The Busy Person's Guide To Volunteering

Written by Rachel Louis.

Let’s face it; we all have a desire to do good. We applaud those who dedicate their lives to helping the less fortunate and we hold philanthropists in high regard. In an ideal world, we would even want to be one of them. Yet for many of us, it remains a mere ideal because we simply have no time.

In a world run by practicality and efficiency, volunteering is not exactly on the top of our list of priorities. It can appear overly time-consuming and requires too much hard work. While much of traditional volunteerism does admittedly involve a certain amount of commitment, there are other ways to serve the communities around us without having to set aside a lot more additional time. Call it cheating if you like, but I prefer the term ‘efficient’. Here are 5 ways to integrate volunteerism into your busy life.    

Integrate Volunteering with your Hobby

Most of us have a couple of hobbies and interests that we engage in from time to time. Instead of spending a couple of hours skateboarding or playing Warcraft, why not kill two birds with one stone and volunteer whilst pursuing your interest? 

Musicians on Call is an organisation in the USA that sends volunteer musicians to play live music at the bedside of hospital patients, to lift their spirits. WriteGirl is an organisation that offers writing workshops and one-on-one mentorships to empower teenage girls who would not otherwise have such opportunities.

There’s something special about being able to share what you love, to those who you are trying to show love to. These are only two of many other organisations out there that could offer you a chance to do good and have fun doing what you love at the same time.


A Volunteer Vacation
What are you doing for your next family holiday? How about a week in the island resort of Bali, not to surf, but to serve? ‘Voluntourism’ is on the rise, and an increasing number of organisations, such as International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) and The Chain Reaction Project, offer programmes and tour packages that allow families and individuals to assist a developing community while travelling. With activities ranging from educating and interacting with locals, to the construction and renovation of houses, there are options that cater to every member of the family. You still manage a getaway, but you get a more meaningful and impactful one that promotes family togetherness. Speaking from personal experience, there are few things that can bond a group of people better than volunteering together in a foreign country. 

Having a common goal, going through the same experiences and ultimately growing as individuals together, create ties that last.

Micro-Volunteering
This is a recently coined term to describe a form of volunteerism that can be done from home, and very often in your pyjamas as micro-volunteering site Help from Home promises. Different organisations such as Help from Home and Sparked provide an online platform for non-profit organisations to request help from online volunteers. From webcam-mentoring an AIDS affected teenager in Africa to designing a fundraising poster for an elderly care centre, there is a wide range of both one-off and long-term opportunities for volunteers who might not be able to commit as much time or physical presence. Users can sift through available opportunities according to their own interest, skill set and commitment level to find the right fit. Though some might prefer volunteering in person and on location, this is a creative alternative for those who absolutely cannot afford the time to physically be there.

Little Steps
There is a common misconception that if you volunteer, it should be for a great, noble cause such as ending world hunger or solving the problem of poverty. While such lofty ambitions are indeed valued, there is also much to be done in one’s own backyard. For instance, my father recently discovered that we have an elderly neighbour living in a unit above us, who makes his living by collecting and selling discarded flyers. My father has made it a point to help the man gather recyclables to sell, in order to boost his modest income.

There are people all around us that might just slip under our radar, and who could benefit from our help. It does not take much time to become aware of your immediate surroundings. Simply taking a few moments to talk to your neighbours might reveal someone in need, a gap to be bridged. Little gestures of kindness and empathy might not seem like much in the larger scheme of things, but they could very well brighten up someone’s day and that is essentially what volunteerism is all about.

Find Your Calling
Before you decide to dedicate your time and energy to volunteering, one of the most important things to do would be to find a cause that you’re passionate about. Whether it is animals, the physically disabled or immigrant rights, know whom you want to help and be sure of it. The next step would be to find a suitable organisation whose values and goals align with yours. Discover what stirs your heart and drives you to act. Then figure out who can help you achieve what you want to achieve.

I have known since I was 12 that my calling was in the classroom. I love to learn, and desire wholeheartedly for everyone to have a chance to learn to love it as well. So whenever the opportunity arises, I look out for education-related programmes to serve in. Over the years, I have worked with a number of organisations and the ones that have resonated with me were also the same ones with whom I had the best experiences volunteering. Honestly, when you find the right fit, volunteering could very well become so much a part of your life that time is no longer an issue.