Tag: 40 hours of volunteer service

Where to Find Volunteer Opportunities, Part 2
In part 1 of this article series, I gave three common places where high school students may volunteer and fulfill the mandatory 40 hours of community service they need in order to earn their diploma. Their high school, local hospitals and nursing homes, and non-profit organizations they admire were the three. In part 2, I suggest three different other ways to find volunteer opportunities.

The Volunteer Toronto website

Volunteer Toronto is an amazing organization with a more than 40 years-long history of connecting those who want to volunteer and those who want volunteers. Their website has a search page (http://www.volunteertoronto.ca/networking/opening_search.asp) that allows you to really narrow down the options to exactly what you are looking for. Despite the presence of Toronto in the name, you can specify a country, a city, an organization, length of desired placement, as well as various categories such as “suitable for groups,” “wheelchair accessible,” and “fundraising.” If you really don’t know where to start your volunteer search, I highly recommend trying out the Volunteer Toronto search page. Adjust your criteria as needed if you end up with too many or too few volunteer opportunities.

The GoVolunteer website

GoVolunteer.ca is another established online tool that you can use. Its scope is narrower than Volunteer Toronto, because the opportunities it lists are only for non-profit organizations in British Columbia and Alberta. Their search page (http://www.govolunteer.ca/volunteer-opportunities) asks for your city or postal code, which will allow you to sort search results by distance to your location. Moreover, you are presented with a long list of charity categories, including indigenous services, youth development, environment and animals, disability services, and women’s services, and you may select any or all of them in your search. There are more advanced search options than the Volunteer Toronto website: for example, you may indicate your desired time of day, position type, and volunteer skills. Again, if you need to, adjust your search criteria to ensure you get a good number of options, not too many, not too few.

The Volunteer Canada website

Established in 1977, Volunteer Canada is yet another established organization that supports and facilities volunteering. What sets it apart from the above two is that Volunteer Canada works not only with volunteers and non-profit organizations, it works with businesses, governments, and educational institutions. Another thing that sets is apart is that instead of giving you a search page, Volunteer Canada has put together a Volunteer Quiz! It has questions like, “When friends sell tickets to a fundraiser, which cause are you likely to support?” to which you can choose one of six responses, including “A youth suicide prevention hotline,” and “Medical research for a disease that has touched your life.” At the end of the quiz, you are given some statements about you and your volunteer matches. This quiz is ideal for any student who wants an inventive way of finding opportunities and to learn something about yourself along the way.

By now, you have probably figured out what these three online resources have in common. These websites are ideal for any student who does not know where to start their search. By giving you multiple search categories and lists of options, you not only get a clear idea of what kind of opportunities are available but you can also tailor your search to your specific wants and needs. I think any one is sufficient for your needs, but between the three of them, I am certain you will find the perfect volunteer placement for you!

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October 31, 2017
Getting Your Volunteer Hours!

So you’re looking to fill those required 40 hours of volunteer service– we get it, it’s not easy. The requirement to fill 40 hrs of volunteering is easy for some and difficult for others. No matter what you think of it, volunteering is a necessity and is actually important for many reasons besides fulfilling rules to graduate.

It provides an opportunity for you to learn more about yourself, to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise meet, to act in a role that you wouldn’t otherwise have, and to possibly evaluate different career opportunities. Along with this exploration, volunteering also builds self-confidence and provides you with some work experience that you can put on your resume!

So naturally, the next part of the process is where to look for volunteer opportunities. The first thing to keep in mind is to find out what the guidelines are, and what is considered eligible and ineligible volunteer activities. This is key. You don’t want to invest a large amount of time into something that your school board refuses to see as volunteer work. From there, it’s about finding something that appeals to you.

Many students seek out local libraries, local charity organizations, and even the school itself for volunteer opportunities. Libraries are particularly popular as they often have reading buddy programs and similar ventures. If you don’t know where to look, speaking with a guidance counselor or even a parent, as they might be able to suggest some unadvertised opportunities for you to contribute a little bit of your time. Cities across Canada also have volunteer centres, which help distribute volunteer opportunities among the community. If you are down on your luck and don’t know where to look, checking in with one of these centres may prove to be fruitful.

Think about what skills you are looking to gain. For example, if you are interested in becoming a personal trainer, perhaps there is a volunteer program at your local gym you might be able to plug into. Or, if you’re seeking a career in animal welfare, perhaps your local animal shelter can use a helping hand on the weekends.

Beyond thinking about what you might want to do long-term for a career, also give some thought to the causes you are passionate about. If you’re passionate about the environment, check out some local green organizations and their event listings. There might be something you can do there. If you’re really into women’s rights, there are a number of organizations that could probably use some help. Once again, check events listings. These are very helpful. Even going on local classified sites for volunteer listings might help inspire something in you.

There’s no shortage of volunteer work, no matter where you are in Canada. The difficulty can be finding the right volunteer opportunity for you. Luckily, you have a fair bit of time to clock in forty hours. Don’t wait for the last minute, but also, don’t panic if it’s only been two weeks and you haven’t found anything. Speak with anyone who you figure might be able to point you in the right direction. Volunteering is a lot of fun, a great way to brighten up the community a little bit, and, for most people, is a truly awesome experience. Find what appeals to you and get involved.

September 29, 2017

Tag: 40 hours of volunteer service

Where to Find Volunteer Opportunities, Part 2

Getting Your Volunteer Hours!