What are some of the best practices and tools for organizing and documenting your volunteering activities?

1 Plan your goals and expectations

Before you start volunteering, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how much time and energy you can commit. This will help you choose the right opportunities, set realistic expectations, and avoid burnout. You can use a SMART framework to define your goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, you might want to volunteer for 10 hours a month at a local animal shelter, learn how to care for different animals, and make 5 new connections in the field.

3 Document your achievements and skills

Volunteering can help you develop valuable skills and experiences that can boost your resume, portfolio, or profile. You should document your achievements and skills in a way that highlights your contributions, outcomes, and learnings. You can use a STAR method to describe your achievements: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. For example, you might write: "Organized a fundraising event for the animal shelter, raising $5000 and attracting 50 new donors (Result) by creating a social media campaign, contacting sponsors, and managing logistics (Action) as part of a team of 10 volunteers (Task) in response to a budget shortfall (Situation)." You can also use online platforms like LinkedIn, Coursera, or Degreed to showcase your skills and certifications.

4 Build and maintain your network

Volunteering can help you meet new people who share your interests, values, or goals. You can use your network to find more opportunities, get referrals, or learn from others. You should build and maintain your network by following some simple tips: introduce yourself, exchange contact information, follow up, stay in touch, and offer support. You can use tools like email, social media, or networking apps like Bumble Bizz or Shapr to communicate and connect with your contacts.

5 Reflect and evaluate your experience

Volunteering can also help you grow personally and professionally. You should reflect and evaluate your experience regularly to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. You can use a SWOT analysis to assess your experience: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. For example, you might find that you are good at organizing events (Strength), but you struggle with public speaking (Weakness), you can pursue a career in event management (Opportunity), or you face competition from other volunteers (Threat). You can also use tools like journals, blogs, or podcasts to share your insights and feedback.

Volunteering is a rewarding and enriching activity that can benefit you and your community. By following these best practices and tools, you can organize and document your volunteering activities effectively and efficiently.

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?