How to Volunteer

Are you directly involved with an organization or group of people who are making a positive difference in the world? I hope so. Having been on the receiving end of the support of a wonderful community of volunteers for years, I wanted to share a few tips for you if you’re thinking of volunteering.

1

Give financially first! If you believe in the work of an organization enough to spend your time volunteering with them, please make a financial gift first. There is no more direct form of support than a financial gift – you are sacrificing the money you earn to empower an organization to professionally accomplish its important mission. And you can learn a lot about the work an organization is doing by making a financial gift. They’ll share stories about what your gift is doing, and about what their particular needs are for your continued support. You don’t have to make a big gift! Just give what you can afford, when you can!

2

After making that financial gift, contact the organization about their volunteering program. If you don’t hear back, try again – they are likely very busy! If you try a few times and still don’t hear anything, they’re apparently not ready for your help yet. Move on to another organization that interests you.

3

When you are contacted and able to volunteer, stick with the program! The organizers have given careful thought to their volunteer program. Don’t start the conversation by telling them you are a marketing professional and you want to know if they have any related needs you can meet. Don’t get me wrong. This is a wonderful offer! But get to know the organization first by volunteering according to the system they’ve put in place a few times before you introduce your special skills.

4

Plan to volunteer by yourself. I can just tell you based on my experience, it’s very rare even to see two or more people that are able to volunteer together consistently. If your plan is to volunteer with a friend, a small group, spouse or kids, rethink it. Allow the staff of the organization, the other volunteers, and the participants of the program you’re involved with to be your community when you volunteer. (I hope to write another post about group and institutional volunteering another time. It can be very meaningful and strategic, but it requires entirely separate consideration.)

5

Be consistent. Don’t just volunteer once. There are very few, if any, organizations doing meaningful work in the world that benefit from you showing up once. Now, there is no shame in volunteering one time and deciding it’s not the right fit for you, but once you find a place doing work you’re passionate about and where you’re able to help, volunteer as much as you can! Once a week or once a month would be amazing, but again, being on the receiving end of this very valuable type of service for years, I can tell you I’m very thankful for our volunteers who come only once or twice a year! We’re always able to put them to work immediately and strategically.

6

Finally, if you notice things that could be improved while you're volunteering, don't hesitate to point them out to your volunteer contact - but expect to be asked to be part of the solution! And if you do have a bad experience volunteering - even if you only come once - let your volunteer contact know about it. This is useful information for the organization, and they may need to make adjustments to effectively use their volunteers' valuable time.

I hope this helps and motivates you to get involved with an organization doing work you care about! Volunteering is a great way to support some of the most vital causes going on in the world, and the beauty of it is I know you’ll find that you actually receive much more than you’re able to give!