Community service and volunteering can be daunting at first when you’re looking to fulfill a couple of hundred hours. Let’s break down some options and ideas, so you can enjoy the hours you put into community service or volunteering.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Doing Community Service or Volunteering
1. What does the community need and how can I help?
In the world today where the pandemic has taken hold of lives, we realized that we’re not alone in this struggle. The pandemic has surfaced–or rather amplified–many underlying issues like health inequity, racism, classism, and the list goes on. We all know that there are just too many to deal with but we encourage you to narrow down on what you’re particularly passionate about. We have our own roles in this play called life.
Read more: Volunteer Abroad in These Happiest Places in The World
2. What skills do I have to make a change or an impact?
List down all the hobbies you have, skills you’ve picked up, and the work you’ve done at school. You can even list your strengths and weaknesses, using the opportunity during your community service or volunteering activity to work on it.
I thought it was a great opportunity for me to grow and test my flexibility. While coordinating and planning with a large group of people can sometimes seem challenging when you manage to achieve your goal efficiently, it is very satisfying! I got to work with people from all over the world, from Vietnam all the way through Japan and the Philippines.
– Emma Chambourova, Virtual Volunteer Alumni, Education project in the Philippines.
Read more: Is A Virtual Internship Worth It?
3. What passions would I like to develop or explore?
We encourage you to take a leap of faith and try all types of work in the various industries–to get an idea of what you might like to do. Besides that, you’ll also pile on some experience as you pursue what you’re passionate about.
Tina in a dental clinic in Cusco, Peru
Tina Hoang, a dental student who went to Peru to volunteer at a local dental clinic shared, “I am so grateful for this opportunity. I was able to grow as a person and as a dental health care worker. Through it, my knowledge is expanded and this experience will help me strive in my field. I was able to connect my experience to what I learned in school. My experience with the patients in Peru has encouraged me to continue on to help people with the proper care.”
4. Volunteering near me, volunteer abroad, or volunteer online?
In different seasons, it’s important to take a step back and look at your schedule–which would vary. So, after you’ve identified some extra hours, choose a type of community service or volunteering opportunity that won’t tire you out but energize you.
Ideas On Where to Start
Search for opportunities to volunteer abroad and gain cross-cultural understanding and empathy
At United Planet, our mission to create a global community is to ensure that all of our volunteers create meaningful relationships with the locals. As a result, through our volunteer and intern abroad opportunities, volunteers will get to step out of their comfort zones and gain real-life work experience with international organizations.
Anthony W., UP Alumni, teaching English to students in Japan.
Volunteering online
The pandemic has probably taken a toll on all of us and with that said, you might have Zoom fatigue. Therefore, choose a virtual volunteering program that you might be interested in learning or passionate about doing.
- English lessons with students in a different country
Instead of a normal classroom, you can have the opportunity to have conversations about music and culture with local students from Japan, Colombia, India, the Philippines, and more. - Volunteer in global health projects–doing research, communicating about health and development, cancer prevention, and etc.
Kelvin, virtual intern alumni, worked on a global health project in Costa Rica. He is passionate about educating others on the prevention and early detection of cancer.Specifically, one of the main aims of the organization I volunteered for is to address the educational support needed for patients and their families, which was something I felt was extremely important to me when I went through my cancer battle. – Kelvin
- Virtual volunteer projects on women empowerment
You can do your part to support and empower women around the world through these women empowerment projects we have in nine countries!
Find out more about Virtual Volunteering and Virtual Internship
Volunteer with an organization in your own community
If you wanted to make a difference in your own community, don’t forget to research what your community needs. In addition, get to know local NGOs or have conversations with community leaders to understand the struggles faced. If you happen to be in any of the countries we have listed, contact us and we can arrange for a volunteering opportunity near you!
Benefits of doing Community Service or Volunteering
Salsa in Ecuador!
- Making a global impact through community service.
- Gain real-life work experience and 21st-century skills.
- Get a better understanding of the issues happening around you and globally.
- Be a changemaker for a better tomorrow!
- Build new relationships outside of your own community!
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
