"Thinking about volunteering? Great! Good intentions are not enough and volunteering may cause more harm than good if not well thought!"

https://thinkchildsafe.org/volunteers/

"Always protect children and put their safety first. Working with children in orphanages or schools is a job for local experts, not for unqualified volunteers who are just passing through."

https://preview.redd.it/f03m2xoana6e1.png?width=581&format=png&auto=webp&s=f54b45d92362d88694ae56108131993a22eba62a

Please don't participate in unethical voluntourism.

Here's how to volunteer abroad:

https://www.coyotebroad.com/volunteer/international.html

Hi, I'm filling out a form to volunteer at a salvation army thrift store and there's a question asking for a particular area of interest. Do they mean my hobbies, what duties I'd like to do, or something else? I have a feeling I'm overthinking this but would still like any answers can get, thank you!

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. 2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers & the 55th anniversary of the UN Volunteers programme.

https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n23/416/39/pdf/n2341639.pdf

I’m a decently new volunteer. I started volunteering 1 day a week from 6-11 at an aquarium an hour and 15 minutes from my house. It’s the closest aquarium to me and I believe it will look good on my transfer request into university as I want to get into a school with a 24 percent acceptance rate.

I started on November 13th. I called out the 20th and told the manager that it was because my car wouldn’t start and that I thought I had left my light on overnight. I texted him an hour before was supposed to be there. I thought this would be fine since it my car wouldn’t start when I tried to leave.

I did come in the 27th and December 4th. I called out again, today, the 11th. I texted him 2 hours before I’m supposed to come and told him that I’ve been really stressed about my final for school, which happens to be an essay and haven’t been able to sleep at all and have been up since 8:30 AM and didn’t feel comfortable driving so far in the dark.

Today, we were supposed to discuss when I’m going to begin my internship.

I’m really worried that this will look bad on me, but I told them I promise I don’t plan on calling out again and I even asked if this would impact me negatively, so I think it shows that I care at least. But still, I don’t want to upset anymore and I don’t want them to leave me a negative review if they get reached out too by the school I try transferring into.

Will this impact me negatively? Will this impact me negatively if I do really well during my internship and I genuinely do not call out again?? My internship is 3 days a week for 10 weeks and should start in the next month.

Hi Reddit community,

I’m Jordi, and I’m starting my journey as a data analyst. I’m passionate about using data to make a positive impact and would love to volunteer my skills for an NGO working in the fields of nature conservation or social justice.

While I’m still building my experience, I’m eager to contribute to projects where data analysis can make a difference. I’m familiar with tools like Python, pandas, and Excel, and I’m quick to learn new methods or platforms that might be needed.

If your organization could use some extra hands with analyzing datasets, creating reports, or visualizing insights, please reach out! I’m excited to support meaningful work and grow as a professional at the same time.

Thank you for considering my offer!

Warm regards,
Jordi

I recently found out that I actually enjoy volunteering. I have been to a few different volunteer opportunities just in one month. There are a few volunteer opportunities I am very interested in but they require at least 1 year of commitment so I am just thinking about it. My roommate even thinks that I am addicted to volunteering at this point. The hardest questions for my entire life were "What is your hobby?" and "What do you do for fun?" I don't watch TV, I don't play sports, I don't cook and I don't play instruments. I literally do nothing in my free time (one of the reasons led me to mental health problem because I couldn't find a reason to be alive) but just looking for volunteer opportunities is a stress relief for me and I have never seen someone who says their hobby is volunteering. Can volunteering be a hobby?

Does anyone know of any tech volunteer opportunities in Niagara region in Canada?

So I've been thinking about doing some volunteer work my work schedule is 14 days straight then 7 days off which is perfect for it, one of my previous jobs was a diversional therapist in a aged care home basically keeping residents company and running activities, I've got a soft spot for the elderly I'd love to do it but I feel like with a age gap of 50-80 years it might be abit hard to connect and really have a proper conversation what do you's think?

TL;DR: I volunteered at my local food bank for the first time despite my social anxiety and physical disability. The sign-up process was super easy, and my task was sorting donations, which was tiring but fulfilling. The volunteers and staff were supportive and inspiring, making the experience deeply rewarding. If you're nervous about volunteering, just go for it—your effort truly matters!

Hey guys, I just wanted to come on here to share my story and my experience as a first time volunteer at my local foodbank today and hopefully give any of you guys some words of encouragement and advice if you've been thinking about volunteering but are too afraid to!

For the last week or so, I've felt this immensely strong desire to give back to my community. Especially since it's been snowing like crazy here and I had frequent thoughts about the less privileged who don't have the opportunity to stay warm with a comforting meal.

Because of that, I set my sights for the foodbank! There was honestly no application process whatsoever; all you had to do was sign up on their website, sign the online waiver, and then select the shift that you want to do, it was all very simple and straightforward. My shift was from 12 PM - 2 PM

As my shift was approaching, I was such a nervous wreck because a. I have really bad social anxiety and I was using this to face my fears b. I didn't even know what I was getting myself into and c. I have a physical disability and was uncertain if I even could do the job, or if they would accept me.

The place that I worked at was this distribution centre that focused on sorting through all of the donations and then shipping them out to various organizations in my city.

My main task was sorting through this large container of random donations which included things like toiletries, groceries, cleaning supplies, candy, liquids (juices, water, and others), and other miscellaneous items (like clothes and furniture). The work was fairly straightforward, all you had to do was look at the best before dates, make sure the packaging isn't destroyed, and put the items in the needed piles. It was still pretty tiring though and I was exhausted at the end of my shift

In total I worked with 5 other volunteers and I was quite shocked at the fact that 4/5 of my co-volunteers were elderly men. I would've guessed that there would be more highschool students since you needed a certain amount of volunteer hours to graduate, but I digress. Everyone was extremely nice and supportive and driven to do the job.

There were 3 other people there that actually worked there. One of them was this elderly lady with a walker who was our supervisor, she was pretty strict and very meticulous about the way that we sorted, but I respected that a lot. She was taking her job very seriously and that was extremely inspiring to me.

I'm very happy to say that volunteering at the food bank was a deeply rewarding experience. I truly felt like I made a difference and the work was a really nice distraction from all of the chaos going on in my life atm. I really enjoyed working with my body and with people that actually gave a damn. I felt so satisfied at the end of my shift that when I left the building I started sobbing out of happiness.

If you're thinking about volunteering, here’s my advice:

• Have an open mind and show up on time.
• Ask your supervisor or coworkers if there’s anything else you can help with.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for support if you’re unsure.
• Remember, you’re there because you want to be—people will appreciate that!

mods if this is off topic please feel free to remove this

Are you looking to make a meaningful impact? 

Join us in helping Ukrainian refugees by volunteering to teach English! 

At EDUkraine, we are seeking English speakers who are passionate about making a difference. Teaching English to Ukrainian refugees is not only a rewarding experience but also incredibly simple and flexible. You can connect with students online, making it easy to fit this commitment into your schedule.

Why Volunteer?

• Empower Refugees: Your support can help individuals gain confidence and open doors to new opportunities in education and employment in communities they’ve recently immigrated to.
• Flexible Commitment: Just half an hour a week can make a significant difference. You choose when and how you want to teach!
• No Experience Necessary: You don’t need to be a professional teacher; just a willingness to help and share your language skills.

By volunteering, you will not only assist in language learning but also provide emotional support during a challenging time. 

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference!

Register here: https://forms.gle/dXB2SUqBs8nbSmzp7

Our website: https://edukraine.foundation

Our email: info@edukraine.foundation

Hello!

I am a Product Design student at Leeds Beckett and I am researching charities alongside fundraising and awareness.

If you have ever donated to a charity, whether it be your time in being a volunteer, money or old belongings, it would mean a lot to me if you could fill out this questionnaire! No personal data is asked and none of it will be published, its just for my research as a student!

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=EoGa175PekGhEs0PtJDYXDcfVy5AO5tNmy8DRxEVv0JUNDg5OFNIWEczUk5RT1hDUVdBVE9IQ1ZUVi4u

Thank you very much in advanced!

I’m writing to raise awareness about a troubling incident at the WBFB and to support a petition advocating for accountability and better safety measures. Recently, an elderly volunteer was assaulted at an event. Despite the gravity of this incident, the WBFB and its Executive Director have not reached out to the victim to offer empathy, support, or an apology. This lack of compassion and responsibility is deeply concerning.

The victim and her family are not only seeking justice but are also pushing for the WBFB to implement critical policy changes. Specifically, they are calling for a policy that requires staff to immediately contact police in cases of assault and to provide the name of the assailant if known. In this case, while the assailant was temporarily stopped, he was allowed to leave freely after refusing to provide his name. Alarmingly, the WBFB also refused to call the police. It was only after the victim’s partner arrived that authorities were finally contacted.

This incident highlights serious failures in how WBFB handles the safety and well-being of its volunteers. Volunteers dedicate their time and energy to supporting the community, and they deserve to feel protected and valued. The WBFB must take responsibility, implement stronger safety protocols, and ensure such negligence never happens again.

By signing this petition, you’re standing with the victim and her family to demand accountability and meaningful change. Volunteer safety cannot be an afterthought. It’s time for WBFB to act and restore trust within its community.

https://chng.it/zBybrVM8jd

I'm banning the posts from IT folks looking for "volunteer" opportunities, saying a lot about the various tech they can use, and that they are looking for projects to contribute to, because:

• Most seem to NOT understand that this is a subreddit focused on volunteers for a cause: helping people, animals or the environment, promoting human rights or the arts or another cause, etc.
• Most seem to be looking for Open Source projects, tech projects at start up companies, and app development for for-profit companies. That's not the kind of "volunteering" this subreddit is focused on.
• Most nonprofits don't know what things like "github" and a MySQL database are - they need a web site designed, or redesigned, that is easy to manage, attractive, is accessible, etc. and they need volunteers who speak non-IT. Or they need someone to come in and configure whatever database they are using to track donors so that it gives them the reports they need. By contrast, the focus on these posts on this subbreddit is on highly technical skills for things like app development.
• There's so many - lately, almost once a week - and the answer is always the same.

I feel like this subreddit has been put on some online community out there for aspiring developers to find projects to contribute to. And for the most part, it's not that.

The answer to the question is always the same:

• Make a pitch to local nonprofits, via email, have some web sites that show your design skills, say why you want to help that particular nonprofit ("I am really concerned about shelters having too many animals to care for" or "I want to apply my skills ot a cause related to helping people who have experienced domestic violence", etc.), and offer to meet, face-to-face, to get to know them and their needs better. Build trust in yourself and what it is you can do. Work together on a timeline, on how they can be a part of the development process, how they can provide input, etc. Use as little tech terms as possible.
• Look on VolunteerMatch for nonprofits that need help with a web site.
• The most tech savvy nonprofits are on things like BlueSky and Mastodon, and they are posting about their projects with tags like #Tech4Good, #A11y, #Apps4Good, #ICT4D, etc. Start looking for them there and following them. They may have initiatives you can get involved with.
• There's a category on the TechSoup forum about "Tech making a difference." It's not updated anymore, but it has posts about a huge number of "Tech for good" projects that you could research and, if they still exist, you could get involved with: https://forums.techsoup.org/c/tech4good-tech-making-a-difference/6

Here's a good thread on how to contribute to Open Source projects:

https://www.reddit.com/r/opensource/comments/1bwbsa8/i_want_to_contribute_to_open_source_projects/

I would like to start volunteering at WSPCA. I love animals and want to help them, I also might end up adopting a dog if I do decide to volunteer there. What are the typical duties of volunteer at a WSPCA? I can’t decide where to volunteer, but I’m thinking this might be the right fit since I love animals.

Greetings!

I am a computer programmer specializing in web development using Ruby On Rails looking for a volunteer opportunity in the computer tech domain. I would really like to volunteer at a nonprofit!

Here's a sample web application for looking up healthcare providers that I built using Ruby on Rails 7, Bootstrap 5, jQueryDataTables and Stimulus: http://provider_lookup.jimmyfoxmusic.com/. It can find providers by NPI, and show their information at the top of a table. It fetches the information from the NPPES NPI Registry, and caches it in an internal MySQL database. Here's a Github link to the code: https://github.com/jmgummes/provider_lookup.

Feel free to check out my other GitHub projects as well: https://github.com/jmgummes.

Also, I have experience with Salesforce, which I know is used by many nonprofits.

Does anyone know of a volunteer opportunity that would be a good match for my skillset?

Thanks so much!

Jimmy Fox

Hey, I'm in a volunteer program that really appreciates its volunteers and makes sure our work makes a difference. They're having a retreat and awards gala in March 2025, so I wanted to give everyone a heads-up. They will be hosting a volunteer project during the retreat. Check their site for details.

Attached is a flyer that says that the event is being held in Durango Colorado at the DoubleTree Hotel. The dates are March 6th through the 9th 2025. There is images of a Gala, the hot springs, and a train on the flyer. The event is hosted by Global Volunteer Recognition Program. Attire for the gala is formal.

I hope you're doing well! I’m reaching out to offer my help with any coding, web development, or website building needs that your organization might have. Whether you're looking to update your site, build something from scratch, or just need some extra hands on a specific project, I'm here to assist!

I have experience with a variety of technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and popular frameworks like React and WordPress. I have experience with assembly as well, specifically 6502 but I am adaptable! I also have experience in Lua. No project is too big or small, and I’m excited to volunteer to work on something meaningful while giving back to the community.

Feel free to reach out if you think I can be of service. I look forward to contributing and supporting your work!

I never tried volunteering, but I want to! Just want to know how can I Volunteer? And how this works?

Hi everyone. I applied for a volunteer position recently and the chair said they would like to have me. And we are going to meet in person this afternoon, and he just asked me to provide my address for offer letter. I don't quite get it why he needs my address. Can anyone please confirm why it is necessary?

Hi all

I am looking to become a phone crisis support volunteer as I want to be of support to people.

With that being said, I see that most, if not all, crisis support phoneline groups have a shitty reputation. Stuff to do with how their volunteers show little sympathy for callers, are shallow help, or just hang up on you. And this seems to be a common trend across reviews.

So I'm wondering, is this an individual-volunteer issue, or is it an issue with the organisation's procedures and protocols?

I want to know if its worthwhile volunteering in this field -- I don't want to be unintentionally making things worse for anybody in times of need due to poor organisation guidelines!

Thanks :)

Minnesota ranks No. 3 in volunteerism nationwide as nonprofits see rebound

The survey released earlier in November gave Minnesota the bronze, tied with Nebraska, for its percentage of volunteers in 2023, the most recent year for which figures are available.

Only Utah and Vermont ranked higher than Minnesota, where 40.3% of residents, or more than 1.8 million people, volunteered in 2023, according to the report. That’s higher than the nationwide rate showing more than 28% of Americans volunteered with a nonprofit.

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-ranks-third-volunteering-report/601188453

I used to volunteer a lot and I miss it. I’m wondering how I could give back in a small way while working full-time with two little kids. Is anyone making volunteering a part of their busy schedules?

"Over the years, Seuk helped to save the lives of hundreds of animals who would have otherwise been euthanized due to overcrowding at animal shelters."

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/29/nx-s1-5204455/opinion-the-life-and-work-of-seuk-kim-pilot-and-animal-rescuer?

What is the breaking point where you said it was enough and left the volunteer organization?

I am struggling with this so much. I’ve decided to take a few weeks off just to reset and decide on what I want to do after this weekend, focus on what matters to me the most (volunteering does matter to me, lately with everything that has happened, things have changed).

Being unappreciated for things, then being told I’m stressing others out by commenting on their posts (Facebook) and was told what they do is the coordinator makes a post a day or two later related to that post so it’s not directed at them and suggested I do that (I’m not doing that, it’s passive aggressive, serves no benefit) then being asked to make a post on educational content and was given a list. There wasn’t any appreciation.

It doesn’t end there it goes on and on. How the rescue does want to accept my help or educational background and when they ask for help, I give them help and they plainly ignore it.

I’ve turned off all tagging in the groups, I don’t want to help anymore. When I do, I’ve been shut out or that person who asked for help was shut out. It deeply hurts. I’ve cried over it.

I feel at a loss. I’ve talked to another volunteer and they are reducing their involvement and looking elsewhere, will continue to be involved way less. I think for me, it’s the relationships, even that it’s difficult.

This is a rescue I am at.

Celebrities, volunteers and elected officials kept a local tradition alive this Thanksgiving, helping Project Angel Food deliver hundreds of meals to critically ill clients across Los Angeles County.

The annual event, held at the organization’s temporary Lincoln Heights kitchen, saw participation from beloved actors, comedians and public figures, including actress Yvette Nicole Brown, journalist and presenter Natalie Morales and the indefinable and incomparable “Weird Al” Yankovic. Los Angeles County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger were also on hand.

Together with 150 volunteers, the celebrities and local civic leaders prepared and delivered 1,500 traditional turkey meals to clients and their caregivers.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/celebrities-volunteers-help-deliver-thousands-of-thanksgiving-meals-to-critically-ill-patients/