From the article: Finding a Good Volunteer Opportunity
If you have had a volunteer experience that gave you joy, made you feel appreciated, or left a lasting impression, share it with other readers. (Guest posting permitted; no account necessary to share your experience.) Share Your Experience
Groundhog Job Shadow Day
- We bring 5th graders from the school we sponsor to our office for one day each year to see what work can be like. Each department has 2-3 minutes to "tell" the kids what they do and then the rest of the 20 minute period the kids do a related activity. Marketing had them design a three-flavor ice cream (then gave them pens shaped like ice cream cones). QA gave them written instructins for assembling balsa wood airplanes, which they got to keep, but the instructions had a flaw the kids had to find (the wings were on the tail). Each year the departments try to out-do each other. We wrap it up with a pizza lunch for them. The employees who accompany the kids to each department learn more about the company and the kids are motivateed to stay in school and learn so they can have "cool" jobs like we do.
- —management.guide
Never a Dull Moment
- I have had many volunteer experiences, but my favorite was working in the office at the elementary school where my children went (many years ago). I got to play on the computer, and be around to see all the fun and crazy things that happened at the school. I have some great memories of this experience!
- —Guest Jean
Volunteer in a Christian NGO
- I volunteered in Emmanuel International Uganda, a Canadian Christian Not-for-Profit NGO in Uganda from 1999-2003 as a National Agricultural Program Coordinator. The team spirit was quite good and we faced challenges together. I had the opportunity of improving my skills in various disciplines, and enjoying fellowship of Christians. I also had the opportunity of representing the organization at national meetings of NGOs and training project communities in rural areas around the country.
- —Guest Peter Umarwoth
The One I'm Still Doing
- I volunteer a day and a half each week at my local BC SPCA - something I've been doing for 2 years now. I've done other volunteer work before but haven't stuck with them. Sometimes it takes a while to find the volunteer work that you love and are really suited for!
- —sbinfocanada
Food for Thought
- Soup kitchen seems like such a cliche. Then, I looked into it and found out that the one in our community can only stay open 3 out of every 4 weeks in a month. It has to keep moving (usually from church to church) because of some odd zoning problem. I took my son (who was chief ice-cream server at dessert). 2 hours on a night the two of us would otherwise be watching some game on TV.... Don't know yet if it made an impression, but I'm hoping it pulls him out of the standard "me centric" kids POV. If you're interested in trying it, their homepage is www.dupagepads.org .
- —Guest Brian
Public School Principal for a Day
- I volunteered to be a principal for a New York City Public School for the day. I was matched with a school and sent over for the day where I was invited to speak to children in their classes about my profession, led the assembly and joined them for several of their activities during the day. The children were so sweet, welcoming and grateful. It was an amazing experience that I definitely recommend.
- —fitness_g
