For the past few weeks, I’ve been on the hunt for a new volunteering job. My requirements are simple: I want to work with kids, and I want to have a regular schedule.
Long story short, my search has been disappointingly unsuccessful.
The WhatGives!? crew and our readers will be shocked to read this. I’m a passionate advocate for doing good online, and am always the first to turn to the internet and social media for things like this. I mean, helloooooooooo, why wouldn’t you?
Have you lost your edge?
No way, Jose! In the past, I’ve always relied on my good friend, Mr. Craigslist. This time around? Totally lacking! That’s right, no jobs with my requirements have been posted for the past few months, and I’m not even being picky. I was hopeful after contacting a local charity that was doing a dance camp for kids. I sent an email, no response. No telephone number listed.
You’re seriously going to give up that easily, Kerrie?
Of course not! My next step was to look through volunteering-specific sites. I don’t want to bash any of these sites as my experience may not be the norm, so I’m not going to name names. Anyways, I clicked on the little zip-code finder thingamajig and bam! NOTHING. Not one single position. I even signed up to get notified by text message with volunteering jobs in my area. Two weeks later? Those sites have sent me nothing. No texts, no emails, nothing.
Okay, so what else did you do?
My last resort was to go to a charity’s website and contact them directly. So I did! I went to the Big Brothers Big Sisters site and signed up to get informed on volunteering with my local chapter. It’s been weeks and no one has contacted me!
So what is the dealio?
Granted, I do not live in a major city and I know it’s still summer so charities may be busy with events and such, but I never imagined it could be so difficult to find a volunteering job online! I know so many people “my age” who would give up on an opportunity in an INSTANT if something went wrong with their online experience. That may sound harsh but it’s true. And don’t say I’m part of the “Slacktivist” Generation. I’m just trying to use my time wisely. To date I’ve found all my jobs online, so why should volunteering jobs be any different? I know I could call each charity one at a time and leave a message and wait for someone to call me back. But that seems like an inefficient process for me and for the organization.
I’m not asking that a charity bend over backwards to get me to volunteer, but I think it should be much easier to find a volunteering position online. If all else fails, at least learn how to use email! And if you don’t have the resources to staff a person to coordinate volunteers online, then tell me the best way to reach you. If you can’t afford to have a website, then start a blog or Facebook page! They’re free and easy to set up. That way I can access your info easily and without confusion or frustration. At the very least, you should make an attempt to have all public information on the internet be accurate and accountable.
Has anyone else experienced this? Charities, what does your volunteering sign-up process look like? How do most of your volunteers find out about you? Are you behind on the times? Tell us how we can help you catch up!
That urge to do something (and find out about it online) for the greater good isn’t an easy thing to give up on. Technology on the other hand? Pretty easy to get frustrated with. Organizations need to make it easier to find out about volunteering jobs. There are so many cool opportunities just waiting for people like me and you and I don’t know about you but I don’t want to miss out on any of them!
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Tags: nonprofits, volunteering, volunteers
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Kerrie,
Your experience is SO typical! And most people who want to volunteer are not nearly as industrious as you. Volunteering for an organization should be VERY easy to do-NOT the actual tasks, but finding and connecting with the organization. Ultimately, it is because there are so many silos in the nonprofit community and so there isn't a combined effort to be a resource to the community. Any city or town that can bring the nonprofit community together to provide integrated services will also have the benefit of connecting with more volunteers.
i am working VERY HARD on that in Chicago right now.
And if I can help you find volunteer opportunities, let me know. You can check your local Helping Hands Network site or Idealist dot org. In Chicago we have onebrick dot org too. And many communities have other organizations as well. Happy to help if you want.
Ugh. The nearest we get to you (I think) are Ventura or Salinas. (a.k.a. NOT NEAR)
Wait – how about this: http://volunteer.truist.com/uwsbc/org/opp/1025128…
Or this: http://volunteer.truist.com/uwsbc/org/opp/1031584… or this: http://www.slocasa.org/main.asp?id=3