Start Volunteering!

1. Get inspired.                                                                            

Do you have a particular cause that has affected you personally or something you are genuinely passionate about? If so, then run with it; it’s the best way to make sure you gain the most out of volunteering and enjoy it as much as possible. Not sure what you want to do? Do Something has great resources. Check out our [Causes] and see if any of them appeal to you.

2. What do you want your job function to be?

Figure out if you want to be doing manual labor (gardening, cleaning, playing a sport) or sitting at a desk taking care of office tasks. Based on that, you can search for volunteer positions that fit your preferences.

3. What traits or skills do you have that make you good for a job?

Make sure that you meet age requirements, and see if other skills (such as CPR) would be required.

4. Contact businesses and organizations you would like to work for.

See if they have any volunteer positions that you would be eligible for. Some examples of places to call:

- Libraries
- Places of worship
- Animal Hospitals
- Hospitals
- Your city hall (They may have a community service department)
- Senior care homes
- After-school programs
- Recycling center
- Conservation society/Environmental center

Or search for organizations by asking friends, family, and teachers, or on the internet! Ask a lot of questions, and think about what you want. See things consider when volunteering for ideas.

(P.S. Don’t be discouraged! If you can’t fill a volunteer position because, say, you’re not old enough, ask the organization if instead you could do something else, like general office tasks, or something that they may not have thought of.)

5. Get to it! Start volunteering. Make sure you set up a schedule that works for you, and stick to it.

Be committed to your cause.

6. Inspire others!

Get your friends off their couches and tell them why volunteering is so great and how much you are gaining from it. Then, if they get more of their friends to volunteer, you sparked an awesome effect that your community will greatly benefit from!

Here’s a list of ideas on how to volunteer!

• Volunteer at your library and help put away books and help people find what they are looking for.
• Help out at your local animal hospital by answering phones, faxing, checking people/pets in, etc.
• Be a huge help at a nearby hospital by bring food to patients, filing, answering phones, or helping out at the gift store there.
• Contact your local conservation society and see if you can help in the office or by helping run information sessions or events for kids.
• Play soccer with kids in after school programs
• Tutor a kid or two
• Spend time with a senior citizen at a local care center. You’ll definitely brighten their day
• Help out at a local soup kitchen.

Things For You To Considering Before Volunteering

Before you begin to look for place to volunteer consider the following questions so that you can have a better idea of what you are looking for!

• Do you want to volunteer as a one-time event, or find something you can do regularly?
• How much time do you want to invest?
• When are you available to volunteer?
• Do you have a way of getting to the site?
• Are you interested in a specific issue or cause? Go to the Causes page to explore issues that you might be interested in!
• Is there a friend you can ask to join you?
• Do your friends or family have experience volunteering, and do they have suggestions or contacts?