WHY, WHERE, and HOW to Volunteer this Summer

Photo by Official U.S. Navy Imagery on flickr.com

Don’t worry if you’ve already missed the application deadlines for the internships you were hoping to land this summer; become a volunteer instead! There are still great opportunities out there that will allow you to gain experience, network, and just have fun. And you don’t have to be Mother Theresa or Ghandi in order to be an outstanding volunteer either. It’s quite alright if you are picky about where you volunteer and how many hours you devote to your volunteer experience. Just as with any other position or commitment you make to an organization, it is imperative to do a bit of research first. Find out why, where, and how you should volunteer this summer below.

WHY Become a Volunteer

There are so many reasons why becoming a volunteer is rewarding. This list includes the top 5:

1) Allows you to explore your interests- If you are just starting your collegiate career, deciding on a major area of study or have just recently graduated, volunteering is the perfect way to decide what field you really want to be in for the rest of your life. Even if you have no idea what you want to do, volunteering will allow you to not only narrow it down without wasting too much of your time or anyone else’s, but will allow you to explore the specific spot within an organization you would want to fill in the future.

2) Free valuable training- Organizations who take pride in their work and mission will make sure that everyone within the organization (including and especially their volunteers) receives great training. If you’re looking for experience in the healthcare industry, volunteer at your local hospice. If you dream of becoming an architect, learn how homes are actually built by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. If you’re interested in urban planning and environmental issues, then plant a tree with Friends of the Parks in Chicago. Want to teach? Then become an ESL instructor volunteer at your local literacy council or nonprofit literacy organization. The list goes on and on.

3) Networking- Volunteering is a great way to meet proficient individuals in the sector that you are most interested in working in the future. They will have a long list of contacts that you can reach out to and will be more than willing to give you an amazing recommendation letter (at the least) for your service to their organization. If you give your time to them, they will more than likely be happy to return the favor.

4) Performance Pressure is less intense than an internship- When you volunteer, organizations appreciate and recognize that you are working for them on your own, unpaid time. So while you get an amazing opportunity to learn the ins and outs of an organization, you will also not necessarily be expected to perform at the level of a paid employee. Although you should always be at your best no matter what you do, if you are new to a field, volunteering for an organization in your desired sector is a perfect way to gain experience while not necessarily being expected to know a whole lot about the field.

5) Makes You Happier- In her recent CNN article, Jessica Winters explores how volunteerism boosts our oxytocin levels and is crucial to our evolutionary impulses to form deeper connections with our community members. She even highlights the work of Sonya Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, who “has consistently found that performing acts of kindness is highly correlated with increased happiness, improving both our self-image and — oxytocin alert! — our sense of community.”

HOW and WHERE to Become a volunteer

A great place to start searching for your perfect volunteer experience is to visit a volunteer pairing site such as: volunteermatch.org. Just enter your city and desired sector and you will encounter an extensive list of volunteer opportunities.

Other helpful volunteer matching and opportunity sites:

-www.volunteer.vic.gov.au

-http://www.catchafire.org/  (featured in Forbes, CNN, NY Times, and NPR)

-volunteers.aarp.org

If you can’t find what you’re interested in on one of those sites, then just find an organization or company that you’re interested in and JUST ASK them yourself about their volunteer opportunities. If they don’t have any, ask how else you can help. It seems extremely unlikely that an organization of any kind will turn down the free labor of a passionate individual who wants to help out. Getting your foot in the door of any organization is more than half the battle.

This summer, start preparing for your own future while helping others with their futures by volunteering.