10 Effective Ways to Volunteer For A Cause
The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that the essence of life is “to serve others and do good.”
Everyone is involved in their work and busy. With a hectic lifestyle, it can be demanding to find time to volunteer. It makes less sense to those who have never volunteered before. The benefits of volunteering can be enormous. Volunteering can bring communities closer as they are helping each other.
It has a beneficial impact on individuals who are involved in it because volunteering brings mental peace and also helps to keep physically active. It reduces stress, keeps you mentally stimulated, and increases self-confidence. It helps to increase social and relationship skills and builds connections with others.
Typically Volunteering is the backbone of Non-Profit organizations or community-driven social initiatives. However, corporates are also promoting volunteering for their CSR activities. At UPDEED, you will find a number of ways in which you can either volunteer for cause that you believe in or find volunteers for your organization. Volunteering is always a gratifying experience no matter how and for which organization you do it. If you haven’t signed up for volunteering, here are 11 things to keep in mind while volunteering to make it an experience of a lifetime!
CHOOSE A CHARITY THAT IS LEGITIMATE
There are a plethora of charities that are looking for volunteers. Not every organization is up to the mark of providing a gratifying experience for volunteers. A bad experience for first-time volunteers can break trust in volunteering itself.
It is important to choose the organization wisely. Background research on the organization before joining ensures that the charity puts all its resources to good use.
Check out the UPDEED profile of the NGO or the organization. See in what activities they are involved in and which change makers they support or follow. You can also message them and talk to them on UPDEED to clarify any doubts.
Learn about the tasks, the level of commitment needed, and any required training before applying.
DETERMINE THE TIME
Every volunteer needs to understand the time they are going to devote to the activity. A few students take it up as a full-time learning experience during vacations, while a few working men do it on weekends. It is always better to volunteer when you are not preoccupied.
Time management and determination are important while volunteering. Identify how many hours and days a week or month you can commit yourself to the position. If you find it difficult, then choose an organization that offers time flexibility.
CREATE A VOLUNTEER RESUME
When applying for a volunteer position, don’t just assume that they will take you in. Volunteering is not easy, and many people want to have a taste of this gratifying experience.
To cut the line, make a volunteer resume. If you have never volunteered before, you can get creative and attach a cover letter explaining why you want to volunteer.
This will add seriousness to your application. The organization is also looking for smart but sincere candidates. A volunteer resume tells how much you are interested in the volunteers and what it means to you.
If you have previous experience, then creating a volunteer resume that lists all previous volunteer experience, skills, and interests can be a great asset when applying for opportunities. A resume helps to find the most appropriate position in organizations.
Secret Tip: Once you have your CV ready. You can go on UPDEED and show it to change makers working for the same cause. They can then recommend you modification or recommend you to organizations who are working for the same cause.
EXPLORE YOUR SKILLS
Volunteering is all about exploring yourself. It is going one step beyond to help other human beings in need. When you volunteer, don’t just limit yourself to your core skills or things you have experienced before.
Good organizations want their volunteers to be creative, not just follow orders. It is the right position to acquire any skills you are looking for or things you always wanted to learn. There is a need to keep an eye on the accounts; just go with it. You will learn a thing or two about numbers.
It is always better to keep learning and experiencing new things. Once you make it a habit, you will find that learning new things while helping others is so addictive that you will never get out of it!
CONSIDER USING A VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY
The Best way to find volunteer opportunities is to be a part of such a community. With everything online these days, you can easily find it on social media or you can just log in to UPDEED and connect with thousands of change makers globally.
Renowned change makers will help you find ways to demonstrate skills, preferences, and opportunities best suited for you. If you want to go one step further, They will also help you to build a career in social work if that’s what you are looking for.
Having a volunteer community is a great way to understand what is happening globally and keep yourself updated.
FUNDRAISE
Your organization is passionate about a cause but to reach your goal; you will require financing. To volunteer for a good cause, fundraising is important. Whether fighting for a global cause like climate change or donating to the unprivileged section of society, you need to go for fundraising.
This does not necessarily have to be restricted to raising money. It can be a food drive or water drive in summer, or a blankets drive during winter. For the environment, it can be a plantation program. For the education of children, it can be raising funds for academic things necessary for the children.
Fundraising is not easy. Convincing people to believe in your cause can be a tough sell. However, if you are part of a fundraising activity, you will learn a lot. It always adds to your CV even when you go for any non-volunteer position in your career.
Secret Tip: Once a fundraising activity is planned, you can connect with change-makers globally fighting for the same cause on UPDEED. They can guide you about the dos and don’ts of fundraising and point you in the right direction to get them easily.
PRO-EDUCATION
Whether you are volunteering for any cause, always try to have to experience volunteer for education. It is one of the top priorities for any government or society, which is often overlooked.
Education is a basic need to create a sustainable future, especially for unprivileged children. Volunteering for organizations that are working for the education of children can be a rewarding experience.
Education is not limited to just children. It can also be about spreading awareness. Many organizations educate women about menstrual hygiene, unwanted pregnancies, etc.
Teaching children can be a fun activity, but it teaches another important aspect for any society, i.e., society’s real grassroots level situation. There is no doubt that people who volunteered for esteemed ‘for education NGOs’ like Teach For India are getting an extra edge in their careers.
HAVE A LEARNING MINDSET
For volunteering, you need to have a learning mindset. There are going to be many unpleasant situations that can arise in your stint as a volunteer. A good learning attitude with adaptability is required while facing such problems.
Many social activists who started their journey from volunteering have stated that their learning attitude from situations made them stronger.
BE PROFESSIONAL
Non-profit organizations rely on volunteers for many of their duties. Being reliable and professional makes a positive impact on everyone. Show up on time, show your commitment and be professional while performing.
This professionalism can help you with more volunteering gigs and make your resume stand out.
BE A CHANGE MAKER
Don’t shy away from showing your positive deeds when you are working for a cause. If you don’t tell, then who will? Always make sure that people know what impact you are creating with your work and how it rewards you. After all, sharing is caring.
You actually have a shot at becoming a global change maker through volunteering and get appreciated. To show your work, joining UPDEED could be the best thing. UPDEED is a networking platform to showcase good things people do.
It brings the change-makers together in one platform to showcase social objectives to share and appreciate positive stories. Updeed is suitable for all those looking forward to positively changing or becoming part of a positive change in the world.
In conclusion, volunteering makes a difference in society. Books written thousands of years ago recommend it, and the latest research points to the happiness associated with volunteering.
The benefits of volunteering can last a lifetime. It means to give your time and aid to others without the want of financial compensation. Volunteering your time, skills, and resources is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference in society and help others. It has certainly been the fuel to the fires of change in society.
If you are serious about volunteering or connecting with someone for guidance, then UPDEED is the right platform for you. You can connect with thousands of organizations and individual change-makers who can help you with Volunteering for the right organizations.
