How do you choose the right organization to volunteer for?

All the above are great. I have been volunteering since I was a child. Opportunities with my mother, got me started. So you are never too young. If you are a parent, volunteering with your child begins the understanding that we give back to community. We learn to share, be kind and learn from others we meet.

When it comes to connecting with a Volunteer Role - simply be lead by your heart. The beauty of volunteering is the opportunity it creates to explore, be creative be unbounded by expectations or requirements and simply show up as a human being and help one another in a way that makes sense, feels right for you.

I agree. Simply be led by your heart. If you do so, doors will open inside whatever organization you volunteer in and you will have the joy and satisfaction of doing what you love. I have volunteered for countless causes and organizations. The one that did change my life was volunteering for the Peace Corps. Once I did that I went to Swaziland (now called Eswatini). I loved it. Two years without a TV or washer/dryer and one year without a refrigerator. I met the woman I would eventually marry while I was there. At the end of my two years of service, I had been able to get a scholarship for a Master's degree in International Studies at Ohio University. This led me to get a job teaching English in Saudi Arabia. Follow your dreams.

My volunteer opportunities after close to home volunteering, took me out to my local hospital and opportunities to help, in my teen years was easy to find. In today's society it is much more versatile. As a parent, I watched what my children showed interest in. As a single parent, finances were tight. That shouldn't stop you, introduce volunteering as community activities, clean up (environmental), we had a membership at the Royal Botanical gardens, nature walks, trees, plants, small animals, water management, waste disposal all very great learning opportunities that take us into other stages of our lives, beyond parenting. We want to develop curiosity, learning, understanding how choices affect our life's journey.

Reflect on the ‘Issue’ that moves you, saddens you, energises and who is most at risk, most affected and seek out the people with the need first (rather than the delivery folks). Because that way you will begin your volunteer journey with a grass roots mindset and empowerment of those you seek to help - to be focused on sustainability of the help so that those you serve become better able to not need help in the long term. Think do you want to ‘give a fish’ or learn or teach ‘how to fish’? Is volunteering about you helping you - or is it a path towards sharing, connecting and oneness?

When reaching out for volunteer roles - try to remember that the voluntary org or program will be giving you an opportunity and be mindful that whilst your contribution is respected- volunteering should not be transactional in the way an employer/employee is

I ended up in the social services career stream. From babysitting jobs, I got introduced to people who forged my career direction. This is when beginning leadership skills emerge. Frightening for some, encouragement from mentors happen and finding those people who stay in your life, happens in our 20-30's. For some people parenthood doesn't happen and unfortunately marriages don't always last, so volunteering is an investment in your life! Enjoy!

Agree - get into Action and just give something a go. Action Creates Clarity. Remember that volunteering works best when everyone Wants to be there. This is not a boring office job you do to pay bills - it’s a choice, a love, a feeling of accomplishment and contribution. My 4 decades of volunteering have appeared in my life as opportunities- just like signs or flags. some i noticed, some i didn’t see. So my advice is to open your eyes to the issues you care about and look into your local community to seek others who feel like you do and create little spaces to help. Finally, if volunteering is new for you do start small, simple- no need to change the whole world just make a difference in 1 person’s day??

I think that the people close to us, the community that we live in or interact with are most deserving of whatever good that can come from us. Looking for people or causes close to us is, I believe, the best place to start.

If your volunteering is aligned with your heart , values, character then who cares how it ‘looks’ on a resume- because if a person isn’t truly connected it won’t have the impact and that will come across in any job interview. Or worse you get the job and spend years of your life doing what’s good on paper but feels ugly to live through. Ultimately to find your niche in the wider world of work Don’t contrive - Just Be You - and take rejection as a sign that’s not where you’re meant to be and knock on other doors, say hi with a smile and soon enough an employer with the same interests & values will see you and want you to join a community you feel belonging with

Remember that volunteering doesn't have to involve going out or helping people. For those who want to volunteer from home there are opportunities available. Volunteering is a good way to learn or apply skills. If it's not working out or you're not feeling valued, don't be afraid to move on.

If your particular goal is to place your volunteer experience within your résumé when applying for a specific scholarship or work position, then it is important to research what types of volunteer services are recognized by those positions. Companies and universities have their own preferences, and it is essential to understand their guidelines before signing up to volunteer. Many companies expect volunteer experience to be similar to the job you wish to apply for in order for the volunteer experience to count, while universities may wish to see volunteer commitments in alignment with humanitarian efforts and acts of community service.

It is helpful often to consider and understand firstly your skills, goals, passion, vision and the impact you envision for you personal and professional development. Volunteering then comes with mapping all your factors into various organization, engaging and generating relationships along your journey brings further awareness and guiding principle along one's path.