Monday, August 4, 2008

Discover Volunteer Opportunities Through Friends and Family


IMG_8118 by 油姬.
Many volunteer opportunities aren't submitted to volunteer matching websites or advertised in print. How do they expect to fill these needs? They depend on word of mouth. This means they depend on members of the organization to invite others they know or meet to participate in the activity.

Many people aren’t comfortable telling everyone they know about every volunteer opportunity they are aware of. They are even less comfortable telling strangers they meet.

Who do they usually tell? They tell friends, neighbors and coworkers who have previously expressed an interest in helping.

Let others know that you are interested in volunteering. Tell them about the skills and experiences you can contribute. Inform them of skills you want to develop through your volunteer experience. Be sure they know the causes you are passionate about and desire to support. Ask them if they know of opportunities that might be of interest. Ask them to be on alert for opportunities that might interest you.

There are a couple of advantages when you discover your ideal volunteer opportunity through people you know:

  • They know you and can help you find an opportunity that will provide you a great experience. Sometimes others know us and what we can contribute better than we know ourselves.
  • It is likely you will be able to volunteer with someone you alreadyknow. This can especially help if you are new to volunteering and are nervous about getting involved.

Networking with others is critical in many areas of life. It is no different when identifying a volunteer opportunity perfect for you.

image by 油姬


Technorati Tags:
, ,

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]