Stepping up for volunteer programs can be a great way to help others and yourself at the same time. While it can be tremendously rewarding for everyone involved, volunteering does require commitment and responsibility. Before you jump in at the deep end, it's a good idea to learn about the different types of volunteering opportunities you can explore and the best way to go about it.
What Is Volunteering?
Volunteering Australia defines volunteering as "an activity which takes place through not for profit organisations or projects." It goes on to elaborate on the definition and principles of volunteering. Some of these include the following:
Volunteering is undertaken for the benefit of both the community the volunteer serves and the volunteer.
The volunteer undertakes the work of his or her own free will and without coercion.
No financial payment is made to the volunteer.
Volunteering is a way in which individuals and organisations can contribute to environmental, social and other human needs.
The gist of volunteering is that it can be a "win-win-win" situation for everyone involved. The volunteer wins by being able to make a tangible contribution to society and community development; the organisation wins by gaining valuable human resources that make its work possible; and the recipients of volunteer efforts receive assistance they otherwise would not have received.
What Types of Volunteer Work Are Available?
There is a tremendous need for volunteers both in Australia and abroad. You can find volunteering projects in your local community that may involve giving aid to the disadvantaged or ill, ensuring environmental conservation or providing animal care, to name a few. Volunteers are often called for in times of crisis, such as the recent Queensland floods. Disadvantaged communities both in Australia and abroad often require volunteers.
Sometimes, a volunteer may have a particular skill to offer an organisation and, in turn, may benefit from their hands-on experience. Health professionals in various fields, such as medicine or psychology, and skilled practitioners, such as massage therapists, can find many volunteering programs to join. If you do not have a specific trade or profession, your life experience can be of invaluable assistance in volunteer work. In a nutshell, your desire to help is the greatest prerequisite for the job.
Volunteer work is available for both individuals and families. A general level of fitness is required, hence some organisations cannot accept older volunteers for insurance reasons. Also, you must be able to perform the specific tasks required by a not for profit organisation. For instance, if difficult or skilled labour is required, you will not be required or allowed to undertake it, but you may find a more suitable position elsewhere in the organisation.
How Do I Find Volunteer Work?
The easiest way to find volunteer opportunities is online. Care should be taken, though, when applying online because not all the work offered may be legitimate volunteer work. GoVolunteer is a non for profit website affiliated with Volunteering Australia that has thousands of volunteer work opportunities available in its database. They offer a search engine that you can use to narrow down your search to the areas you want to work in, the type of volunteer work you wish to do and the type of organisation you wish to work for. A few of the specific types of work include:
- Complementary Health Practitioners
- Massage Therapists
- Herbalists
- Counsellors
- Social Workers
As you can see from this partial list, if you have earned a quality education, there is likely to be volunteer work available for you in Australia. In natural health fields, volunteers are needed by individuals and groups who wish to make use of the services of skilled practitioners for their public health projects but cannot afford the fees they generally charge. For example, if your community plans to host community activities with children as their main beneficiaries, but couldn't afford to acquire the services of a child counsellor, an art therapist, a social worker or a play therapist, they might end up scrapping the entire project regardless of its brilliant concept.
GoVolunteer opportunities are limited to Australia only. For aspiring international volunteers, a good place to start would be the AusAid Australian government site. Whether you want to contribute to the wildlife conservation programs of South Africa, support an ongoing research program on turtle conservation in South America or help an impoverished child in Sri Lanka gain access to education, AusAid can help you find a volunteer position in your preferred country and plan your volunteer trips.
If you wish to work for an NGO (Non Government Organisation), there are thousands of organisations, both large and small, to choose from. However, see to it that when looking to work for NGO volunteer programs, take extra care in selecting an organisation. Many of them are excellent, but some of them may be well meaning but unprofessional in their approach. Still, others may be fronts for profit making or even illegal activities. Do an extensive background check before making your decision. Search engines do not screen NGOs, they just list them. Specific NGO websites always put their best foot forward, so due diligence on your part is essential.
How Does Volunteer Work Benefit Me?
The benefits of volunteering exceed what you can possibly attain from a full-time job. While this is not to say you must work as a volunteer forever and forget about building your nest egg, going above and beyond your volunteer experience will open the door to vast opportunities in your area of expertise. Whether you specialise in mental health, animal care or marine conservation, among others, there is a wide variety of volunteer work you can do to make a difference in the lives of others if not the world.
By definition, volunteer work is unpaid. In fact, it's the other way around as some organisations require a program fee in exchange for providing accommodation and security to volunteer workers. However, in the end, the type of volunteer work that you opt into will not only give you an unforgettable experience with the people you meet along the way, but also help you gain valuable work experience. Plus, delivering unconditional services to children and the elderly, animals, as well as ensuring environmental conservation, can contribute to your emotional, psychological and even spiritual wellbeing.
A recent Natural Therapy Pages article, How Lifestyle Changes Benefit Mental Health outlined Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLCs). Included amongst them were the benefits of altruism or the desire to help others. Aside from the "Helpers High" you get from volunteering, your average volunteer hours will allow you to meet like-minded people, socialise and get involved with your community or a community abroad. Many travellers have found that the best vacation they ever had was one spent volunteering for a cause.
Whether you are still in school and looking for volunteer programs for college students or you have just graduated and are searching for a type of volunteer work to hone your skills in your field, now is a great time to get started.
Originally published on Apr 08, 2011
