How to Become a Volunteer?

Introduction

Volunteering is to do work for a noble cause free of any remuneration except for genuine costs incurred by a volunteer in this endeavour. This volunteer work could be either physical work carried out or time spent doing mental work. Donating cash or things in kind are usually considered charity and do not fall under the definition of voluntarism.

To become a volunteer, kindly keep the following points in view

1. Make a Decision

Firstly, ask yourself whether you want to do voluntary work-work which will demand your time and efforts and, most of all, sacrifice your ego. Only a person with the qualities of heart and mind follow this path, which is even higher than teaching. Although in this decision it is the heart that takes the lead but uses your mind also because doing volunteer work does confer some benefits. Read those under the caption advantages of volunteerism. Decide whether to become a volunteer or not

2. Find a Cause

Once you have decided to become a volunteer, chances are that you have also decided the work or field you would be doing the volunteer work. If not, do some soul-searching, some internet searching. Find a cause for which you feel very passionate. Spreading education in your community? Helping the poor, providing medical care to those who cannot? Contributing your bit to minimize the digital divide in the country? Climate Change? Whatever the cause may be, it must touch the chords of your heart

3. Learn about it

Even if you have some knowledge about the field you have chosen for voluntary activities, do some more search about it. There are thousands of websites and NGOs for every voluntary work under the sun. Do visit the UNO volunteer website

4. Enrol Formally

Of course, you can start voluntary work individually or start your not-for-profit Non-governmental Organization(NGO) for this purpose, my suggestion will be to first join a formal organization that is already doing the same work. It will not only give you the much-needed experience but also the vast opportunities of networking which will stand in good stead when you want to go solo

5. Devote Regular Time

Remember, volunteer work is not a one-off activity, nor it is a job to be done in bits and pieces. Make a rational plan-how much time you can devote regularly. Do it, even it may be one hour weekly. Just make sure that one hour is on a fixed date and time and the organization knows it

6. Motivate others

Volunteerism becomes fun if you motivate your friends and colleagues in it. It will have a synergetic effect also. But be careful. Do not press someone who is not in this field. Volunteers have something in their nature and their nurture. Offspring of volunteers have more chances of becoming a volunteer-maybe they are genetically programmed or as a result of their social upbringing by their parents and family?

Qualities of a Good Volunteer

Doing a volunteer job is not an easy task; it demands certain qualities of head and heart. Thus, before offering your services for a noble cause, do give considerations to these qualities necessary for becoming a volunteer.

1. Self-Motivation: A good volunteer is a self-motivated person desirous of doing something for others out of choice and not due to any compulsion. Drive for volunteerism comes from within and not from outside
2. Passion: He is also passionate about a cause that moves him to do volunteer work. This passion is the driving force for him to do manual or mental work for the cause he espouses instead of wasting time on other non-essential activities
3. Learner: He is a keen learner, without which he cannot accomplish what he wants to do by devoting his time and making efforts. He knows that learning by doing is the best form of education
4. Patience: Being patient is the hallmark of a committed volunteer. After all, he is doing work for which there is no monetary reward for him. Consequently, in his volunteer activity, there will be occasions and people who will test his patience. Remaining cool and calm in such a situation is the quality needed from a volunteer
5. Obedience: Obedient to the tune of submissive is a highly regarded trait of a volunteer. Although most of the volunteer work is carried out in a horizontal setting, yet there is some form of vertical authority to coordinate and supervise the work of volunteers. Only an obedient person can withstand the orders of a superior from whom he is not expecting any monetary reward
6. Unbiased: Lastly, a good volunteer is free of all unnecessary biases and prejudices. He firmly believes in the equality of mankind in respect of colour, creed, caste or gender.