How to get started volunteering

Most people have a desire to give back in some way, shape, or form. This will look different for each person depending on their unique strengths and capacity in their current lives. Regardless of the size or type of the gesture, there are people who are desiring to do something more to give back but are not sure how to do that beyond what they are currently doing to volunteer or give back. Here are some ideas and ways you can get started volunteering with a group that is near and dear to your heart. 

If you are looking for a way to give more to your community or want to find something different, here are some ideas of things you can do to impact your community. 

One time Impacts:

• Make a commitment to doing one kind act for someone in your life on a daily basis. This could be as simple as holding the door open for a stranger, complimenting someone on their look/clothing, volunteering to do an extra task at work, dropping a few coins in a donation box, reaching out to a friend who is going through a tough time via text or a call. Set a reminder in your phone to go off each evening so you can ensure that you did this at some point during the day, or stick a bright pink post-it note on your fridge or computer as a frequent reminder. Once you start doing this habitually for a few weeks, you will start seeing opportunities all of the time and it will become second nature to take advantage of a situation each day. 
• Participate in or donate to a fundraiser. Keep an eye out in your community and see what groups are advertising for a fundraiser. Make plans to participate (and even better ask a friend or 3 to come with you to participate too!!) It may be a financial donation that they are asking for, donating food or clothing items, or attending a night out and spending money to purchase auction items or buy food/drinks to raise funds for the non-profit.  In the past, I have used these “night out” types of events as a great excuse to have a fun night with girlfriends! If there is a night at a local restaurant where a portion of the proceeds go to a non-profit, then I will round up a few girlfriends and have a night out with wine and great food, knowing that we are also helping out a vital group in our community (while having a great time!) Usually, there is some information provided about the organization and the impact on the community so you get more information and may want to support it in the future in other ways. 
• Organize and execute a fundraiser for a non-profit you believe in. This is a large but impactful idea. It may require more than just you to do well! Involve some friends or co-workers too! Often businesses want their employees to get involved in the community so check with your boss and see if your workplace can help with this event. You will also need to get in touch with the non-profit you will be fundraising for and get their ok for the event and using their name/logo. This could be anything so get creative! Ideas I have seen in my community could be a 5K fun run, food/clothing drive, open mike night, Spartan/obstacle type race, the opportunities are endless! 

Ongoing impacts 

A larger, more corporate way to affect your community is to reach out to a local non-profit organization and connect with them directly. Smaller local non-profits always need help in some way shape or form (trust me!). Take some time looking at non-profits in your area that are working tirelessly to meet a need that you are also passionate about. Google is your friend here! These could be areas like ensuring children have access to food, animals are cared for, assistance for the elderly, homeless families have a safe location to stay, and many many many other wonderful causes. 

What makes your heart clench at the idea of helping out? 

Look at websites and social media. Check out the non-profit organization’s mission and activities that they are doing to both fundraise for support to continue operating and to help meet the need for their mission. Look and see if you can find information about their staff leadership (executive director or CEO type position). Most non-profits are also governed by volunteer boards who oversee the big picture direction of the organization. Most of the time the board of directors will be listed in an “about us” section on the non-profit’s website too. Explore and get familiar with who they are and what they are doing. You may also search for local news stories on the group and see if there is anything new you can learn. 

Narrow your search down to your top 1 or 2 groups and take some time to evaluate what you are able to contribute to them. This could be a financial contribution, but there are many other ways you can contribute valuable time, skills, or knowledge to an organization. 

• What capacity do you have currently? If you are insanely busy, then maybe a financial contribution or advocating for the organization on social media is all the capacity you may have? And that is ok! Both are valuable to a small non-profit. 
• Do you have some time in your schedule? Maybe you can schedule a few hours a week where you go to them and donate time? This could be something like volunteering with children in a youth-focused group, caring for or walking dogs at an animal shelter, or helping with administration or social media work or office work at any non-profit. If you don’t have regular weekly or bi-weekly availability, maybe think about volunteering for them at special events? It takes a ton of volunteers to put on any sort of event whether large or small. 

What skills do you have that a non-profit could use?

By volunteering your skills, you may save them from outsourcing and having to use financial resources to pay for the items. This could be anything from graphic design, event planning, marketing, accounting, legal, or customer service, etc. This may require more of a long-term view and relationship with the non-profit. If you are considering this option, I would highly recommend that you reach out to the organization and have a meeting/discussion with them to ensure that you both are on the same page and fully understand what this will entail. More than likely they will be ecstatic to have you helping out! 

One of the vital needs that any non-profit has is strong leadership to direct its path. That leadership is made up of two components. An executive director/CEO position that manages the day-to-day direction and strategy of the organization and a board of directors who sets big picture plans for the long-term direction of the organization. Both positions are incredibly important in ensuring the stability and longevity of any non-profit. 

Can I be a board member? 

A board member can be anyone in the community who has a passion for the organization and time to commit to attending meetings and advocating for the organization. There are no special qualifications! Each non-profit is different, but most have some sort of board member application process that includes a meeting with a current board member. You as a prospective board member need to be fully informed of what the duties and responsibilities are that you are undertaking. It is a commitment you make, for a specified term limit (often 1 to 3 years), so you need to be able to undertake and serve out the full commitment you make. The board/organization has a similar vested interest in ensuring you fit with the organization and are committed to helping to lead it for a successful future.

 As a tool to ensure their board members are invested in the mission, often they will have a financial commitment amount that you will either need to contribute yourself or work with other community members to fundraise. This is the most invested commitment, but also hugely vital importance for people to make. As a current board member of a small local non-profit in my town, you can have an incredible impact on the community in this way, but it will take a significant amount of time and energy. 

What now?

The easiest thing you can do is talk about and share the mission of non-profit organizations with your friends, family, and social media connections. Subscribe to the group’s newsletter and share a heartwarming story or urgent need with your friends. Who knows what that awareness will bring. If you feel called, take some steps to get started volunteering with a group or activity and see where you want to have this involvement lead.

These are just a few ideas. Truly the possibilities are endless. Non-profits have been absolutely hammered by the COVID pandemic. They are facing an increased need for their services, and have lost the ability to have volunteers assist in person, and are unable to hold large fundraising events to raise the funds needed. They need help!! Think creatively, don’t be afraid to try something new and different! The world needs caring people to make an impact. Big or small, they all take steps towards making the world a better place.