Helping others in need is such an important part of the American way of life that many high schools require their students to spend a certain number of hours volunteering in order to graduate.
If you like animals, help out at a local animal shelter. Most shelters depend on volunteers to keep the cats and dogs happy and well exercised. (And when you're walking rescued dogs, it's not just the pooches that get a workout — you benefit too!)
If you think you may be interested in politics, volunteering to help with a campaign is a great way to find out how things work on the inside. Even if you're too young to vote, you can make a difference by helping on a political campaign.
If you have a friend or relative who has or had a medical problem (like cancer, HIV, or diabetes, for example), you might be inspired to donate your time to help an organization that raises money for research, delivers meals, or offers other help to people with the illness.
If you like children, there are tons of volunteering opportunities — from being a Big Brother or Big Sister to helping out in an after-school sports program.
You also can:
- serve food at a homeless shelter
- volunteer to spend time at a retirement community
- help out at your church
- take part in a park cleanup day...
The possibilities are endless!
And if you have more than one thing you love, you can combine the two: For example, if you love kids and are great at arts and crafts, visit your local children's hospital and offer to lead art activities for young patients.
After you've discovered what interests you, decide how much time you want to spend and what fits into your schedule. Most organizations want volunteers to commit to giving them a set amount of time every week or two — it varies according to the organization.
But what if school, sports, or other commitments prevent you from devoting time every week? Many large organizations (especially those related to the environment or finding cures for diseases) have daylong activities that you can take part in once in a while. These include walkathons, bike rides, cleanup days, or building homes for those in need. Not only are these great ways to help, you can also get some exercise.
Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills — from working as part of a team to setting and reaching goals. It gives you a chance to discover what kinds of things you're best at and enjoy the most. A volunteer job that you love can even help shape your ideas about your career goals.
Volunteering also can provide you with a sense of responsibility because people really depend on you. And it can help you develop a new understanding of people who are different from you — people with disabilities, people in financial distress, sick kids, or the elderly.
Volunteering helps people feel they make a difference — that they do have the power to change things for the better. When people depend on you, it can change the way you look at yourself. You can feel proud of the goals that you've achieved for an organization — whether it's helping to organize a 10K to raise money for breast cancer or running the race itself.
Volunteering is also a great way to get a perspective on your own life. Sometimes it's easy to get consumed by worries about your grades or the fight you had with your friend or parent. And although these things are very important in their own way, sometimes it can be helpful to get some distance and think about other things. Volunteering allows you to do this. It lets you focus on others and see that your involvement in the world can be meaningful.
Finally, volunteering can help save you from being bored — it gives you a place to be where you can have a good time and keep busy.
Volunteering can be an incredible experience.
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