I’ve been trying to find some places to volunteer for locally but haven’t been able to come up with anything. Maybe I’m not searching it up correctly or something but it’s been pretty frustrating.
How do/did you guys go about finding organizations to help out? Any websites or tips/tricks to help?
(Unrelated note: Happy New Years!)
Happy New Years to you as well!
Why not start with your interests… what sort of work would you LIKE to do? Take that, and find companies or organizations that do it, and contact them.
Here’s what I mean: during the time I was home with my 3 kids, I volunteered with the agency that we adopted my son through. (He’s from Korea.) I would meet flights at JFK, where the Korean infants were arriving with escorts. I got security clearance, then met the escort and baby at the gate. I took the baby, got him/her cleared though Customs and Immigration, and brought him/her out to meet his new family for the first time. It was amazing work, and I seldom left dry eyed. I only stopped when I returned to work, since I can’t be as available to meet the flights.
Find an interest, then contact the people who do it.
@bjkmom has good advice. I have another example of that. I’ve been participating in robotics competitions for a while (8 years now), and its something I really like to do, so I have volunteered (in high school) mostly by coaching younger robotics teams and volunteering at competitions.
My daughter is into art so she volunteers at a local art and cultural center. In the summer she assists art teachers with classes, and sometimes serves as the gallery’s docent.
Rather than going online, I would just visit places you would be interested in. Oftentimes nonprofits (especially smaller ones) don’t have up to date websites, but if you walk in the door you might find opportunities you would otherwise be unaware of.
My daughter has taken youth classes at a local public access tv station. Now she volunteers by filming or editing local events, directing a monthly program, and occasionally teaching youth programs etc. She does figure skating and since 6th grade she has been volunteering with the beginner skaters at group learn to skate lessons. Some things she has done before include volunteering Sunday mornings at a local science museum which was a museum teen volunteer program, helping weekly at a soup kitchen, and helping with younger girl scout troops. My younger daughter in 8th grade has helped out at a local program for families who are homeless/living in shelters by doing things like sorting donations into piles based on age/gender. Since spring she has been volunteering at a local stable helping with horses such as raking hay and brushing fur. They have both done occasional volunteering with kids/young adults with disabilities by going out places with them as a peer mentor.
It depends on what is in your area - if you like a sport look into volunteering with a youth sports program. You can see if a local food bank needs help. If your interested in business ask a local mom/pop place if you could volunteer to learn more about how businesses operate. See if a local nursing home or assistive living could use someone to spend time reading to or talking to residents. Does your local library have volunteer opportunities for teens? If your active at a house of worship they might have volunteer work you can do. Go to a place you have interest and ask to speak to a supervisor and see what type of volunteer work they could use help with.