Contributing
The Art of Volunteering
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Volunteer opportunities with:
children
the environment
people
I found the following
'Guide to Volunteering' on the State of Florida website for the Department of Elder Affairs.
It had alot of information about the elderly volunteering that I left out. I think it asks alot of questions that
would be useful in helping you make a volunteering commitment to an organization
"An Invitation To Volunteering"
Volunteering is one of the best-kept health secrets in this country.
Studies show that people who volunteer actually
live longer and happier.
WHY VOLUNTEER?
Throughout your life you have seen things that you liked and disliked about
our cities, schools, hospitals and communities. You knew there were problems
you could help solve, contributions you could make but your time and
opportunities were limited due to career and family responsibilities.
Perhaps, things have changed now, and you do have time to volunteer.
Volunteering can be a way to bridge a transitional time in your life, such
as when you move to a new area, retire or have a change in your life
through divorce or the loss of a spouse.
Facts:
You and your life experiences, accumulated skills and wisdom are priceless
commodities.
No gift of time is too small.
The need for volunteers in all types of positions is great.
By helping others you find you benefit yourself.
Volunteering can introduce you to new people, new skills and add meaning and
joy to your life.
An added benefit is that volunteering has been shown to aid in keeping
people healthier, happier, and prolonging life expectancy!
WHERE WOULD MY TALENTS BEST BE UTILIZED?
Take a moment to reflect on your accomplishments and interests.
What in your life have you enjoyed doing the most? It has been shown
that commitment is the key to a successful volunteer experience so finding
a cause or organization that you believe in is very important.
The more committed you are in your contribution the more value your
community receives and the more you get out of the experience. Think
about what interests you and where you feel there is a need in your
community. Chances are there is a way to volunteer your time to benefit
that need.
THE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Volunteers can be found in homes, offices, schools, hospitals, parks,
theaters, zoos, airports, and many other places in your community. The
locations of the volunteer experience vary as much as volunteer assignments.
What location would best suit you? Do you want to serve with one person, a
large group or alone? No matter what your preference, organizations seeking
volunteers have a variety of positions available. The organization may need
people at the front desk in the office, behind the scenes working on
organizational needs, helping with administrative tasks, or out in the
community. Depending on the type of organization, volunteers may be
serving adults, children, animals, in gardens or in many other places.
The amount of time spent volunteering varies as well. Depending on your
schedule you may wish to volunteer a certain amount of time per week or
month. You may wish to volunteer on one particular project until it is
completed. By working on one project your commitment to an organization
will last for a definite period of time. It is also possible in some
organizations to share your volunteer position with another person. In
that way you can adjust the amount of time you volunteer to fit your
schedule.
THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION
You can expect to begin your volunteer experience with an interview with a
member of the organization you have selected. In this interview, you will
explain the skills and expertise you possess that would be beneficial to the
organization. The organization should provide you with descriptions of
positions available and the amount of time each position requires. Initially
you may not see how you can fit into the organization but keep an open mind
and explore all possibilities. Organizations seeking volunteers are often in
need of people to help organize a specific program or event. This is an
excellent place to offer to volunteer. While you are working, you will get
to know the organization and will be better able to evaluate where you
might like to devote additional time.
The organization should provide training for your position and periodic
evaluations. These evaluations should allow for dialogue on how the program
is progressing and how you are feeling about your volunteering experience.
In your meeting with organization staff, you may want to ask the following
questions:
Is there a written description for the position I am considering?
How much time does this position require?
Are the hours flexible or set?
Can I volunteer for a limited period of time; for example, six months?
Is liability insurance provided for volunteers in case of injury on the job?
How much training will be provided?
Are continuing guidance, education and training available while I am
volunteering?
Do I need a car for the position?
Is a stipend provided or are expenses such as mileage reimbursed?
Who do I report to and how often?
Remember - every life is precious and even if only one life is impacted by
your effort as a volunteer that is a major accomplishment. And who knows --
the one life that benefits may be your own!
HOW TO FIND THE ORGANIZATION FOR YOU
I have created links to various organizations,... you just have to explore them and see whet seems right to you...
This site links to many of the organizations listed in chapter 12 (page 327);Although there are plenty of additional volunteer opportunities.
I listed local chapters as well as the national organizations for most of the sites, since not everybody is in Orlando. =)
I divided the organizations into the following catagories:
Volunteer opportunities working with children
Volunteer opportunities working with the environment
Volunteer opportunities working with people
After you have surfed around the volunteer sites awhile take this survey
Volunteer Survey
This is a very interesting site, it includes information about volunteering online. As well as a search database for volunteer opportunities. Be sure to check this out:
http://www.impactonline.org
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