Posted by Question: Where do I find volunteer openings?
Answer: The post includes the following topics:
- Top 20 Volunteering Web-Sites
- Where to find volunteering in your community
- Advantages of volunteering for your career
- How to get started to become a volunteer
Top 20 Volunteering Web-Sites
- Volunteer Match: Various opportunities all over America:
- United Way: one of the largest national organizations in the U.S.
- National and Community Service
- Taproot Foundation, Catchfire: Matching skilled volunteers and opportunities:
- Idealist: Social entrepreneur opportunities:
- National parks volunteering
- Habitat for Humanity homelessness and low-income
- YMCA children and youth
- American Red Cross helping during national disasters
- USA: government and public service
- Serve.gov government and public service
- PeaceCorps.gov – serving abroad (education, health, environment and more)
- CitizenCorps.gov – free training in first aid and emergency skills, supporting local emergency responders and disaster relief efforts.
- NationalService.gov – offers grants for volunteering (AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Social Innovation Fund)
- Volunteer.gov: volunteer in American’s public lands, including national parks.
- Volunteer.VA.gov: Veterans Affairs (VA) facility in your area.
- Federal Election Volunteers: assist election officials in your state.
- Natural Resources Conservation: environmental (water conservation, wildlife habitat, etc)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Volunteers take part in research, observation and educational roles that benefit science and the planet.
- DREAM: Youth Volunteering
Volunteering in Your Community
- Hospitals
- Animal rescue shelters
- Homeless shelters
- Colleges, schools, and universities
- Soup kitchens, food banks
- Non-profit boards and city boards
- Libraries
- Art museums
- Retirement homes
- Rotary Clubs
- Community Churches
- Political Campaigns
Advantages of Volunteering for your career growth:
- You will improve your English skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
- You will gain sector work experience and learn relevant work skills
- You will build professional connections and acquire job references
- You can use volunteering title as a resume plug-in
- You will become an insider and build a reputation in the organization
How to get started as a Volunteer
- Set your career goal:
- Decide what do you want to accomplish by volunteering
- Write your goals down.
- Determine your availability and service preferences:
- Decide on availability: # of hours weekly/monthly you will volunteer
- Decide which cause you want to support
- Call 211 to learn about local programs and talk to someone about options
- Gather Information- do the Research
- Use Google to find and research non-profits near your home
- Select top three that connect with your calling
- Talk to your friends, relatives, ask for an introduction
- Start the volunteer application process
- Go to the non-profit website and apply online
- Visit a local office and meet Volunteering Coordinator
- Ask about their application process and requirements
Conclusion:
Whether you are making a meal for homeless folks, knitting hats for newborns, or serve in a cancer center, volunteering can boost your employment opportunities dramatically. I would suggest volunteer every single time you are unemployed and unsure of what of doing next or need more information about any new sector, organization or a new occupation.
