There are times of the year when we look around us and see that we are much better off than others. That can make us feel grateful and guilty at the same time. We may have worked hard for our lot and made many sacrifices to be where we are today. However, that doesn’t stop us feeling that a lot of things, fortunately, went our way as we travelled life’s winding path. Some people just weren’t dealt that hand.
Helping out a charity organisation can be a wonderful way to give back. It will offer a sense of pride and pleasure from being able to donate your time and energy to help.
There are many ways to support a charity. These include donating money, old kids’ clothes and food. You could support a fundraising drive or take a volunteer role within the organization.
If you feel volunteering is for you, there are many ways you can get involved. Most charities are always on the look out for unpaid volunteer recruits.
There are many jobs you can do as a volunteer for a charitable organization. Some people drive patients to and from their hospital appointments. Some stand outside the supermarket shaking a charity cash pot. You may help clean out animal cages at the nearby rehoming centre, or provide an ironing service for care home residents. Those with skills in the arts often like to visit residential homes and provide 30 or 40 minutes of musical activity. Whatever you do, it will be appreciated, but it can be hard to keep up.
Charities need their volunteers to take on a full commitment. Even though you are unpaid, organising the day at the charity requires advance notice on who will be there and what they can do in that time. Turning up ad-hoc does not really work for them, even though you are unpaid. There will always be fundraising events that may not fit in with your lifestyle or schedule. Be clear on what time and help you can give before you take on a volunteer role.
Ideas for fundraisers are always welcome, and you may very creative in bringing things forward. Recommending third party support from professional fundraising organizations like ABC Fundraising may be better received than a big summer fete that takes extra time and planning by the paid staff.
Working with paid staff can be difficult, especially when you feel overwhelmed by the tasks you have been assigned. You may also be left with more menial tasks and left out of key decisions you feel you could provide good input on. Some volunteers are very passionate about the charity they are helping, and want to be involved at every level of decision-making. This is particularly true if you are offering a Will donation or regular subscriptions. However, the paid staff need to live with these decisions and take on the extra workload they generate. No matter how many volunteers there are, the responsibility for making a fundraiser work falls on the paid staff.
you make very good points. I worked as a unpaid volunteer in a number of situations and found your advice good, except there are always exceptions to any rule and even if you come at an inopportune moment, a good administrator of any organization will figure out how to use you. You should also check the "charity" out to insure that the bulk of what they are collecting goes to others, not themselves
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