Volunteer work

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I know it's not really a traditional job, but has anyone here done any kind of volunteer work? I'm thinking of getting involved in some volunteer work around where I live, and I'm curious about how people here feel about it.

Have you gotten any enjoyment out of it? Does it give you a sense of purpose and fulfilment? Does it ever get stressful or boring? What kinds of volunteer work is there and can it be dangerous?

I'm wanting to do this because I need something to fill my time other than constantly doomscrolling through Twitter (it sucks that I can't even bring myself to read, draw, play games or watch movies/television), so I'm trying to ask about this stuff so I get a good idea on what it's like before I get involved in it.

I had to to stay ok with unemployment. (not sure how to translate... 'person with a distance to regular employment')
Too good to work in a real "protected environment" and too bad to work in a regular place.

Might sound weird to work for free (well... for unemployment benefits... those good enough people are not even allowed to work for it) and not exactly appreciated everywhere (imagine someone that has to do your job for free. Or worse, your employer gets payed to replace you).

At least I didn't have to pay for volunteer work (sorry... "to be provided with a useful day to spend your time"). The one I was assigned to at first did cost me more than my income but councilor pushed to have my 'official one' assigned to the place I was voluntarily volunteering. Things went well for a while, s**t happened, managed to get back in to regular employment anyway.

On the good side... it was a different job and physical work that does keep you from thinking too much. Mostly nice people that mean well (unfortunately not always the case). It kept me from being lonely and sort of met quite a lot of nice people. Until they were not nice. One wasn't but really it was me that screwed up.

The one that cost me too much (not their fault) was the Royal Archives, digitizing old marriage records (as in typing over hand written notes in old script, french -I am of the other side of the country- and old vocabulary). Might sound tedious but some fun stuff. I was assigned a notary with quite readable writing most of the time.

The longer one was more typical volunteer work on a 'farm' (not yet official at that time) that provides horse therapy. General misc labour, rebuilding stuff (holding stuff for the one actually doing the building), fixing stuff (horses can be ... playful, cafetaria, cleaning up...). Also prepping or helping on special events (they have a few special olympics competitors). Some stuff needs to be done at certain times (you can't skip feeding the horses) but in general no time pressure and they did try to match tasks to the people available.

I do and have done volunteering before, I currently volunteer at a charity shop twice a week. I worked in two charity shops in 2012 but I didn't like it as much then, long story but I was young and stupid and made mistakes because I assumed how stuff works instead of asking. First manager didn't like me. Got kicked out. This time it's going well because I'm more mature and know when to ask for clarification on tasks and rules and that. I like the people at this shop and the higher ups are all very nice. I only do 5 hours a week so far but I might add more if and when I fancy it.

In 2014-15 I volunteered at a zoo I regularly visit. With the education department, telling the public facts and info. They put me with animals I didn't know enough care enough about (tortoises and lemurs), so I wasn't very good at striking conversation with a clearly disinterested public. I used to hide mostly. The tortoises lives opposite the bonobos at the time though so I said more about them though I wasn't "supposed" to. And answered people's chimp questions on my breaks. I didn't really do much on the lemur shifts because I was given no information to share and there were too many people and I felt lost. I talked to staff mostly. I got let go but the boss told me I was welcome back during the off-season, the other staff/volunteers must've told the boss that I was visibly suffering during peak season. If they put me with apes from the start I would've done well but that's only for paid staff for some reason. Volunteers aren't good enough, even though I know more about apes than any of the paid staff do because they're spread thin and I'm a specialist. I know because I regularly have to correct glaring errors when they do the bonobo feeding talks! I chat to people more as a knowledgable visitor than I did as a volunteer, I really hated it. Most visitors don't care and I can't rally the public, UNLESS I have a chimp fact to share then I give world leaders a run for their money. Their loss

I started out as a volunteer at one of the branches of my library. After about a year, one of the pages at the branch quit, and the position was offered to me. Fast forward 12 years, and I am now a career library assistant at a nice branch, and I am trying to get in full time.