Volunteering seems like work

[splitwdw]

But going to dig wells looks great on your college application.

 

[JoeWras]

I am an "end of spectrum" INTJ - I peg every indicator. When I first volunteered at Habitat, I was told they really needed cashiers in the ReStore. I was horrified. While I knew I was unsuited to work on homes (trust me - even painting walls is beyond me), I had hoped for office work. Over the years, cashiering has grown on me and now I love greeting my Saturday morning "regulars."

So even if you're as introverted as I am, give volunteer opportunities you don't-at-first think will work a chance. They won't all suit, of course. But one might pleasantly surprise you.

I'm probably an ISTJ. Don't judge me, I think I meant "INTJ" instead of "ITNJ". Ha ha.

But I'm also not super I. I'm definitely not E. I found I need a bit of E and found it during volunteering. I think that's why it works for me.

For other people, it may mean just giving money anonymously, or helping a family or neighbor. It is all good.

 

[Focus]

We forget just how American volunteerism is. As this post on PRI.org notes, other cultures have different views. Highlights:

Organized community service and philanthropic giving is not common in most countries besides the US and Australia.

Other Americans like myself spend a lot of time participating in organized community service. There are more nonprofit organizations registered in the US than there are citizens in Trinidad and Tobago....

On the contrary, according to the international residents of the International House, foreigners may be more adept to helping one another through simply taking care of a sick mother, while in the US we may place our older family members in nursing homes....

Each of us has our own understanding of the act of volunteering, which is informed by the societies in which we live, or those in which we have spent the most time. The third sector may not be available in some countries because they don’t have the same democracy as we do in America.

Non-profit involvement abroad is often uprooted from activist orientated or think-tank organizations that address government corruption or other major issues, and things like volunteering in a soup kitchen are infrequent because, as some of my I-House peers from socialist countries said, they believe that governments are responsible for addressing these issues.

Governments, they said, work well and higher taxes and better governments are the answer – not volunteering.

 

[braumeister]

But here's one that kinda rubs me......wealth(ier) teens soliciting money from the public or their parents/relatives to go to Africa (or somesuch) to 'help' by digging wells (for example).......if you want to help impoverished villagers, send them the money...they know how to dig!

Of course I admit to being a curmudgeon, but that sort of thing bugs me a little too. Like signing up for a charity run/walk/roller skate race and hitting up everyone you know to donate to the cause in your name, so you get credit for "raising" all that money for your favorite cause. Just donate to what you want and let others donate to what they want.

 

[JoeWras]

Of course I admit to being a curmudgeon, but that sort of thing bugs me a little too. Like signing up for a charity run/walk/roller skate race and hitting up everyone you know to donate to the cause in your name, so you get credit for "raising" all that money for your favorite cause. Just donate to what you want and let others donate to what they want.

Bugs me too.

Some overseas stuff is questionable.

The need close to home is great. Start there. I guess it isn't as "sexy" though. Doesn't make for good selfies without elephants in the background.

 

[audreyh1]

Clearly there are two ways to go about it. You can look to a nonprofit or volunteer organization to guide your volunteering, or you can self-direct your volunteering, coming up with ideas and implementing then. The latter can be done on an individual scale, or you can involve a group of friends. You can become quite entrepreneurial about volunteering if so inclined.

We had a great experience with a local “trail tamers” organization that simply did work on improving various hiking trails for a few hours each weekend, and were often invited to more distant locations to work in exchange for cabins, meals, etc. You just showed up at the Saturday morning location. They taught newbies how to use the tools. It was a fun group of folks. No long term commitments. We joined a couple of the group weekend trips, and they were quite special and very unique.

 

[athena53]

But here's one that kinda rubs me......wealth(ier) teens soliciting money from the public or their parents/relatives to go to Africa (or somesuch) to 'help' by digging wells (for example).......if you want to help impoverished villagers, send them the money...they know how to dig!

Read the book "Toxic Charity". It goes into great detail about how the temporary do-gooder projects don't really have any lasting good effects and may take jobs away from locals. Many of the residents of "orphanages" set up in Asia have living parents but it's more lucrative to warehouse them and accept large donations from people in developed countries who come in, cuddle the kids, listen to them sing a few cute songs and go home.

Another thought on volunteering: I won't do anything that requires me to ask people for money. It just doesn't fit my temperament and my skills.

 

[harllee]

I am good at fundraising. If it is a cause I believe in I don't mind asking folks for money, especially people I know. I am involved with a charity that had a fund raising need. I thought of a way to raise the money and so I do that fund raising project every year. I do it by myself--I don't want a committee messing things up. Needless to say I am a very popular volunteer with that charity.

 

[SpinDoctorTX]

In June, my gig as a CASA was over, and I took a long break. It was taxing & not for the faint of heart (and I only had one case).

Now I'm volunteering on a random basis for some candidates in local elections.

Volunteering is fulfilling, but I plan to only work as much as I truly want to. I am a care giver, and can't commit to things happening too far in the future. Nor do I plan to once my load has lightened up at home (it's starting to now).

There is something for everyone- it just takes time to find the right fit.

 

[scrabbler1]

Another element of the volunteer work I do is that it is rather specialized - it requires special skills and knowledge that most people don't have. This means I will be treated well and with respect, if not looked up to also. It's a nice ego trip and I won't be abused or taken advantage of.

 

[NW-Bound]

Volunteering does not seem like work; it is work.

I don't volunteer my time. I donate money.

 

[RobbieB]

Me too, send 'em a check. I got lots of stuff I need to do around here before I go out and work on someone else's house.

 

[RunningBum]

Read the book "Toxic Charity". It goes into great detail about how the temporary do-gooder projects don't really have any lasting good effects and may take jobs away from locals.

I have heard this too, especially the last part (taking jobs away from locals). I think teens that go down there may get some appreciation for what they have here, so it's not a total loss, but I don't support them either. I do try to figure out where cash would be used best and donate accordingly.

 

[ocean view]

Another element of the volunteer work I do is that it is rather specialized - it requires special skills and knowledge that most people don't have. This means I will be treated well and with respect, if not looked up to also. It's a nice ego trip and I won't be abused or taken advantage of.

I have a similar experience with my volunteer gig. My non-profit of choice gets lots of volunteers for work that requires little training. However they have a small accounting team that needs help with projects that require more than data entry skills. I am that person for them and as a result I am treated very well. I enjoyed my career in accounting, so this is fun for me. It gives me an opportunity to continue to dabble in the numbers without any of the corporate bs.

To the OP-if you want to be treated as an independent contractor (which is basically what you described in your first post), you’ll need to identify a skill you can bring to the non-profit that they can’t get from other volunteers, and of course be something you enjoy. If you can do that, you can write your own ticket.

Good luck!

 

[scrabbler1]

I have a similar experience with my volunteer gig. My non-profit of choice gets lots of volunteers for work that requires little training. However they have a small accounting team that needs help with projects that require more than data entry skills. I am that person for them and as a result I am treated very well. I enjoyed my career in accounting, so this is fun for me. It gives me an opportunity to continue to dabble in the numbers without any of the corporate bs.

I enjoy using the skills I acquired at my job in my volunteer work. Some of my volunteer work includes running small school Scrabble tourneys (see my username?). I created a handy worksheet using my job skills to greatly aid me in running the tourneys. By work standards, it's a decent but not a super-duper spreadsheet. But to the teacher-coaches (who have some Excel skills), I look like a genius! I can also put my office supervisory skills to work (IOW being able to boss around a room full of adults and kids).

Another area I use my work skills for volunteer work is to help my co-op board at our annual meeting by running their Board elections and determining a quorum. To the Board members, I turned a slow, often chaotic process into a quick, smooth running process.

Doing this every year brings me a lot of goodwill with both the Board and our managing agent staff who help me at the annual meeting. I have their ears if I have problem or question about co-op issues. They have mentioned to me that I could gain an appointed seat on the Board when there is a vacancy in the middle of the year (due to a tragic death or rare resignation). But I don't really want the headaches associated with being on the Board. And being more of an introvert, I wouldn't welcome the attention year-round. Simply having their ear when I have a problem or a question, and getting a small ego trip at the annual meeting is good enough for me.

 

[JoeWras]

I have heard this too, especially the last part (taking jobs away from locals). I think teens that go down there may get some appreciation for what they have here, so it's not a total loss, but I don't support them either. I do try to figure out where cash would be used best and donate accordingly.

There are plenty of places in the USA to give teens appreciation for what they have.

On one of my disaster relief jobs, I briefly worked with another group from up in the NE. They brought a youth group.

This was the first time any of these kids saw a roach.

And actually, the home was in good shape, owned by a very friendly, kind man. He just couldn't bend over anymore, so cleaning the floor became and issue and the crumbs attracted the problem. And it was not even a severe problem. Still...

You'd think all these kids saw a ghost or something. They were simply in shock.

So, yeah, plenty of opportunities close by to find that "appreciation for the cushy iPhone life" they have.

 

[Nightcap]

The Unindicted Co-Conspirator and I were just talking about this. Our local UU church recently sent us an online questionnaire asking how they can help us, but every question was about what talents, time, and treasure WE could contribute to THEM. We tried to make it very clear that we make an annual pledge and we are faithful and dedicated choristers, and that’s it. (Pretty good for a couple of atheists, really.)

Frankly, one of the best things about retirement is La Dolce Fa Niente, the sweetness of idleness. We have plenty to do, we’ve never been bored for a single minute.

 

[2177V]

Read the book "Toxic Charity". It goes into great detail about how the temporary do-gooder projects don't really have any lasting good effects and may take jobs away from locals. Many of the residents of "orphanages" set up in Asia have living parents but it's more lucrative to warehouse them and accept large donations from people in developed countries who come in, cuddle the kids, listen to them sing a few cute songs and go home.

Another thought on volunteering: I won't do anything that requires me to ask people for money. It just doesn't fit my temperament and my skills.

I have not read the book but I have been an unpaid volunteer at a local "tool library" where residents check out tools for free. The tools are power tools, ladders, lawnmowers, etc. Residents donate tools for the community so it is a win-win.

This service does not generate income except for fines when borrowers are late. I find this volunteering work satisfying because I fix broken tools since I am a handy man and I teach widows who lost their husbands how to use certain power tools.

As far as taking jobs from the locals, I do not believe that is a factor in my situation since there is no money to pay someone to take my place. I am also ex-military and "serving your community and like serving your country". It really depends on your background on whether unpaid volunteer work is a positive thing or a negative one.

 

[timemoveson]

Great topic

I decided some time ago that I would avoid the Charity-Industrial and Volunteer-Industrial Complexes entirely. I had a great deal of exposure to things mentioned in this thread like small mindedness, rigidity, waste, et al in my formative professional and business years.

In retirement, I'm keeping it focused. I'm giving my time and resources to individuals who need help. Most of these people are "leaders" can do much more with some support and are in a position to take what I give them and leverage it by 100x or 1000x to make very big tangible impact.

 

[steveark]

Because I had a highly visible job running a large company and had volunteered for many years while working, my volunteer positions were chairing the boards that ran the nonprofits. It's important, and it changes lives, so I do it. But it isn't nearly as much fun as my paid consulting. Charity work just is kind of meh, but it's worth doing anyway.

 

[GoodLife59]

This is an interesting dilemma. I pulled the trigger on early retirement about a month ago. I don’t feel the need or drive to volunteer at this point but my wife is pushing so I’m going to make an effort. Frankly I’ve been soured on volunteering from several attempts and experiences through the activities and sports teams my kids were involved in. It was most typical to experience the worst in people via the non-paid volunteer leaders. Rude, controlling, political, dishonest, and so on. Really stressed me out in these situations as the kids got the short end. I’m talking all the kids. Not just mine. I appreciate some of the examples shared on this thread. They give me hope that I’ll find something that fits me and actually provides benefit.

 

[rick55]

I started volunteering when I was 17. Tried to join the vol FD but I was too young, so I joined the vol ambulance corps. It gave me structure and direction. I became a career paramedic, and moved up the ranks.
I still volunteer today, in my town’s fire department. I no longer am an interior Firefighter, but I do my part and like helping my neighbors.

I need to have a purpose in life....

 

[GoodLife59]

Rick55- thank you for your service. Trained firefighters are special people and important to our communities. Paid and volunteer.

 

[CaptTom]

I have not read the book but I have been an unpaid volunteer at a local "tool library" where residents check out tools for free. The tools are power tools, ladders, lawnmowers, etc. Residents donate tools for the community so it is a win-win.

That's a pretty interesting idea. I had never heard of a program like that. I'd sign up to help out if we had something like that around here, too.

I don't let the politics of a structured charitable organization bother me. Believe me, I've seen the very worst of people, both above and below me in the chain of command, in different organizations.

Knowing you don't need the job, and can quit any time, helps. Often the mission is more important than the petty bickering some people are always trying to rope others into. So I just keep doing what I think is right.

 

[Philliefan33]

There has been a lot of people writing about using the skills learned during their career when they volunteer. I like to think about the skills I’ve learned in my volunteer experiences. I joke that if the wheels fall off our retirement bus, I’ve got a few job skills that I didn’t have before.

From volunteering with the fire department, I’ve learned to work in a large kitchen and feed about 200 people. I can run an industrial dishwasher. I am trained by the state to recognize intoxication / prevent DUI and have a certification card to prove it. (Don’t laugh, our insurance carrier required that class for bartenders). I’m still learning how to decipher dispatchers over a garbled radio transmission. I can direct traffic.

Not exactly critical life skills, but these activities put some variety in life.