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So you are thinking about volunteering ! I would like to present volunteering as an option for creating positive changes in our lives and one strategy for assisting us to move forward and becoming involved. Volunteering can be a safe option for achieving a range of aims such as testing out an area of service I might like to pursue for paid work or for helping me to make links in an area of interest both professionally and socially. It also can be a way to utilise my current knowledge and skills and a chance for me to develop new knowledge and skills. It is a way of meeting new people and assisting those less fortunate than ourselves. It is an opportunity for me to feel good about myself and to leave a legacy and make a difference. Current Statistics on Volunteering: Sometimes when we think of volunteers we think only of retired elderly women arranging the flowers at the local hospital. You may then be surprised that;
(Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics report of 'Voluntary Work, 2000) When volunteers were asked to give the main reason they began to volunteer, the highest response was �to help others�. After volunteering for some time, the same group was asked what they believed was the main benefit they received from their volunteer work - 59.4% cited �Personal satisfaction� Areas of Service: Volunteering occurs in a range of areas and the opportunities for people looking to volunteer are endless. Areas that have been included in the Australian Bureau of Statistics �Volunteer Work� 2000 are:
Step One: One of the things that is important to do before seeking volunteer work is to consider what you would like to get out of your time�. what is motivating you to volunteer? People�s reasons for wanting to volunteer are many and varied and may include:
The list is endless and there are no right or wrong answers. Being able to identify for yourself what you hope to gain is useful. Some people comment that they think that it is selfish to consider what they will �get out of� volunteering. I would argue that being clear about what you have to offer and what you would like to achieve is beneficial to everyone and if your needs are being met and you are enjoying the experience then everyone wins! For example if your primary motivation is to gain experience to seek paid work in a particular area, then it is possibly worth while taking the time to find out if the organisation or agency you are going to volunteer with are able to meet this kind of need. Is the role going to allow you the opportunity to gain the kind of experience you are hoping for? The organisation may undertake work in your area of interest, however are the volunteers undertaking challenging roles or are they in the office doing photo coping? It is worth exploring this further. Is the organisation willing to give you a work related reference? After a certain stated period of time some agencies will give a record of attendance only where as others will write a more in depth letter outlining your successes. If seeking a reference is one of your primary motivations then it is useful to be clear about this from the beginning and make sure that you have information about what the agency will provide. If you want to volunteer to meet people then it may be worthwhile determining the kind of opportunities available to do that. Does the organisation run a social club and can volunteers participate? Do volunteers and paid teams meet on a more social basis? Do they hold team or staff meetings and are volunteers welcome. Who makes up the team? Does the role give you the kind of contact with people you would like to have and so on. Sometimes people apply to volunteer when in actual fact a social group or a club would meet their needs better. Being clear about what you hope to gain from your time as a volunteer and clearly defining for yourself what kind of experience you would like to have is a good first step. Step Two: Once you have determined what kind of experience and gains you would like to have, then the next step is to find a suitable role in an organisation that you feel comfortable working with. Some options for finding volunteer work are: Volunteering ACT (email) Volunteer Opportunities listed on-line: Other ideas for seeking volunteer roles are approaching your local council, hospital, service club, arts centre, church group, sporting group, local animal shelter, library, school, emergency services office eg: CFS, SES, Ambulance service, community centre or community house. Again the list is endless, searching the phone book or the Internet under your area of choice may be one way to find what you are looking for. Step Three: Find out as much as you can about the organisation and what they offer to volunteers. Often many things that seem to be �standard� or �set� can sometimes be negotiated, for example, a usual volunteer shift may be from 9am to 12 noon, but this could be negotiated and can often be reduced or extended. Don�t be afraid to ask if terms can be flexible. Some questions you might like to ask when exploring different volunteering agencies are:
The above list is a guide and I suspect that you possibly wouldn�t ask every organisation all these questions. Tailor making the questions to fit with your desired outcomes would be the way to go. If for example I would like to make some new friends and that is why I wish to volunteer then I would ask questions around what kind of people and social contact I would have as part of my volunteer involvement. Summary; Sometimes choosing a volunteer role can be like finding a good counsellor or hair dresser, you may need to shop around till you find just what you are looking for. If that is the case then don�t give up. Volunteering can be rewarding, working with like minded people towards a common goal can be very satisfying. Many volunteers comment that the environment they work in, although often professional with clear expectations, are also warm, caring and supportive places to be - that leaves them feeling good about what they are doing. I would encourage you to think about volunteering as an option for taking some steps forward. What have you got to lose? I guarantee that you will have a lot to gain. |
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