You want to gain experience in a new field. How can you use volunteering to do it?

To begin with, think about your interests and hobbies. What activities do you enjoy doing in your free time? What topics or issues are you passionate about? Next, consider your values and strengths. What are the values that are important to you? Are you a good communicator, problem-solver, or team player? Reflect on your strengths and how you can apply them in a volunteer setting. Furthermore, think about the skills you want to develop or improve. Are you looking to gain experience in a specific field or enhance your existing skills? Use your answers as a guide to narrow down your options and find a volunteer opportunity that allows you to make a positive impact in the community.

Identifying roles and interests involves understanding both your own capabilities and passions, as well as the needs and opportunities present in various contexts. By conducting a thorough self-assessment, exploring opportunities, seeking feedback, experimenting, and following your passion, you can effectively identify roles and interests that align with your skills, strengths, and passions. This process will help you make informed decisions about your career path and pursue opportunities that bring fulfillment and satisfaction.

Muchas veces queremos cambiar de rumbo laboral, adquirir experiencia y aprender. Definitivamente a través del voluntariado puedes conectar con empresas sociales, organizaciones de la sociedad civil o startups. Conectarte con el campo que te apasiona te va a ayudar a tener aprendizajes profundos y así tomar decisiones. Cuando logras certificar esta experiencia, puedes respaldar tu hoja de vida, puedes además adquirir competencias como trabajar en equipo, desarrollar la creatividad y la innovación, la recursividad, la comunicación asertiva. Ser voluntario te expone a contextos en donde TIENES que hacer uso de estas competencias y de esa manera sobresalir en tu campo profesional. En Azaí ofrecemos experiencias voluntarias de aprendizaje.

O voluntariado precisa ser encarado como uma forma de você impactar a sociedade. Por vezes, as pessoas encaram como assistencialismo, e este é um pensamento equivocado. Quando você faz algo que possa vir a melhorar sistema, a sociedade, aí sim, você está deixando algo em retribui??o a sociedade. O voluntariado sendo feito para ganhar curtidas, likes e aplausos por si só, s?o perfumaria barata. Por exemplo, quando eu pego uma habilidade que eu tenho, literatura, e desenvolvo a??es nas escolas fomentando o assunto e instigando as crian?as ao hábito de ler, aí sim, estou deixando algo para a sociedade.

The first step is that you must identify what new feed you want to gain knowledge in and analyse various organizations to see the one that matches your interest.

My TIP model suggests tying your talent (what you know) with your passion (what you care about) to create impact. When you look at volunteering opportunities, list the skills and competencies you can use, and look for a cause or organisation in an area you care about where you can use your skills or develop new ones to make a difference.

Once you have identified the type of volunteering that will enable you to dedicate yourself to a particular new field, it is necessary to check the entry requirements for the position. Each with different soft and hard skills. It is necessary to avoid those positions that require previous experience. We need to look for a position that allows a change of professional orientation. It may be the case that competencies that we do not have are established as requirements. In the case of hard skills, it is always possible to acquire them by taking courses. In the case of soft skills, they are usually acquired through professional and personal experience, although there are introductory courses that serve as a basis. Experience is the priority.

I have grown up listening to a popular phrase - "Necessity is the mother of invention". When we volunteer, we are often in an environment which is high demanding, high impact and limited resource centre which can make you or break you. Usually, the focused volunteers are able to build the necessary skills in continuum to the needs of the given task. I have often seen the best social media manager, creatives', campaigners, Leaders come from the social sector. Also the exposure provided for the on ground activities helps you rationalise and understand the feasibility of execution. All these help you learn and understand the skills deeper and use them in the right way.

Once the organization has accepted the application, it is necessary to carry out the execution of the activity in the chosen position. This is the time to apply both innate skills and those developed through work experience. Volunteering places us in a different context, with direct impact on the social environment as well as on a human level (more sensitive). This in itself constitutes a learning experience. Our role will be related to the new profession to so in a way the learning is double. As it is an unpaid position, the level of criticality is lower, as well as the level of responsibility, so making any kind of mistake is not so penalized. Make a mental or written summary of the learning acquired would be key at the end of the day.

I remember volunteering at an NGO as a fresh law student. This allowed me to introduce myself to 50+ new people who had aligned interests. Most of them are now lawyers and my network is stronger than ever before! Stay in touch with them and showcase your experience : LinkedIn, Resume, Portfolio, etc. Keeping it stupid simple: Do it, flaunt it! :)

After completing our volunteer program, it is likely that we will have acquired some of the hard-soft skills necessary to perform our new profession. We will also have gained experience in their application in a social context, with environmental involvement or direct involvement with human beings. From there, “only” remains to expand our network of contacts in the new field where we want to develop our work activity to seek new job opportunities. It is very important to modify our résumé in a way that gives importance to our volunteering experience as well as justifying how it has made our new professional orientation possible. In addition and as an added value, it shows commitment to social issues and this will be valid for our contacts.

When volunteering to gain experience in a new field, it's not just about acquiring skills; it's also about making a positive impact and contributing meaningfully to the cause or organization you're supporting. Showing genuine care and a willingness to be helpful not only enhances your learning experience but also builds stronger connections with the community or team you're working with.

To gain experience in a new field through volunteering, start by identifying your interests and researching opportunities that align with them. Offer your existing skills while expressing a willingness to learn and develop in the new field. Seek mentorship from experienced professionals, be proactive in learning and participating, and embrace challenges to expand your knowledge. Network with others in the field and reflect on your experiences to continuously adapt and grow. Through strategic volunteering, you can gain valuable experience and skills to transition into a new field effectively.