How to Get Started Volunteering

As you prepare to volunteer, take time to consider what would make an opportunity a productive experience for you. Finding the right role will increase the likelihood that the experience will be mutually beneficial for you and the organization hosting the opportunity. When you're committed and feel valued, the impact you'll have on the community you're serving will be enhanced tenfold!

What’s important to you in a volunteer opportunity? Here are some guiding questions to ask yourself: 

• Is this opportunity issue-oriented or skill-oriented? Some people care more about working on a particular issue, such as animal welfare or early childhood education, and less about the skills they’ll be applying or acquiring in their volunteer capacity. Others are the opposite—more interested in the skills than the issue.
• What is the size of the organization? Larger organizations, such as museums and mentoring programs, tend to have robust volunteer management programs that offer significant structure and support to volunteers. Smaller organizations might not have a staff person dedicated to volunteer management, meaning you may be required to take more initiative with your role. 
• What is the time commitment? Opportunities can vary; from an annual beach clean up day to teaching English to new immigrants twice a week for a year. 
• Would you provide direct service or work behind the scenes? Direct service roles put you at the front lines of serving a particular community, such as mentoring a child or serving food at a local shelter. Other roles are equally important, but not front-facing, such as providing administrative and technical support.

Once you’re clear on what you’re looking for, you’re ready to start your search! Here are some tips:

• Start with your network! Talk with friends, colleagues, and family members for recommendations on organizations that match your criteria.
• Are there organizations you admire or are familiar with? Who has a good reputation in your community? Which organizations have you donated to?
• Many communities have a volunteer center with staff who can help match you with the right volunteer opportunity. They may even have an online database where you can sift through opportunities yourself.
• Surf the web to find volunteer listings that match your country and language of interest. Right now, idealist.org has over 100,000 diverse volunteer opportunities around the world waiting for you to find them!

Once you’ve identified the opportunities that match your interests, spend some time learning more about roles and organizations (for a one-day volunteer gig, or something that you'll only do sporadically, it's not worth investing a lot of time in this discovery phase).

Tips for investigating a volunteer opportunity

• Visit the organization's website to learn about their programs and activities, staff size, affiliations with other organizations and finances. 
• Reach out to the staff person responsible for engaging volunteers—typically the volunteer manager or someone in human resources—to ask questions about the role and the level of support you’ll have as a volunteer. 
• Think about questions to ask this person, such as:
• Does this position require training?
• Who would I be working with/reporting to?
• What are typical challenges faced by volunteers in this role?
• When would the opportunity start, if my application is accepted?
• Can I speak with former volunteers to learn about their experiences?

Once you’ve accepted a volunteer role with an organization, it’s in your best interest and theirs that you have a positive experience. It is reasonable for you to expect clarity about your volunteer role, such as what is expected of you and what you'll stand to learn there.

Additionally, you'll want to make sure your work feels valuable, for both you and the organization. While some volunteer opportunities have a less obvious impact (such as by providing administrative support), the organization should clearly state how your efforts are helping them care for the community. If things don't feel right, talk to your volunteer manager or supervisor before quitting; these are important contacts in the social-impact sector, and you never want to leave an experience on a bad note.

That being said, if the opportunity has turned into something you did not expect or makes you uncomfortable in any way, you should feel free to leave. By maintaining open and clear communication with the organization, you should never feel stuck in a volunteer opportunity that doesn't serve you.

Volunteering = career development

Whether you are currently unemployed, completing your degree, or simply considering future career possibilities, volunteering is an ideal way to:

• Develop new skills
• Apply your existing skills in new ways and in new environments (not to mention, for those who aren't currently employed in their fields, simply keep them sharp)
• Explore new career paths
• Expand your personal and professional networks
• Get on the radar of hiring professionals, giving them the opportunity to see you in action

Here’s an example:

Erica, a 44-year-old corporate accountant at a large multinational company, has recently been laid off and is looking for a new job. While job searching, she takes on a volunteer role for a local environmental organization, serving as an advisor on their financial policies and practices. In this capacity, she's expanding her professional experience by tailoring the skills honed at her company to the needs of a small, grassroots, mission-driven organization. She is developing new strategies and adopting a more flexible approach to her craft.

As a volunteer, Erica's network has expanded, which is helping her identify potential job opportunities. For example, Erica's supervisor at the organization is impressed by her performance, and thus inquires on Erica's behalf about job openings within their network. At the same time, given her passion for climate change, Erica is also considering looking for finance roles at nonprofit organizations, something she had not considered before.

Working toward professional goals and helping to make a difference in the world are not mutually exclusive. By finding an opportunity that aligns with your interests, you can make a bigger impact in your community and the world at large—I call that a win!