Every student can relate to having a busy schedule, filled with academic commitments, sports, and many other activities. However, finding the time to volunteer and get involved in your off-campus or local community may be valuable. I chose to volunteer at a local nonprofit near my campus that provided low-income women with clothing, daycare, and affordable housing. My responsibilities included organizing the clothing donations from the community into their collective closet. Though this service didn’t directly correlate with my Biochemistry major, it did align with my Pre-med track. I chose this particular organization because I loved how it highlighted my affinity for helping others in my community. Contact your academic advisor or school counselor if you're a high school student for available opportunities, or read your school or town newspaper to find some volunteer positions. Another method is to simply search online for local nonprofits. Once you have an organization in mind, be sure to consider the following key tips find a great site!
1. Location, location, location
Consider your volunteer organization’s location. Depending on your college campus or age, you may not have access to a car; therefore, ensuring you’ll still be able to arrive at your service site will be an important factor to consider. During my freshman year of college, I didn’t have a car, so I chose to volunteer at an organization that I was able to walk to. This was nice since there was limited parking near my organization, and I normally volunteered during rush hour, so traffic was high. If obtaining a car isn’t an issue, you should still consider whether the organization’s location is a doable drive regularly when it comes to other academic and extracurricular commitments. Also, consider how traffic and parking might affect your commute to your volunteer site.
Related: 7 Great Opportunities for Students to Volunteer Online
2. Time commitments
Determine how often you’re willing and able to volunteer. Choosing a service site based on your available time is critical. Hospitals, for example, have a mandatory training session. Other service sites may also have required shifts to be completed within a certain time frame. On the contrary, some service sites have no time constraints and are less restrictive with time commitment. Before selecting a site, consider how much time you’re being asked to commit, and make sure you can really commit that time to the organization. You don’t want to agree to a volunteer schedule and be unable to fulfill your promised time.
3. Thorough research
Research will help you determine what volunteer openings are available, how much of a time commitment organizations expect, and whether it’s a long- or short-term opportunity. Additionally, by reaching out to an organization, you’ll learn their expectations for your volunteer experience. Communicate with an organization directly once so they can help you find the best position with them. Before I began volunteering at my service site, I reached out to their administration to see if there were any openings in the daycare program. After I discovered the timing didn’t align with my classes, the administration suggested I volunteer in a different sector of their organization. I’ve been at my service site for about eight months, and I hope to continue volunteering with them. Good research gives you the foundation to find an organization you love so you’re excited to give your time there.
4. Mission statements
The most important factor to consider when choosing an organization is its mission statement—or what this organization promotes and its objectives to achieve it. If an organization doesn't align with your values and goals, it may not be the best option. The mission statement may also foreshadow what you’ll do with the organization. For example, animal shelter missions typically revolve around the welfare and protection of animals. This may translate to volunteers for walking dogs, cleaning kennels, feeding animals, etc.
Related: Important Reasons You Should Volunteer in High School and College
It’s so rewarding to have given your time to aid an organization. Additionally, volunteer experiences look fantastic on résumés. Depending on how long you’ve volunteered at the site, your supervisor may even be able to write you a letter of recommendation for the future. Now that you have the secret to finding a great service site, start your fulfilling journey of volunteering!
Once you have all that great volunteer experience, ensure you know how to highlight it to future colleges and employers with advice from our blog How to Showcase Volunteer Work to Boost Your Résumé.
