Becoming a Volunteer
So you want to volunteer? Ask yourself these questions…
1. What issue interests you?
- Diversity/Multiculturalism
- Health Needs (Hospitals, Mental, Disabilities)
- Violence (Domestic, youth, urban)
- Hunger & Homelessness
- Education/Literacy
- Racial Issues
- Environment
- Religious Tolerance
- Gender/Women's issues
- Substance Abuse
- Governmental Affairs
- Immigrant Issues
- Peacemaking/Non-Violence
2. What ages interest you?
- Kids
- Senior Citizens
- Doesn't Matter
3. What type of activity do you want to do?
- Physical
- Interactive
- Educational
- Labor (cleaning, building)
- Managerial (data entry, paper)
- Athletic (coaching, etc)
- Behind the scenes
- Front line work
- Outdoors
4. What type of time commitment can you give?
- Continual (Every week, every other week, etc)
- One-time (flexible, just once, etc)
5. What do you hope to get out of this?
- Putting face to the issue (direct service: example- hanging out with
residents at a homeless shelter). This requires education & training
beforehand to be effective.
- Social functions- combination of group building while working for
a good cause (philanthropy where you donate profit to needy local shelter,
casino night)
- Gain practical, major or business related experience-
- Organize philanthropy (benefit dance, etc.)
- Volunteer in a setting that will give you exposure (hospital,
prison)
- Become an awesome director/coordinator or existing group
- Recognize an unmet community need and develop a program to address
it
- For example, lunch program at homeless shelter, organize food
salvage downtown
-
This may require YOU to do your homework to gain/find a real
community assessment of its true needs
6. Do you want to volunteer individually or as part of a group?
- Individually
- Look at www.cuvolunteer.org and find the perfect opportunity for
you and call the agency directly
- If you need help finding one of these perfect opportunities, Office
of Volunteer Programs staff is willing to help!
- Group
- Join a service student organization on campus
- Organize either one-time projects or ongoing projects with a group
of friends, hall floor, student organization, etc.
Copyright 2002 Office of Volunteer Programs.
Send comments to ovp@uiuc.edu |
