I talk to volunteers every day who express the frustration they felt while trying to find opportunities to give back. You would think that finding somewhere to work for free would be easy. The truth is, it can be hard... so hard that you might get discouraged and give up.
The good news is, your perfect opportunity is out there. You just have to know how to find it.
Things to Consider:
What are you passionate about?
We’re all different people with different interests. What I get excited about is not necessarily what you get excited about. You might have a friend who’s tried to talk you into volunteering with them at the Animal Shelter because “it’s so much fun! It makes me feel so good!” But maybe you hate cats. That’s fine... it doesn’t make you a horrible person (even though your friend might disagree... “I can’t believe you won’t volunteer with me”. To be fair, I’m notorious for this myself.) Fortunately, if you’ve decided you want to “give back”, you probably already know what issues make you “tick”. If you don’t, here are the issue areas we use to classify volunteer opportunities. My advice is a pick a few of these, think about them, and do some research on how they affect your community:
Adult Education, Animals, Arts & Culture, Children & Youth Education, Civic and Community, Disaster and Emergency Services, Environment, Faith-Based Service, Health, Wellness and Family Services, Hunger & Homelessness, International Service, Internships & Employment, Justice & Immigrant Services, Schools, Senior Services, Sports & Recreation, Technology
What type of work do you want to perform?
When I ask potential volunteers what kind of work they’re interested in doing, they usually say something like, “Oh, I don’t know... anything as long as I feel like I’m making a difference.” That sounds wonderful, and it is! But, you should still consider what you want to do for a few reasons:
- Knowing what you want to do will make your search for the right opportunity much easier. As the Volunteer Action Center of Franklin County, we maintain a database of over 2,100 volunteer opportunities in Central Ohio. Trust me when I say that you can literally do anything. We list opportunities that range from cleaning to clerical work. From gardening to standing guard. If you know what you want to do, it’s easy to weed out opportunities that don’t interest you.
If you don’t like how you’re volunteering, you’re less likely to find meaning in your work. If you really want to work one-on-one with at-risk youth, you’re probably not going to be happy stuffing envelopes at the Boys & Girls Club.
- Consider finding an opportunity that takes advantage of your specialized skills. If you’re interested, turning your day job into your volunteer work is a great option. Organizations are always looking for skills-based volunteers.
Finding the Opportunity:
You’ve thought about it, and you’re pretty sure that you want to do some office work for an organization that is arts/culture related. Congratulations! Figuring out what you want to do is the hardest and most important step. Now you can start looking for an organization that fits the bill. You can accomplish that by using the internet (use search terms like “museum columbus” or “nursing home gahanna”), the yellow pages, or by locating your local Volunteer Action Center (if you live in Central Ohio... that’s us!) As part of my job, I have the pleasure of connecting people to volunteer opportunities. If you’re struggling to find your dream opportunity, contact HandsOn Central Ohio, and I’d be more than happy to help you find it.
What to Expect:
For better or worse, most organizations have a formal volunteer “hiring” process. In this industry, reputation can make the difference between non-profit and non-existent. Organizations want to know who they’re inviting in because, as a volunteer, you’re likely to be a very visible face of the agency. Expect to fill-out an application, give references, have an interview, complete a background check* (especially if you’re going to be working with vulnerable populations, money, or sensitive information), and attend a training/orientation.
From personal experience, I understand that this process can be daunting. I recently started volunteering with the American Red Cross. I went to a face-to-face interview that was surprisingly more thorough than most “real” job interviews I’ve experienced, completed a background check, supplied them with my car-insurance information, and attended about 20 hours of training (so far). I was surprised at how “official” every aspect of my intake seemed. But as a volunteer coordinator I know that, if anything, an extensive application process is an indication that the organization is one worth volunteering for. It’s important to understand that even though you’re going to be working for free, the organization is still investing time/resources into you. Applications and background checks mean they care about finding passionate, dedicated volunteers.
*(Note: Convictions won’t necessarily preclude you from volunteering, but they may make you ineligible for certain positions. My advice is to be honest about your history, tell the organization, and they should accommodate you).
If you’re still unsure:
If you’re new to volunteering, are unsure about making a commitment, or need community service hours for work, school, or a court-ordered program, consider project-based volunteering. Project-based volunteering is a relatively new concept that is great way to get to know an organization or issue before making a longer-term commitment. As a HandsOn affiliate, we host a “Project Calendar” of one-time opportunities that you can register for online and require no application (other than a standard website registration).
Alternatively, call an organization and ask if they need volunteers for any upcoming special events like fundraisers. Special events volunteering generally requires no long-term commitment or extensive application process. Another way to get engaged is to round-up a few friends or co-workers; a lot of organizations are willing to engage groups of volunteers on a one-time basis.
On the opposite end of the commitment spectrum, you can also make volunteering/service a full-time job. If that interests you, consider service programs like AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, or the Peace Corps.
Reap the benefits:
Volunteering is a two-way street. You’re not just an asset to the organization where you serve, your volunteer position can also benefit you. In addition to thousands of thank you’s and feel-good moments, volunteering has some other perks. It’s a great way to get to know people in your community or bond with friends and family (I’ve also found that volunteering is a great date activity), it looks great on a resume, and you’re going to learn a lot!
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