How to Help Your Community: The Ultimate Guide to Volunteering

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Volunteering helps you give back in countless different ways—and with websites like VolunteerMatch, it’s easier than ever to get started. You can also search for organizations that match your passions and interests, and look for volunteer positions that seem like a good fit for your skills and capabilities. We’ll cover everything you need to know, including how to become a volunteer, different organizations you can work with, and all the different benefits volunteering has to offer.

Things You Should Know

Section 1 of 4:

How to Become a Volunteer

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Find local opportunities...
    Find local opportunities with VolunteerMatch. Type your location into the main search bar on the website’s homepage and see what volunteer opportunities come up. If you’re interested in specific opportunities, use the website’s built-in filtering system to narrow down your options.
    • VolunteerMatch only displays USA-based volunteer opportunities. They also offer a wide variety of virtual volunteer opportunities (that are based in America).
    • American citizens can also sign up with AmeriCorps, a government-based volunteer organization that offers benefits to its workers.
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Volunteer internationally with...
    Volunteer internationally with organizations like International Volunteer HQ. Want to explore the world while you make a difference? International volunteering organizations can place you at a variety of global locations. Keep in mind, though, that these organizations often require you to pay a somewhat expensive fee for their programs.
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Section 2 of 4:

Common Places to Volunteer

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Advocacy & Human Rights Organizations
    Do you want to support marginalized communities? You might be a good fit for organizations like:
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Animal Welfare Organizations
    Are you passionate about helping the animals in your community? You could be a good fit for an animal welfare organization or shelter like:
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Environmental Organizations
    Are you passionate about protecting the environment and advocating for issues like climate change? You might find a lot of value in organizations like:
  4. How.com.vn English: Step 4 Healthcare & Medicine Organizations
    Do you find a great purpose in caring for others, or are you hoping to get a little expertise in healthcare and medicine? You might like organizations such as:
  5. How.com.vn English: Step 5 Homeless Shelters & Advocacy Organizations
  6. How.com.vn English: Step 6 Humanitarian Aid Organizations
    Do you want to help communities in need of support, like migrants and refugees? You might like working with organizations such as:
  7. How.com.vn English: Step 7 Senior Support Organizations
    Do you want to assist and support your local elderly community? Check out organizations like:
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Section 3 of 4:

Advice for Volunteering

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Choose opportunities that can teach you useful skills.
    Are you trying to get expertise in a specific field? Look for volunteering vacancies that would allow you to learn these skills so you can put them on your future resume.[1]
    • Are you hoping to be a teacher? A tutoring position could give you valuable expertise.
    • Do you want to work with animals in the future? Volunteering for an animal shelter could be helpful.
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Review your weekly schedule and time commitments.
    You don’t have to volunteer every day to make a difference—even 2-3 hours of weekly work can make a difference.[2] Take a look at your current schedule and factor in your necessary obligations (e.g., work, school, pets, etc.) before committing to a volunteering role.
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Volunteer online if there aren’t any opportunities in your area.
    Plenty of organizations need online/remote volunteers to lend a hand. If you’re fluent in another language, for example, you could volunteer your services as a translator. If you want to advocate and help people going through mental health crises, you could volunteer for an organization like Crisis Text Line.[3]
  4. How.com.vn English: Step 4 Treat the application like a job.
    A lot of volunteer positions need you to fill out an application form. Give this application the same focus and attitude that you’d give a job application, and double-check the organization's requirements (if they provide any) to make sure that you’re a good fit.
    • Similar to a job application, check in with the organization to see the status of your application.
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Section 4 of 4:

Benefits of Volunteering

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 You make a difference in your community.
    The world doesn’t improve in large, grandiose leaps, but in small, intentional steps. By dedicating your time and resources to a specific cause, you are doing your part to make the world a better place in your own way. Even the smallest gestures can have a momentous impact!
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 You meet new people.
    Volunteering is an amazing way to make friends who share the same values as you. It’s also a helpful way to make connections after moving to a new neighborhood.[4]
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 You finetune your social skills.
    Maybe you feel a little nervous and awkward when you connect with others—that’s totally valid! Many volunteering opportunities give you the chance to beef up your communication skills as you work with and assist a wide variety of people.[5]
  4. How.com.vn English: Step 4 Your mental and physical health get a boost.
    It feels good to help others and make a difference—in fact, the frequent social demands of volunteering can help stave off isolating mental illnesses like depression. Volunteering offers plenty of other health benefits, too, like boosting your lifespan and lowering your chance of developing symptoms for illnesses like heart disease.[6]
  5. How.com.vn English: Step 5 You get one step ahead in your career.
    Plenty of volunteering positions give you valuable training and skills that you can apply to future careers. For example, if you’re hoping to start a career in psychology or social work, you could volunteer at a domestic violence shelter and learn how to properly interact with and advocate for victims.[7]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What are the best volunteer opportunities?
    How.com.vn English: Archana Ramamoorthy, MS
    Archana Ramamoorthy, MS
    Chief Technology Officer, Workday
    Archana Ramamoorthy is the Chief Technology Officer, North America at Workday She is a product ninja, security advocate, and on a quest to enable more inclusion in the tech industry. Archana received her BS from SRM University and MS from Duke University and has been working in product management for over 8 years.
    How.com.vn English: Archana Ramamoorthy, MS
    Chief Technology Officer, Workday
    Expert Answer
    Focus on what you are passionate about. When I was looking for volunteering opportunities, I thought about what I really wanted to give back to people. Leadership is one area I'm very passionate about, so I wanted to see how I could help women develop leadership skills.
  • Question
    Where can I find work in a voluntary organization?
    How.com.vn English: Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Look online for opportunities near you or reach out to an organization in your area.
  • Question
    Where can a kid volunteer at?
    How.com.vn English: Life attache
    Life attache
    Community Answer
    A kid can volunteer at many places! Just check the age requirements and/or if a parent/guardian needs to accompany you before you sign up. The organization's website might have this information, or a phone number you could call to find out.
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      About This Article

      How.com.vn English: Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS
      Co-authored by:
      Clinical Psychologist
      This article was co-authored by Asa Don Brown, PhD, DNCCM, FAAETS and by How.com.vn staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Dr. Asa Don Brown is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of experience. He specializes in working with families, children, and couples, treating a variety of psychological disorders, trauma, and abuse. Dr. Brown has specialized in negotiation and profiling. He is also a prolific author having published three books and numerous articles in magazines, journals, and popular publications. Dr. Brown earned a BS in Theology and Religion with a minor in Marketing and an MS in Counseling with a specialization in Marriage and Family from The University of Great Falls. Furthermore, he received a PhD in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology from Capella University. He is also a candidate for a Masters of Liberal Arts through Harvard University. Dr. Brown is a Fellow of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and a Diplomate for the National Center for Crisis Management and continues to serve a number of psychological and scientific boards. This article has been viewed 496,376 times.
      1 votes - 100%
      Co-authors: 62
      Updated: February 23, 2024
      Views: 496,376
      Article SummaryX

      To volunteer, start by searching for an organization that focuses on something you feel strongly about, like an animal shelter if you have a passion for animals, or a hospital if you are interested in medicine. If you need helping finding a place to volunteer, use a website like serve.gov to help you choose one that matches what you’re interested in. You can also ask friends where they volunteer and ask them for feedback on their experience to help you make a decision. For tips on what to do if you’re unhappy in your volunteer position, keep reading.

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      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 496,376 times.

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        Jane Kappa

        Jun 9, 2017

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