Volunteering

[red_roses101]

For the past 3 weeks I've been to many sites looking for volunteering positions. Yeah yeah, it's easy to find a position where you pick up trash, walks dogs or do something trivial. However, I'm looking for something more "professional" or that requires me to take a role of leadership. If you can post any openings that'd be great....

I'm available all-day for the rest of summer (till September) and can do weekends.

[sweetnlow]

Why not volunteer for a cause that you care about? Save the Children? Amnesty International? Volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen etc. Also, try to pick something that you could continue, even a couple of hours a week, during the academic year.

[red_roses101]

Why not volunteer for a cause that you care about? Save the Children? Amnesty International? Volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen etc. Also, try to pick something that you could continue, even a couple of hours a week, during the academic year.

it's easy to find... something trivial. However, I'm looking for something ....that requires me to take a role of leadership

Thanks for the help though Lise!

[FastFokker]

You can't take leadership in something you don't truly and completely believe in.

Definitely follow sweetnlow's advice and assist in something that matters to you. Once you find the thing that means a lot to you and you take pride in helping with, you can jump the hoops to get into the type of "leadership" role you are seeking.

Otherwise, it just sounds like you want to do this because you want to be able to put "leadership" on your resume.. if you don't enjoy the place and what they do, you won't last long donating your time and effort.. it would be a waste of everyones time.

[coolspot]

it's easy to find... something trivial. However, I'm looking for something ....that requires me to take a role of leadership

Thanks for the help though Lise!

Are you a highschool student by any chance? Ever since the government mandated mandatory volunteering... I've found that the quality of student volunteers have dropped significantly. In the past... kids/people volunteered because they cared and to rack up some experience on the side... but now kids treat volunteering as a job - they could careless about the organization. I've seen too many times where the kids would just ditch an organization once they've racked up enough experience Anyways enough ranting...

Just remember, you don't just start off at the top right away.

My suggestion is that you find an organization that you're interested in and offer to volunteer there (Childrens Aid, Women College Hospital, Sick Kids, United Way, Food Bank, etc). Popular organizations may have a waiting list for potential volunteers... so apply early

Leadership opportunities will popup very quicky - especially if you're dedicated to the cause.

Basically get your foot in the door... make some friends (especially with the older volunteers, staff)... and you'll have plenty of opportunity to "lead". Charities and non-profits love dedicated people

P.S. you should consider volunteering on the weekends as well - volunteering a couple weeks of the year won't land you a sweet reference letter

[sweetnlow]

it's easy to find... something trivial. However, I'm looking for something ....that requires me to take a role of leadership

Thanks for the help though Lise!

Trivial? I don't consider those causes trivial, nor do the recipients of those organizations. Any volunteering you do wouldn't be trivial.

Remember, just as with a job, you can't just walk in off the street into a leadership role. You build it over time. Also, there are opportunities within those organizations that you might not be aware about, such a program leaders which will open up once you have volunteered with them for awhile.

This shouldn't just be about your resume, but if it is, do the organizations a favour and choose something you care about and give them a committment they can use.

Perhaps you could be more specific as to what you are looking for and I can give you more concrete suggestions.

[alv077]

If you dont care about working with kiddies, you could always go to midland childcare (theres a sign advertising the place at the supermarket across from pmall, no frills?) Its called Midland something.

Im guessing you COULD call it leadership amongst the kiddies, or demonstrating leadership qualities in a team enviroment. My friend works there, she bitches about it alot, but seems to like it enough to stay, even though she has like 500 hours.

Right before school starts, they ususally have orientations for grade 9s. You could always pick up a few hours from that. Or you could tutor people in the school in subjects you're strong at. Both of those are arguably "leadership" roles.

What kind of skills or qualifications do you have? That really influences the places where you can lead others. For example, if you're good at football, volunteer to be a coach for those kiddie teams.

I know exactly what you mean by trivial volunteering. Cancer society had me selling flowers for ten hours, pretty dumb way to rack up the ten hours. Sit in a mall, play around with the people selling with you, put money in the box. That sucked.

[SamInfinity]

All very good posts+++. Just a piece of advice, if you do a volunteering job only to make yourself "look" good, your interviewer will see through if you put it down for experience. A common place to volunteer is the hospital, but I don't know your timeline, and those places have LONG waiting lists.

[FastFokker]

Pick something that is directly relatable to your life, which thereby you can use the volunteering as a story during future interviews.

For example.. I volunteer helping children at Big Brothers or Big Sisters.. I really get satisfaction in the work because as a child growing up, I never had a father either.

Or.. I volunteer at the Cancer Society because a few years ago my aunt passed away from lung cancer and that was a great loss to me. Anything I can do to potentially save someone elses aunt would make my life worthwhile.

The examples could go on on, but make it a good story to tell.. rather than just "Well I volunteered there because I wanted to get leadership skills." It'll go much further in gaining the emotions of your future HR hiring staff and securing yourself a position in their company.

Hope that helps, good luck and everyone should volunteer a little of their time for something they care about!

[will1087]

...
Just remember, you don't just start off at the top right away.
...

^

[red_roses101]

Pick something that is directly relatable to your life, which thereby you can use the volunteering as a story during future interviews.

For example.. I volunteer helping children at Big Brothers or Big Sisters.. I really get satisfaction in the work because as a child growing up, I never had a father either.

Or.. I volunteer at the Cancer Society because a few years ago my aunt passed away from lung cancer and that was a great loss to me. Anything I can do to potentially save someone elses aunt would make my life worthwhile.

The examples could go on on, but make it a good story to tell.. rather than just "Well I volunteered there because I wanted to get leadership skills." It'll go much further in gaining the emotions of your future HR hiring staff and securing yourself a position in their company.

Hope that helps, good luck and everyone should volunteer a little of their time for something they care about!

Come on fastfokker....I only have until April...I need 15 hours...but something good.

[coolspot]

Come on fastfokker....I only have until April...I need 15 hours...but something good.

Thanks for proving my point. Post #5.

[will1087]

Come on fastfokker....I only have until April...I need 15 hours...but something good.

"Leadership" positions require a lot of committment and, needing only "15 hours", i would highly suspect your ability to commit after your 15 hours are completed.

If you want to make a significant contribution, you'll need to volunteer for a lot longer than 15 hours for someone to give you a position with significant responsibilites - how many kids abrubtly stop volunteering after their 40 hours are up?

In all honesty, it seems like you care about the 15 hours and what you can put on your resume/uni app than the actual cause.

[red_roses101]

"Leadership" positions require a lot of committment and, needing only "15 hours", i would highly suspect your ability to commit after your 15 hours are completed.

If you want to make a significant contribution, you'll need to volunteer for a lot longer than 15 hours for someone to give you a position with significant responsibilites - how many kids abrubtly stop volunteering after their 40 hours are up?

In all honesty, it seems like you care about the 15 hours and what you can put on your resume/uni app than the actual cause.

I don't mind putting more than 15 hours...
My last position was event planner for a run for an undisclosed organization....I put in probably 40 hours...but they only counted 25 on site. I have no problem doing more than 15...

[will1087]

I don't mind putting more than 15 hours...
My last position was event planner for a run for an undisclosed organization....I put in probably 40 hours...but they only counted 25 on site. I have no problem doing more than 15...

Then it's easy - if you're willing to put in upwards of 100+ hours.

1) Find a cause you're truely interested in
2) Start from the bottom and learn how things work
3) Work your way up to bigger and bigger projects/leadership roles

No-one throws leadership positions at people - they're earned. Now tell me, what are you the most interested/passionate about?

I had over 600+ volunteer hours working at a Chinese Culture School...

Edit: Seems like you're only available for the summer... Are you expecting someone to just throw you a leadership position for 2/3 weeks just to have you walk away after that? Seems like real committment there .