Volunteering is a great way of spending time doing things that you love, helping others and contributing to society. There are so many different ways and places that one can volunteer, it really is endless.
Think about volunteering at home, I would encourage anyone to dedicate at least a few hours a week to a cause they care about. Especially those people who say they are always too busy and their lives are too stressful already; it’s amazing how therapeutic spending a few hours on something you care about can be. If you are a bit fearful that you might not be the ‘right fit’, don’t be, take the plunge!
Search for projects on YouTube or the internet using the country or specialty as the subject. Write emails or letters to organisations listing your skills, experience and what projects you think you could help with. Be persistent and make sure you do your research.
Spend time thinking about and researching how you can be of benefit to a particular organisation. Having the desire to help is great, but it is only a start. In developing countries, be careful that you are won’t be a drain on their resources rather than a benefit.
There are many varied skills that NGO’s require that may not be obvious, such as:
- Librarians
- Communications/marketing
- Finance/management
- Sports coaching
http://www.theethicalvolunteer.com
Sadly, there are many charlatans so be careful. If you do decide to pay for your volunteering experience – make sure you know where your money will be spent. Be careful of orphanages and construction activities where you may actually be taking work that a local person could be doing.
http://www.gooverseas.com/blog/avoid-orphanage-scams-when-volunteering-abroad
Be mindful of the language barrier. If you speak a second language such as French or Spanish, you may find it very useful in certain post-colonial countries. If you don’t, you may find it very difficult.
Don’t underestimate the value of volunteering at home first, it will give you a good understanding of what is required and what is involved. Don’t be put off. Generally speaking, staff are more accommodating of volunteers and their personal situation. They are grateful for your help and acknowledge that you are not gaining monetary benefit. Volunteers generally enjoy the work more because they don’t have to worry about many of the things that are frustrating in paid work.
- Aged care homes
- Refugees – tutoring
- Soup kitchens
- Animal shelters
- Human rights or welfare e.g Oxfam, Amnesty, Red Cross, St Vincent De Paul, Save the Children, Salvation Army
Give it a go, and don’t look back!