# Ideas for volunteering



## BlissfulDreams (Dec 25, 2009)

I'm currently unable to work and am thinking of volunteering to help pass the time. I originally wanted to be an ESL teacher, so I used to volunteer in an ESL classroom teaching immigrants. I am wanting to transition to admin work and am hoping that I can find a place to volunteer at that I can put on my resume afterwards. Can anyone help me think of ideas?


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

If I ever get some free time, I want to go back to Habitat for Humanity. I did a weekend with them back in the 90s and not only was it very fulfilling, but I learned a lot of practical skills. 

If you wanted to do something less work intensive, check out your local library or Boys and Girls club. They may have a Summer tutoring program.


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## Handsome Dyke (Oct 4, 2012)

You should say what you are planning to use the resumé for, like what job sector.


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## islandlight (Aug 13, 2013)

Organizations like the following might use volunteer administrative workers:

Hospital, Y, community center, park, crisis center, nursing home, food bank, etc.

Music festivals, tournaments, races, Christmas gift/food hamper programs, etc. Even though these events are of short duration, months of preparation go into them.

Charitable foundations. If you live in a larger city, there will be many. Or you could work remotely.

Summer camps. Religious organizations. ESL programs. Seniors or disabled programs.

Organizations running local projects (recycling, youth, animals, sports, etc.).

Organizations that use volunteers might need a volunteer coordinator, which involves admin work.


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## BlissfulDreams (Dec 25, 2009)

Handsome **** said:


> You should say what you are planning to use the resumé for, like what job sector.


Administrative work, like an office job.


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## shameless (Apr 21, 2014)

Yes I can. Outreach in Community Social Services is my Industry Background

*Assisted Living Volunteer


Behavioral Health

Homeless Shelter

Salvation Army

Catholic or Lutheran Social Services/Food Shelf

Lastly* Things like Underground Art Programs, Libraries etc. Many Arts programs, sponsored events (check your local Civic Center about upcoming events and ask for the contact info for the organizers), also Univeristy Booster Clubs. also consider checking out campus outrecah programs/projects, and events 

*My personal view: I would if requesting to volunteer in easiest capacity check Assisted Living. That said they most likely do not need you to volunteer any admin or clerical skills. They have paid Admin staff for that. Also it is Hippa violation to give you client record access. 

So I would be ready to roll up your sleeves. 

*Because you mentioned interest in immigration teaching. I wanted to note that you should look for the Immigration Outreach Programs in your area and call the different ones. The coordinator may appreciate or need help in setting up sponsored community events. That would probably look good on your resume if you can say you volunteered with immigration community outreach specifically. *


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## shameless (Apr 21, 2014)

BlissfulDreams said:


> Administrative work, like an office job.


I am specifically curious

General Secretary?
Data Entry?
Appointment Intake?
Audits?
Scheduling?
Compliance/QA/Reports?
Coordinator/Organizer?

*I ask because depending what area and direction you think you would prefer to land in, sorta depends on what area I would recommend in my suggestions above.*

For example my best friend works as a billing and claims specialist in healthcare. Her route there was initially started with telemarketing, then she switched to bill collector, then she move to Insurance, Billing, and Claims in Corporate Hospital Office in more recent years.

So a few points. One is sometimes it is best to take the position that will offer many lateral moves. I am a good example with that. As far as not requiring the degree to get higher positions. My friend is also a good example of that. But as you can see we both had entirely different admin areas we were are/in. I am way more on the operations end of things, she is way more on the finance/customer service side. She is probably 1000 times better than me on answering 5 calls and switching the lines, and understanding billing codes. I'd lose my shit. Where as I am versed more so in building fire marshal, and health/labor law codes.

So in a nutshell she is far more $ side, where as I am more so Quality Assurance. So point do you think you would be better at doing things more so in her realm with customer service, billing, etc. Or more so like what I was saying on operations side.

I will say the BIGGEST skill set I have that has supported me in any of the roles is the ability to understand Scheduling very well, it is the ONE thing EVERY one of those positions required of me. Some on smaller scale, some on large scale. When I did activites I had to plane 2-6 Month out in Events. When I was the HR Generalist I had to manage 150 peoples schedules. When I was the Program Manager of ILS/IHS I had to coordinate meetings, services, appointments, staff etc to several different programs, while remembering people names and availability.

Where as my friend has to be really good on the phone, switch between phone, and documents alot. I did not have to do that, I was able to usually email on my spare time and schedule send times, and was more focused on programs. I could never for example do the admin work my friend does. And she says all the time she could never do what I handle. Because they are both alot but two way different areas.

Yes I understand you did not say healthcare. But you mentioned the Outreach, and Human Services. So as I said I was willing to Interim and be Lateral. I also am proficient in scheduling. Whereas my friend can multi task secretary style and rattle off a ton of claims etc like nobodies business. I believe her saving grace like how mine is scheduling, hers is probably the ability to shift between CS & Claims simultaneously.* Point figure out what your master skill is. That will do you more favors than anything. Once you know what you can do better than any other candidate you can sell yourself on your ability to wing and learn the rest. 

Like are you good at: 
Details? Maybe Auditing 
Editing? Maybe Data Entry 
Customer Service? Maybe General Secretary (Admin Asst.) or Billing/Claims
Jack of Many Trades Master of None? Maybe Coordinator or Organizer
Point find/identify YOUR niche*


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## islandlight (Aug 13, 2013)

The OP specified that she was interested in administrative work (which used to be called secretarial or office work). I would understand if she didn't want to start in another job doing cleaning or whatever.

At different times in the past, I called two organizations about volunteering. I talked to the person in charge about very specific things I had to offer, and they agreed. But when I got there, it was "Okay get in there and start cleaning/moving boxes."

I had absolutely no interest in doing such jobs (I'd done too much of it in my working life), and anyway I was wearing my good clothes because I thought I'd be doing the job we had talked about.

And once, I went to a meeting for people who wanted to "plan and organize" a festival. But it turned out that there was already an inner circle of organizers, and they weren't interested in fresh input. I was relegated to garbage pickup.

As for lateral moves, that might happen for some people, but in my work life it didn't happen. Once they find out you're good at dirty jobs, they won't move you to a clerical or customer-facing job. Even if you were promised a clean job "as soon as there's an opening."

So, for me, it's imperative that I do only the volunteer work that I'm actually interested in doing. If an organization has an "everybody starts out doing dirty work" policy, that's their problem, not mine.


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## BlissfulDreams (Dec 25, 2009)

0.M.I.A.0 said:


> I am specifically curious
> 
> General Secretary?
> Data Entry?
> ...


Thank you for the detailed post. I appreciate that you outlined how you and a friend both got your current positions. I'm leaning towards administrative assistant. The job descriptions that I've looked at say that the jobs involve answering phones and emails, writing letters and reports, and data entry. I'd like to volunteer at a place where I might be able to get an administrative job later. I don't think I could get one at a food bank but maybe somewhere else.


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## BlissfulDreams (Dec 25, 2009)

islandlight said:


> The OP specified that she was interested in administrative work (which used to be called secretarial or office work). I would understand if she didn't want to start in another job doing cleaning or whatever.
> 
> At different times in the past, I called two organizations about volunteering. I talked to the person in charge about very specific things I had to offer, and they agreed. But when I got there, it was "Okay get in there and start cleaning/moving boxes."
> 
> ...


Yeah, I previously volunteered at a place wanting job experience and I spent the whole time organizing files. A family friend of mine volunteered at a centre for children with disabilities and then got hired as an administrative assistant and she worked her way to becoming a coordinator. I was trying to think of possible avenues for myself.


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## Aarya (Mar 29, 2016)

WWOOF - World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms 

Green Team/Conservation group in your area. 

Animal hospital/shelter volunteer.

OPWALL - operation wallacea, but one has to pay for this one.


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