knowledge and experience through my volunteer efforts.
While I understand that volunteering for these non-profit organizations looks nice on a resume, the truth is that volunteering will widen your network of people. It is important not just to volunteer and be a great volunteer and disappear, but to follow up and keep in contact with these organizations over time.
Citizen Press Revolution
You are absolutely right, Ramognino, and I could not agree with you more with regard to your comment. I have been involved with three organizations over the past 6 years, and I have met so many amazing people and established life long friendships with them. Even when the organizations are going through a period of less activity than usual, I am always in contact with them. If and when I decide to leave any of these organizations, I plan to always keep the door open and continue communication with them. Volunteering provides not just career and educational opportunities, but life long lessons, insight and knowledge as well as the networking of relationships.
You make an excellent point. It's a great resource to tap when you need recommendations for jobs or scholarships, too. I'm searching for a new job and using 2 of my supervisors at my volunteer positions as references.
The Sky is Falling, Recreate it for a Better Day
It's definitely an excellent resource when needing letter of recommendations and references. Good luck with your search for a new job! I hope you find what you are looking for! I always list my volunteer experience and use the leaders of the organizations as references. I think it really helps with having your true character discussed by someone that has seen you in action.
Hey,
I just wanted to say thanks for posting this one. I'm president of my local chapter of the National Honor Society and we live for community service. I wish that there were more ways to motivate others to help out, but I think that showing that you don't need to be completely committed to an organization, and that you can volunteer on your own time helps. Thanks a lot!
~A~
You're welcome, Aterravechia. It's great to hear about your endeavors with volunteerism. I co-founded a chapter of a national nonprofit organization which supports families that have endured the loss of a child a few years ago. I certainly know the importance of community service and making a positive difference in our society. I hope more people realize the importance of such efforts and manage their time and schedule to make room to serve their own communities.
Another source to check out for volunteer opportunities is at: http://www.volunteermatch.org/
It's also a great source for organizations to find volunteers.
May is National Family Month. Join forces and team up with your family to make a positive difference in society through volunteering together! Your family can participate in various activities such as helping edlerly neighbors by completing home maintnance projects for them such as painting, house cleaning or yard work. Perhaps you can also offer to do grocery runs for them, wash their car or cook meals. The smallest of good deeds will be appreciated and valued more than gold.
If you simply do not have the time to volunteer right now and do not have much money to donate, another source to check out is at: http://www.igive.com/
If you enjoy shopping online, you can register at the above site and choose a cause that is important to you to support. Every time you shop a merchant through that site, a percentage of your purchase benefits your chosen organization and cause directly. You do not pay any more for the merchandise. In fact, sometimes the site's stores offer special discounts like free shipping or buy one get one free to participants.
I did all of my holiday and birthday shopping for family and friends online last year through igive.com, which allowed me to raise $100 for my chosen organization. A check was issued directly to them. You can participate in this anonymously or you can choose to have your name disclosed to the cause of your choice.
Help out your favorite organization today by raising for them through your shopping!
I found another source to seek out volunteer opportunities at: 1-800-Vounteer.org:
http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do?nationalPortal...
This site will help you find opportunities throughout your community.
I also highly recommend the organization Network for Good to search for volunteer and donation opportunities at:
http://www.networkforgood.org/
Another resource for organizing volunteer opportunities and such is at:
http://www.pointsoflight.org/resources/volunteerresource/
This is an extensive library of current information on volunteering, volunteer management, the effective engagement of people and resources to assist our communities.
Also check out the main website at: http://www.pointsoflight.org/
Another way to give back to the community is by donating blood to your local blood bank or hospital. You can even contact the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/index.html for that and other opportunities.
I just want to say that volunteering helps you learn a lot of things about life. Plus, you get to make new friends and new experience. Volunteering just make your life interesting...that's all.
Thank you for your comments, ShockerBlazer. You're right, volunteering is definitely an amazing opportunity to learn new things in life and establish new friendships and gain all sorts of experience and insight in life. Such experiences are not taught in the classroom...they are taught in the real world making real progress to better our lives and the lives of others!
Volunteering has been a meaningful experience in my life.
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tiffany-southall
http://www.progressiveu.org/161923-the-little-you-inside
Great suggestions! They were very helpful. I didn't know you could volunteer via computer.
Keep up the good work!
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion