Community Service You Can Make… All The Difference!

1. Community Service You Can Make… All The Difference! Give Your Time! Give Your Expertise!! Make A Difference!!!

2. Today, we will learn:: • Why volunteering is important • The impact of volunteers in the community • How volunteers can help an organization • The importance of assessing your interests • Hands-on volunteer opportunity

3. Why is volunteering important? • Volunteers have an enormous impact on the health and well-being of our community: • Volunteers can deliver critical services – from serving as volunteer fire fighters or participating in search and rescues, to delivering meals to homebound seniors, or manning phone lines at domestic and sexual assault centers. • Volunteers help keep our neighborhoods, streets, parks, rivers, green spaces, and water clean and safe.

4. Volunteers tutor, teach, mentor, coach, and support young people. Volunteers build houses and schools, dig wells, and repair infrastructure. Volunteers walk dogs, pet cats, clean cages, help with adoptions and feedings, and contribute veterinary expertise to animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers

5. Volunteers educate the public on health and safety; doctors and nurses donate time and medical knowledge to free clinics and natural/civil disaster areas. Volunteers take tickets at performing arts events, lead tours at museums, and ensure arts and cultural festivals run smoothly.

6. Volunteers do all of the above and so much more!

7. Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer It’s good for you – reduces stress and makes you healthier It saves resources – provides valuable community services Volunteers gain professional experience It brings people together – diverse backgrounds collaborate and builds friendships and teamwork It promotes personal growth & self esteem Volunteering strengthens your community – improve schools, support youth, eldercare, beautification projects You learn a lot – discover hidden talents, gain knowledge of local resources You get a chance to give back – support community resources that benefit people you care about Encourages civic responsibility – it’s an investment in our community and to the people who live here You make a difference – Every person counts!!

8. Other Ways to Volunteer in Our Community • Serving on a board of directors or one of their sub-committees (highly committed volunteers with a larger time commitment) • Helping plan and run big events and conferences • Securing items for raffles and auctions • Helping with Finances/Audit/etc. • Fixing things around the office • Spreading the word about fundraisers and helping sell tickets (raffle tickets, event tickets, etc.) • Data Entry • Tabling at events

9. More Ways to Volunteer in Our Community • Managing small projects that don’t require a fulltime employee • Receptionist duties/answering phones • Making phone calls • Caring for children • Mentoring foster youth • Tutoring/coaching youth • Helping with Art Projects • Participating in Events and raising money for your favorite nonprofit

10. Assessing Your Interests

11. Why assess your interests? • Thinking about your goals, interests, and skills saves you time and steers you away from volunteer positions that don’t fit • Time wasted training • A bad fit can end up causing harm

12. Life's persistent and most urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’ Martin Luther King Jr.

13. Assignment: A Vision of Myself: Creative Visual Volunteer Assignment