Happy New Year owlies!
Have you made your resolution for this year? I hope it’s volunteering (hint hint nudge nudge).
So you go to Do Something Good to look for opportunities and you find twenty events to choose from, and they all look equally good. How do you decide? Here are some handy guidelines for you to narrow down your options.
How much time can you commit?
Be realistic. Between family and work or school, you might not be able to volunteer every weekend, but you might be able to spend an hour or two every other Saturday morning or on Friday night. Also, consult your schedule first before signing up to make sure you’re free. It’s never good to cancel at the last minute, or worst, not show up at all! (Bad owlie!)
What are your skills and areas of interests?
Do things that you are good at, and enjoy doing. Are you good at communicating? Love interacting with children? Then volunteer to teach the little ones, or just read for them. If you are an amazing coder who can create a website in your sleep, then help the charity organisation set up or maintain its website!
What are you comfortable with?
Know what you’re getting into. You might have to spend a weekend in a rural area with no electricity, away from your usual comforts. And instead of a bed, you would have to share a tent with someone you just met, and 300 other mosquitoes. This might be an amazing weekend for some, but if the great outdoors is a no-no for you, you should stick with something less adventurous.
Is the place accessible for you?
Think ahead. If the volunteering event finishes at midnight and you went there using public transport, do you have transportation back? You might end up stranded in the middle of nowhere. Always make sure you have your transport and safety covered.
What are their requirements?
Make sure you tick their boxes. They might need a Hobbit between 20-35 years old who is not uncorrupted by power to help carry the One Ring to Mordor. Are you the chosen one?
I hope this has been helpful for you to decide where to do something good this year. :)
Happy volunteering!
