How can you find volunteering opportunities that offer leadership and management experience?

1 Identify your goals

Before you start looking for volunteering opportunities, it is important to identify your goals and motivations. What kind of leadership and management experience are you looking for? Do you want to lead a team, manage a project, or coordinate an event? What skills do you want to improve or learn? How much time and commitment can you offer? Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve and why will help you narrow down your options and find the best fit for you.

2 Research the options

There are many ways to find volunteering opportunities that offer leadership and management experience. You can start by searching online platforms, such as VolunteerMatch, Idealist, or DoSomething, that connect volunteers with various causes and organizations. You can filter your search by location, interest, skills, or duration, and look for roles that involve leadership or management responsibilities. You can also check out local nonprofits, community groups, or social enterprises that might need your help. You can contact them directly and ask if they have any leadership or management positions available, or if they would be willing to create one for you.

3 Apply and prepare

Once you have found some potential volunteering opportunities, you need to apply and prepare for them. Depending on the organization and the role, you might need to submit a resume, a cover letter, or a portfolio that showcases your skills and experience. You might also need to go through an interview process, where you can demonstrate your interest, enthusiasm, and suitability for the position. To prepare for the application and the interview, you should do some research on the organization and the cause, and think of some examples of how you have used or developed your leadership and management skills in the past.

4 Learn and grow

After you have secured a volunteering opportunity that offers leadership and management experience, you should make the most of it. You should treat it as a learning opportunity, where you can gain valuable insights, feedback, and mentorship from your supervisors, peers, and beneficiaries. You should also seek out challenges, where you can stretch your abilities, solve problems, and innovate. You should also reflect on your performance, where you can identify your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. By doing so, you will not only contribute to a meaningful cause, but also enhance your leadership and management potential.

5 Showcase your achievements

Finally, you should showcase your achievements and outcomes from your volunteering experience. You should update your resume, your LinkedIn profile, or your portfolio with the details of your role, your responsibilities, and your accomplishments. You should also ask for references, testimonials, or endorsements from your supervisors, peers, or beneficiaries, who can vouch for your skills and impact. You should also share your stories, insights, and lessons learned with your network, your colleagues, or your future employers, who might be interested in your volunteering experience and how it has shaped your leadership and management style.

Volunteering can be a rewarding and challenging way to develop your leadership and management experience. By following these tips, you can find and pursue volunteering opportunities that suit your goals, skills, and interests, and that can help you grow personally and professionally.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?