Volunteering for a charity isn’t just for boy scouts and retirees. Volunteering is a great way to connect with like-minded individuals, give back to your community, and boost your resume or college application. Interested in volunteering but don’t know where to start?
Here’s how you can begin volunteering for a charity right now.
Finding the right volunteer organization
Choose an organization doing work that is important to you. What causes do you care about? Are you passionate about the environment? Maybe you want to support animal welfare or education. Choosing an organization will help you learn about what kind of volunteering opportunities are available for you.
Here is the list of the best vegan charities that need your support.
Look for work that you enjoy. What kind of work do you like to do? Do you like getting some fresh air doing manual labor outdoors? Maybe you would prefer to stay inside and help out with some office work instead. Most organizations will have at least a few different volunteer opportunities available.
Think about the skills and experience you have to offer. Getting involved with an organization by doing work that you’re good at is a great way to practice your craft while helping a cause you’re passionate about. Volunteer opportunities can also be a great way to further your learning for free.
Decide on a time commitment. How much time do you have to offer? We recommend starting small and then adding time and commitments as you are able. Volunteers work anywhere from 1-40 hours per week depending on the work, so it’s important to be realistic about what you can offer.
This step is very important. If you take on more work than you can handle, you’re likely to give up. A long-standing volunteer opportunity is better for you and the organization you work with.
Getting started
Once you decide on a volunteer opportunity, visit the organization’s website or contact their volunteer coordinator to get more information about the volunteer application process.
Research the application process. Every organization has a different process for onboarding new volunteers, so you’ll want to research this ahead of time. In your email or call, be sure to include how you found out about the organization and why you want to volunteer with them.
If there’s an interview process, you should treat this as you would if you were applying for a job. Most volunteer opportunities are more relaxed than formal work settings, but it’s always important to be mindful of the work environment and culture of the organization. During the interview, your interviewer may ask for references and have you describe your experience. Answer respectfully, honestly, and professionally.
If you are volunteering to gain experience to build your resume or enhance your career, let the organization know as soon as possible. They can try to help you find a position that best suits your goals.
Ask important questions. If you are interviewed for your volunteer position, your interviewer will likely give you an opportunity to ask questions. Make sure you have two or three ready. Here are a few things we recommend you ask about:
- Job expectations
- Time commitment
- Necessary education, training, or experience
Do volunteers get paid?
Volunteers don’t get paid, but many organizations make up for a paycheck by providing valuable experience that can help you build your career. Meaningful volunteer experience can help you get into college or land your next job. Some universities and companies even require applicants to have completed at least some volunteer work.
Other volunteer opportunities like events volunteers sometimes receive benefits like free merchandise, free or reduced-price admission to an event, a meal, or educational materials and assistance.
How to volunteer at Food For Life Global
If you would like to volunteer at Food For Life and help support our projects around the world, visit our website and check out the current opportunities we have available. Various opportunities include gardening, teaching children English, providing art therapy for orphans, cottage industry training for poor women in India, etc.
Fill out the form on the webpage to be considered for FFL emergency relief services or for general FFL services at one of our projects around the world. We will take the time to look over your qualifications and match them to the needs of our organization. We may or may not contact you right away, but your name will be entered into our volunteer database in the event that your skills or expertise are needed in the future.
Different types of Food For Life volunteers
Because the Food for Life Global offices has limited space, many of our amazing volunteers work from home, providing technical support and working as advocates for the organization.
Technical Assistance Volunteers
These are the amazing volunteers who work behind the scenes to help spread the word about our efforts. Technical assistance volunteers help with everything ranging from social media promotion and graphic design to volunteer coordination and public relations.
If you would simply like to help others learn about our efforts, you can use your social media influence to become an FFL advocate.
Direct Contact Volunteers
Direct contact volunteers provide firsthand assistance to FFL feeding programs by preparing and serving meals and assisting with emergency relief projects internationally. Various job duties include building infrastructure for FFL projects, providing medical assistance to clients, helping educational efforts at schools, or distributing meals to homes in need.
If you’re interested in volunteering for Food for Life Global, visit our website, check out the available opportunities and apply today!
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Food For Life Global’s primary mission is to bring about peace and prosperity in the world through the liberal distribution of pure plant-based meals prepared with loving intention. |
