Volunteering

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I've vollunteered somewhere for 3 years, but suddenly felt I was being taken advantage of, and started getting no thanks for coming in and helping out almost everyday, so I gave it up, now having less confidence in myself than I did before I started.

I volunteer at a hospital - only because I absolutely adore hospitals.

However, when I'm 16 (there's only so much you can do at 15...), I want to volunteer at an animal shelter, and with Autistic children.

Currently volunteering for a start-up non-profit specializing in career support for aspies. I've built the website, done marketing work, and other cool stuff.

I always encourage my clients to volunteer even if it is virtually as it helps build skills, improves self esteem and is an excellent way of demonstrating what value you can provide so that if a position or interested hiring person sees it the interview will go smoother.

Once I Volunteered to play Elvis for a company party and was offered jobs as an Elvis impersonator by the catering manager. It was a nice way to earn some extra cash and when you play Elvis you would be amazed at what you can get away with.

I volunteer at and through church - usually to bring religious services to shut-ins (who really just want someone to talk to), or as a member of a work-party for someone who has become ill and can't do their housework. Sometimes I'll buy groceries for a friend or neighbor who is a little short of cash that month. Occassionally, I will invite a street person into Denny's for a free meal. I've donated blood, and used to be on the bone-marrow registry until I started taking heart medications.

I prefer the direct method to simply mailing off a cheque to a registered charity - it's much more gratifying.

Haha much obliged!! XD is this you in your avatar? do you work with horses?

@amajanshi, that's cool, because now when you want to apply for a job as a chasier, you already have past experience and that's gona help a bunch.

@lene I want his job too... When I was little I too wanted to volunteer at the animal shelter. I think it's so much funworking with animals. Coz unlike humans they actually thank you later and love you for takeing care/feeding them.

@haruka NP man, and I agree with your last words, very smart. I think it's no problem to find somewhere to volunteer at, there are alot of places like that everywhere. Just find one that you'll have fun going to, you shouldn't "suffer" while doing it IMO so pick a place you love.

@Joe90 that's harsh... If you don't get gratitude and appreciation for your work just quit because taking advantage of non-paying employees is very cruel IMO. Find someplace else, don't give up. Most people who volunteer are very kind and thoughtful, so maybe try working with other volunteers.

@meow1971 LOL that's the most baller volunteering job evaa did you get alot of girls for that?

@Fnord that's very kind of you. Buying someone hungry a free meal is not something most people would do! keep it up!

Do you know what is so sad about his? 5 out of the last 7 people that I've offered this to have demanded the money instead.

I will feed them, but I will not support their tobacco, drug, or alcohol habits.

Exactly.

I always want to volunteer but I never do. The idea of going someplace to volunteer where I don't know anyone and don't know what to expect scares me out of volunteering. There are lots of volunteer opportunities that sounded wonderful, but I just can't really get myself to actually follow through.

@FearofMusic Volunteer Match has an option where you can look for virtual volunteer work that does not require going to a new place.

Also, Project Gutenberg has some excellent virtual volunteer opportunities that you might like.

Thank you for the links, I will take a look at them.

I volunteer with disabled kids. Partly because I want to work with disabled people and volunteering will look good on a resume, partly because I'm obsessively interested in disabilities, and partly because I'm lonely and I relate better to disabled people than non-disabled people.

My older brother is this way. He will buy a meal for a homeless person but will not hand over any cash, for the same reasons.

What if they want to buy something else? Like a night at a cheap hotel, or some clothes, or whatever.

Personally, I don't feel it's any of my business what they spend it on. I'll give them a bit of money just to give them a chance, but if they waste it that's not my fault. And I find it kind of patronizing to tell someone else 'I'm going to buy it for you instead of giving you money because I think you'll misspend it'.

Volunteering completely changed myself and my life for the better, a million percent! I am currently building a new career due to volunteering.

Because I was a volunteer, it got "my foot in the door" and I have been contracted as a self-employed conservator on several occasions (EARNING MONEY! YAY!).
I am studying at an evening class and hope to go to Uni in 2012 to get a degree to boost my employment prospects.
I love my job and I really can't see myself doing any other kind of occupation as a long-term career ever again. I never even knew this industry existed before I started volunteering and I am so much happier where I am now than in any other employment or occupation I have ever done (and believe me there are a LOT!)
I would recommend volunteering to anyone as a great enhancement to life, CV, knowledge and skills.
Don't think of it as "working for free" think of it as investing in yourself!
You are worth it!

If anyone would like to talk to me about volunteering, feel free to PM me!

I can identify with what you are saying here, but one has to take the plunge in life sooner or later. A lot of life involves "going somewhere where you don't know anyone and don't know what to expect". I know meeting new people and experiencing new places can be really daunting, but are you fulfilled merely "existing"? One has to take risk to have the chance to gain.
With volunteering I find there is a lot less pressure than if one is a paid employee and if you don't like it, you don't have to go ever again. You owe it to yourself to try, as, after all, your top goal is probably to have a job and earn money at the end of the day. If you are defeatist it limits your options and is not fair to yourself when you have so much to offer the world!
It took me a long time to take the plunge and I got SO much out of it and am so glad I did, I wish I had done it ten years ago.

I volunteered at a residential youth retreat centre after I left school but completely burnt out and ended up leaving early. Not that there weren't some positive aspects to it.

More recently I have been doing some more low-key volunteering (just a few hours a week). I was doing data-entry for one charity and working as a befriender for a mental health charity for about a year but stopped both when the schools broke up for summer as I couldn't afford to pay for childcare for my daughter and at the time was toying with doing something else in September.

I am currently planning to start volunteering at a day centre for adults with learning disabilities one day a week - just waiting for my CRB check to come back.

I am not sure how to get back into work at the moment, whether I could cope with a proper job, or what direction to go in, so volunteering is giving me something to do and allowing me to test the waters in different directions.