You've been laid off. How can volunteering help you get back on your feet?

1 What is lean manufacturing?

Lean manufacturing is a philosophy and a set of practices that aim to eliminate waste, improve quality, and increase customer value. Waste can be anything that does not add value to the product or service, such as defects, overproduction, inventory, waiting, motion, transportation, or overprocessing. Lean manufacturing focuses on creating a continuous flow of value from the customer's perspective, using tools such as value stream mapping, 5S, kaizen, kanban, and poka-yoke.

2 Why volunteer after a layoff?

Volunteering after a layoff can have many benefits for your personal and professional development. For instance, it can boost morale and confidence, expand your network and connections, enhance your skills and knowledge, and fill the gap in your resume. Volunteering can help you cope with stress, anxiety, and depression by giving you a sense of purpose, belonging, and achievement. It can also expose you to new people, organizations, and industries that may offer you support, advice, or opportunities. Furthermore, it can help you showcase your skills, talents, and personality to potential employers or collaborators. Additionally, volunteering can help you learn new things, practice existing skills, or develop new ones. It can also help you keep up with the latest trends and innovations in your field or explore new interests and passions. Finally, it can demonstrate your commitment to social causes, values, and ethics.

3 How to choose a volunteering opportunity?

When selecting a volunteering opportunity, there are several factors to consider, such as your goals and motivations, availability and flexibility, skills and experience, and preferences and values. Ask yourself what you want to achieve or learn from volunteering, how much time and energy you can devote to it, what skills and experience you have that can benefit the organization or cause, what type of organization or cause you want to support, and what kind of culture or atmosphere you enjoy. Additionally, think about how the volunteering opportunity aligns with your career aspirations or personal interests. You can find volunteering opportunities online, through word-of-mouth, or by contacting local organizations directly.

4 How to apply lean principles to volunteering?

Volunteering can be a great way to apply and practice lean principles in a different context. To do that, you should first identify the value and the waste - what value are you creating for the organization, cause, or beneficiaries? What waste is preventing you from delivering that value? Then, use lean tools and techniques to eliminate or minimize any identified waste. For instance, value stream mapping can be used to visualize and streamline processes, 5S to organize and optimize the workspace, kaizen for continuous improvement, kanban to manage the work flow, and poka-yoke to prevent errors. Finally, measure and monitor the results of your volunteering activities by using data and feedback. Evaluate how your work is contributing to the organization's or cause's goals and objectives; how it is improving quality and efficiency; how it is satisfying customer or beneficiary needs and expectations.

5 How to leverage your volunteering experience for your career?

Volunteering can be a great asset for your career, especially after a layoff. To leverage your volunteering experience, update your resume and portfolio to highlight the name and description of the organization, the duration and frequency of your volunteering, the skills and knowledge you used or gained, and the achievements and impacts you made. Additionally, use your volunteering stories and testimonials to showcase your personality, values, strengths, accomplishments, challenges, and learnings. Networking is also important; use your volunteering network and connections to expand your career opportunities. Reach out to the people you met or worked with during your volunteering for referrals, recommendations, or introductions. Keep in touch with them regularly and update them on your progress.