<p>If there is a need, no work is beneath you.</p>
<p>Northstarmom: Thanks for the Gates family info. Interesting.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Please name some. I know lots of people, including well off people who do volunteer work, but all had started at an early age.>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>I can't remember names but I did read something recently in Newsweek I think about a non-profit in UK started by a hedge fund manager. But I can't be sure he hadn't done some volunteering earlier.</p>
<p>Are you saying that nobody starts volunteer work at a later age? So it is like smoking...if you don't start young you probably never will?</p>
<p>It's almost impossible to get a volunteering gig where I live. I only stayed at the hospital because if I left, I would be screwed and might be stuck with nothing. It takes forever to get approved for places like the library, and they like to have people 18+ years of age.</p>
<p>Oh my goodness. I feel like a crotchety old woman, but I can't help feeling ashamed of "today's youth."
Are you seriously . . . I can't even express how I feel.
There are people my age who are fully capable of helping others but who actively refuse to do so? I honestly have never encountered someone like you. I mean, sure, some kids get busy and don't think to volunteer, but to actually say "I could, but I won't" . . . .
I'm sorry, but that's terrible. No, you might not make a serious difference by giving up a few hours, but that's not how life works. Very few changes come quickly! Who the hell cares if you stop world hunger or save the environment? As far as I can tell, you are an able-bodied kid with nothing in your way but laziness and ridiculous social inhibitions stopping you from bettering someone else's life. If you would get up from your computer desk you would realize that if you find a worthwhile opportunity, volunteering can be the most rewarding part of your day/week/whatever. Nothing in life is 100% enjoyable (!) but sometimes you have to get over yourself and help others. To simply refuse to help others for no concrete reason is the epitome of selfishness.</p>
<p>"It's almost impossible to get a volunteering gig where I live. I only stayed at the hospital because if I left, I would be screwed and might be stuck with nothing. It takes forever to get approved for places like the library, and they like to have people 18+ years of age"</p>
<p>I would bet $ that the volunteer opportunities where you are are much broader than you think.</p>
<p>I also would bet that if you really were interested in making difference, you could find a way to do that at the hospital where you're currently working. Staff do not have time to take volunteers by the hand and create special, fun, fulfilling opportunities for the volunteers. </p>
<p>Good volunteers, however, will use whatever access they have to take a close look at what's going on to see how they can use their skills and pursue their own interests to make a difference. Someone who really gives a darn could find and create opportunities wherever they are. They wouldn't wait for opportunities to fall into their lap.</p>
<p>If you are content to sit in the corner and do nothing while amassing "volunteer hours", staff will let you do that because they don't have the time to lead you by the hand, etc.</p>
<p>"Oh my goodness. I feel like a crotchety old woman, but I can't help feeling ashamed of "today's youth."
Are you seriously . . . I can't even express how I feel."</p>
<p>No need to feel ashamed of your generation. There are plenty of teens who do volunteer out of a desire to help others. I know many teens like that. They do things to make a difference. These are the types of people who when they apply to college have to be reminded about some of the volunteer work that they did. They volunteered to make a difference, not for resume dressing.</p>
<p>If you live in a town big enough to have its own hospital and its own library, it certainly has many volunteering opportunities. Do you have a museum? Volunteer to be a docent. Do you have a music hall? Volunteer to help there. A zoo? Yes, they use volunteers. A YMCA? That organization runs almost completely with volunteer help. How about a Big Brothers and Sisters organization? Nursing homes? Be a friend to someone. Many high schools have lists of students who volunteer to shovel snow, cut grass and do small handyman chores for the elderly. Do you have a church? They are always looking for volunteer help. Look harder. ;)</p>
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Now there is a little different spin on the discussion than there was originally. It started out that the friend volunteered but you don't like to. Now the discussion is that there are no opportunities. :confused: I know not everyone likes a hospital environment, but you can surely help improve your community in some other way.</p>
<p>I wasn't the one that brought up that I had no opportunities. There are plenty of opportunities.</p>
<p>"It's almost impossible to get a volunteering gig where I live. I only stayed at the hospital because if I left, I would be screwed and might be stuck with nothing. It takes forever to get approved for places like the library, and they like to have people 18+ years of age."</p>
<p>While I agree that there are many volunteer activities out there that are rather dull and stupid, no one is bound and limited to do only those things. If you find working at the gift shop boring, then change that. Think of creative ways to promote the gift shop more. Reorganize and redecorate any areas in the gift shop that might need renewal. Conduct a survey of what sells and use that to help increase the gift shop's sales. There are so many possibilities. The only one hindering you is not the hospital, but yourself.</p>
<p>Regarding college admissions, I sincerely feel that colleges are not looking for robot geniuses but real, compassionate people. Those caring, loving people are the true leaders of tomorrow.</p>
<p>This thread = why CC sucks.</p>