34 replies to this topic

[Sirius]

I work at an NPO that services the inner city community where they're located. They take all clients, regardless of ability to pay and help them to the best of their ability. They also have college students as interns every semester and teach them basic work and office skills. Through them, I go to all different health fairs to give out information and talk to people about what we do etc.

[FelisNoctua]

I used to say Volunteering is my Hobby. It's taken a backseat during my masters work, but I really miss it. It's not just getting to help my community and other people (which tickles me pink) but I got lots of opportunities out of it. Volunteering at an Everglades education fest networked me to a geologist that told me about a paid internship, that I then got, which helped me get into my master's program. Volunteering pays for itself.
It also helps that there's always a beach cleanup around here. Volunteer by walking the beach (and picking up garbage, but, on a beach)? Yes Please!
 
I do donate at the checkout, but usually only once per campaign. We have Publix out here and they do a different thing each month. I usually get the top donation (they do 1,3, or 5$, most times, in exchange for useless coupons). I just feel like, I won't miss that little bit of money, but it can all add up to do a lot of good. I try to do online donations too, mostly environmental groups, or health groups / physician groups in underprivileged places. Again, I might not notice $5 right now, but that can be a huge difference somewhere else. And disaster relief too. I did my taxes in Feb, and spent way more than I thought I had last year. I kind of hid it from my husband )eek( and am trying to be more discriminating this year. We're on a tight budget, actually, so, being more careful.
 
I think that, if we can, we should. Not only because I get a great ego boost from helping others (look it up, it's a psych thing, some people think we only volunteer for ourselves and believe we aren't capable of empathizing with people we cannot see), but because so often it turns out to be fun.

[Mishelle]

When I was in school I would do a lot of volunteer work with student government. We'd register people to vote and raise money to put on functions for the students. These days I don't volunteer as much as I used to because I don't have the free time. I donate to various GoFundMe's when I have extra cash. I also signed up to canvas for Bernie Sanders. I'm hoping I get to do some phone work since I have experience doing that, and I just don't wanna have to do the walking that comes with going door to door. Last year I volunteered for FIght ALD. I poured beer at Stone Brewery's Anniversary Beer Festival. That's where I learned I suck at pouring beer.

Edited by Mishelle, 24 May 2016 - 07:03 PM.

[RedHyena]

When I was in high school I volunteered at the local library, because we were required to get a certain number of hours. Even after I met the amount, I kept going just cause I didn't have a problem with doing it and I liked the people there. A year and a half into it, I started looking for jobs, and lucky enough they had a position open around that time. Been working there for 3-ish years now and have even moved up to a higher position. It's a greaat job. So that volunteering really paid off.

 

I feel like I don't really have to time or energy to volunteer right now, with working nearly full time and taking classes. I was doing some social justice-related local work for a while, primarily focused on race and gender-related issues. I do really care about it, but again, just don't have the energy atm Someday I would like to get more solidly involved though. 

[phoenix13]

I did some volunteering at a local hospital while I studied at school. But I have stopped recently due to medical school. I do donate a few dollars at the grocery store when they have those events going on and when a group of high schoolers stand outside the grocery store asking for money I would give them a few of my dollars I have in my wallet.

[kbexx]

Do any of you volunteer? What is your favourite way to give back?

I volunteer with community legal grounds that provide legal (and non legal) assistance to vulnerable people, mainly those who are homeless or have mental illnesses. It's taken a few different forms. I gave direct legal assistance to homeless people for a while which was really quite rewarding as I was doing tangible things, but a lot of the time I've mainly been doing research work to get reports out about how to improve things. My favourite work I have done was working with a group that provide assistance for people with mental illnesses, usually helping them advocate for their rights and what not and just supporting them in reviews of treatment. Sometimes it's really rewarding but other times it is just upsetting. The most rewarding instance was when work I did directly helped someone have the recommendation that they get ECT (electro convulsive therapy) reversed. Sometimes ECT is necessary and really does help the person, but their doctor believed it wouldn't help, and she had a history of it not helping, so it was super rewarding. Another time, we helped get a deaf girl assistance with social needs. She was being held in a mental health facility as a result of a violent crime she had committed (as a result of a mental illness) and had never learnt to sign, and was not given any assistance or anything while there, so she was basically left without social interaction at all. Some of the staff were taught to sign, and eventually a signing group started and other patients started to learn.

Do you donate money at the checkout of grocery stores?

Nope. I'm quite broke and my medical costs are high and as 'selfish' as it might be, I'd put that $2 towards medication, or food. I've donated money in the past, but it's just not sustainable and I'd rather just look after me right now. I'll get to a point later where I can donate money regularly.

Tell me ur feels on volunteering and philanthropy work.

I think it's great. Sometimes I feel like the stuff I've done is inherently selfish, since I gain a lot from it too, as it's basically work experience for me, but I've also avoid doing paid work of the same nature in the past because this is more rewarding, so I guess it isn't. I'd also like to work in the community sector when I graduate. It's not something that I want to do forever by any means, but I do feel like it is something that I want to do at some point, and better to do so while I am young. I'd like to do more, but I don't have time or anything. In the past I've burnt myself out from trying to do too much volunteer stuff alongside school, so I'm not actually doing anything at the moment and I don't feel great about it, but it's one of those things; you have to look after yourself as well, right?

[RedAnastasia]

I've always wanted to volunteer at an animal place, but honestly everything is so competitive here that they never need anyone new (I guess that's a good thing though).

 

Plus, with other big companies, at least where I live, they sort of treat it like a job. Like you have to do a certain amount of hours for a certain amount of days. That seems kind of off putting to me, if I'm volunteering I kinda want it to be on my own terms you know? But then maybe that's just me being selfish.. It is something I've wanted to do though, I really should look into it a little harder.

[Elysium]

I used to volunteer when I was in high school, but honestly it was mostly just to make my college application look better. Now I mostly just donate when grocery stores ask me when I'm checking out.

[Antares]

I did a volunteer job in my city's forum. Really cool! They hired me after ^^

[Bendyounet]

I used to volunteer with kids and teenagers (They're between 6 yo to 14 yo mostly) : I help them twice a week during two or three hours to do their homeworks. After homeworks we play together until parents pick them ^^- That's cool, I feel useful to them. Instead of dragging in neighborhoods they spend their free time together.