How To Find The Perfect Summer Volunteering Opportunity
You may have a gap in your resume you want to fill, a resume that is longer than you would like, or simply want to do the right thing with your free time this summer. Whatever it is, the general consensus regarding the summer season is that it’s for fun and relaxing; not for spending an excessive amount of time applying to jobs you don’t necessarily believe in. With that being said, many of us choose to volunteer our time and effort in lieu of taking unpaid internships or simply just working a job as a way of making ends meet.
Volunteering for the summer is a great way to get involved in your community, meet new people, and make a difference. Here are some ideas for where to volunteer in the summer and ways to make volunteering fun!
First things first: where do you want to volunteer? Do you want to work directly with animals? Maybe you’d prefer something more educational, like helping kids learn about nature. Maybe it’s all about human rights issues for you, or maybe it’s just about making sure your community stays clean and safe. Whatever your passion is, there’s probably a place for it in your area — and there are plenty of organizations and agencies that can help connect you with them. So don’t worry about getting lost in the crowd — the best way to find an organization is by doing some research online or asking around locally.
#1 Volunteer while bonding with animals
Volunteer at your local animal shelter or zoo. You can help with cleaning cages, feeding the animals, or walking them around. You’ll get to interact with animals in an environment that’s safe for them (and you), which is always fun!
#2 Do good for the local community
Volunteer at a public park. If you love being active outdoors and want to give back to your community at the same time, consider volunteering at a public park. There are lots of ways you could get involved; you could plant flowers or build benches, or even just bring water bottles for thirsty hikers!
#3 Reach out to non-profits
Do some research on local non-profits in your area and contact them about volunteering this summer. Be sure to ask about available dates and times before signing up for anything! There are numerous remote opportunities to help non-profit organizations, so keep those in mind as well. One way to volunteer remotely as part of a non-profit organization is to teach different courses online. Check out the volunteering opportunities 1HOUR has to offer and sign up as a volunteer today.
#4 Sign up at a homeless shelter or babysit
If you want to help people who are struggling financially or living homeless, check out your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter — they almost always need volunteers during the summer months!
#5 Explore volunteering opportunities online
If none of these work for you, try doing some research on your own! There are tons of organizations that need volunteers in the summer — just look around online until something catches your eye. It doesn’t matter if you’re a student or a full-time working professional: there are many ways to contribute as a volunteer and make an impact on your local community.
#6 Volunteer at summer camps
The volunteering opportunities at summer camps are endless. You can help out as a cook, organize different activities and events, lead workouts, or simply play the role of an older sister/brother for the younger kids. Transfer your positive vibes and enthusiasm to the children while being a great role model.
Summer’s finally here and for many that means more time off. All things considered, there are a lot of pros to volunteering in the summer. Many organizations will offer flexible scheduling, meaning that you don’t have to sacrifice valuable time spent with family or friends. Some of these organizations also provide room and board, meaning that you don’t have to worry about paying rent while away from home. As long as you do your research, networking and asking questions should be easy! But most importantly, treat it like an extended job interview (which it essentially is).
