Hello! I’m working on a fantasy-themed adventure park that will offer visitors the chance to immerse themselves in a world of quests, role-playing, and interactive storytelling. Think "D&D meets reality!" I’m currently looking for a social media volunteer to help build and manage our online presence across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and possibly X.

Who we are: The project is still in its early stages, but we have a lot of exciting concepts ready to come to life. Our goal is to create a magical space where visitors can dive into quests, interact with live-action characters, and experience a fantasy adventure like never before. Think of quests, magical powers, sword fights, and much more!

What we need help with:

• Creating engaging content (videos, photos, stories) for TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Building a brand that resonates with people passionate about fantasy, role-playing, and immersive experiences.
• Growing our social media community by connecting with potential visitors, volunteers, and influencers.
• Eventually developing content for X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram Reels as the park grows.

What we offer:

• A chance to be involved from the ground up in a truly unique and exciting project!
• Experience in social media management, content creation, and community building for a fantasy-themed business.
• Full creative freedom and the opportunity to shape the social media presence of a growing brand.
• The role will be unpaid until we secure funding, but there are plans to offer compensation once the project begins to generate revenue.

What we’re looking for:

• A passion for fantasy and immersive experiences—ideally, an interest in gaming, D&D, fantasy lore, or similar genres!
• Experience in social media management or content creation (open to beginners who are eager to learn!).
• A collaborative attitude—this is a startup project, so we’ll be working closely together to bring this vision to life.
• Proactivity, creativity, and reliability, with a good sense of humor and a love for storytelling.

Why volunteer with us? You’ll be working with a passionate team and gaining valuable experience while helping share a one-of-a-kind concept. And just like in a fantasy world, the rewards aren’t just monetary—they’re about making a real impact on an exciting adventure with the potential to reach thousands of visitors. We’re looking for someone who shares this vision and wants to grow with us.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, please reach out with your experience and any examples of your past work. We’d love to talk about how we can collaborate!

Thanks so much for considering this opportunity. Let’s create something magical together!

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/

Kamala Harris volunteers alongside family members at DC Central Kitchen Thanksgiving Day.

“There were 11 of them, and they did a lot," said DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin. "A lot of that is going to go in the total of 69,000 meals that we are distributing out in the community this Thanksgiving season.”

Curtin said Harris made a point to make this one of her first visits after the 2020 election.

“To have her come at the beginning of her time here in the White House and then bookend that with the end of her time here is incredibly special, and she made a point of saying that she wanted to be here at DC Central Kitchen with her family," said Curtin.

The vice president helped prep meals that others will enjoy early next week, while also sharing some of what will be on her Thanksgiving table.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/kamala-harris-vice-president-thanksgiving-washington-dc-central-kitchen-thanksgiving-day/65-f3b902d5-9669-41f5-aafe-8a926cb1f5e6

A. Steps in getting it

1. Have past experience in other volunteer organizations, which were not great because of disorganization and lack of funding other things, but I think this was key in securing my current position.

2. contacted my city's main volunteer organization online and said I wanted to offer weekly music and academic tutorials for students. Program coordinator asked me to come in for an interview.

3. I drop by the office on my way to work. I bring two copies of my resume, I am on the dot, I am neatly dressed and trying to look as professional and well-adjusted as possible (lol)

4. The program coordinator talks to me about my experience and decides to assign me to a small childcare agency for girls (other open possibilities: larger homes for boys and girls, women's shelters, city cleanups).

B. Rules / cautions / requirements

1. The coordinator explained that my assignment was partly because the other institutions are a bit too large for one volunteer working alone.

2. He mentioned that previous volunteers had become emotionally unbalanced in the course of their work in the home. He did not go much into specifics, but he did say they became "too attached" to the children and "too affected" and "related too much to the children's trauma". I assured him I was mentally well and that I appreciated his concern for the children.

3. On my first visit to the home, I filled up forms and gave my references to the house parent and had a talk about the rules: No photos. No feeding the children junk food. No trying to get the children to talk about their traumatic past. No trying to contact the children outside of volunteer hours, and no responding to them if they try to contact you. Limit physical contact. No making promises you cannot keep.

C. sustainability

The home is just over 2km away from my place and I can easily bike or take public transportation.

I have a full-time hybrid job and go to the office twice a week. Therefore I offered 2 sessions of 2hrs each weekly, which they accepted. Every week I contact them to coordinate my schedule with the kids'.

D. What it's like so far

The girls are confident, bright, funny, smart and curious. They lack for nothing in the home and my lessons are really just a surplus of enrichment so I was, in truth, able to let go of any notions of changing people's lives, or making a difference, or anything like that, and just have fun. I look forward to our lessons all the time. At first most of them seemed shy or bored of my lessons, but every time I come, more kids want to join (my lessons are completely optional for them).

The program coordinator checks in with me from time to time and I let him know that everything is great.

This made my heart so full today. I volunteer at the Brandywine Valley SPCA in West Chester, PA and we had our annual Thanksgiving feast for the animals. It was the best.

STARS AND STRIPES • November 28, 2024

U.S. Army veteran David Stewart has worked with presidents, famous musicians and movie stars, but his dedication to helping military retirees and spouses in Germany reap the fruits of prior service is what stands out most to many.

At 83 years old, the former military broadcaster and public affairs officer supports 1,300 retired soldiers in the Grafenwoehr area, home to U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, and has helped dozens of German widows navigate U.S. government bureaucracy to receive much-needed benefits. Earlier this month, Stewart received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2024-11-28/veteran-receives-presidential-volunteerism-award-15933674.html
Source - Stars and Stripes

So a while back I did a volunteer job with a pretty popular foundation here where I live. I found out about it through a teacher at school who had been emailed asking for students to help do a youth holiday program, I said yes to it, pretty excited, email them and takes about 4 weeks to get a response, they ask if I can come in to do a group interview session, I say yes and me and two of my school friends who are also trying to help go along to it. The session is normal, talks about health and safety, police check due to having to work with kids, then they interview you one on one afterwards, it goes well and I assume they like me since another 3 weeks roll by and they told me they have accepted me, and my friends, we were very excited because one, they had offered us gym memberships as thanks for doing the work, and two it gave us good work experience for our CV. Weirdly I notice that the hours and exact days I would be helping out wasn't anywhere, so I email asking what days I should be coming in and for how long, just got told to come 7am Monday, was kinda weird didn't think much of it though. First day is alright but me and my friend (3rd friend couldn't make it anymore due to other things) realise we are the only volunteers working, we are confused bc at the group interview session there were tons of people, didn't question it much though, then at end of day they ask, "so your doing full week then?" We look at each other confused bc they didn't mention anything like that to us originally, also keep in mind that the hours were 10 hours for a full week and we are 16 year olds who also have school the coming week, but feeling pressured we kinda of just nod slightly and say, "suppose so." To give a little more info there were also two payed workers working along side us and the 25 children, and we were given 0 breaks. So week goes by we are exhausted, at one point they take us on an outing to a zoo and dump us, 16 yr olds with 12 kids by ourselves at a huge public place, this was the final straw for us and by the 4th day we email them saying we physically and mentally can not handle this anymore, they email back very very mad at us, saying how dissatisfied they were with us, claiming we would talk inappropriately with each other (we barely spoke the whole time bc we were so busy with kids) and that they are disappointed bc it was our responsibility too keep to our promise, then they emailed again begging for one of us to come in, and when my friend begrudgingly agreed to help one more day, they then emailed her back and started going off at her and told her to forget about it. This experience was not the best, we were giving barely any training, little information, constant stress and judgment by payed staff and then told it was our fault.

Sorry for long rant I've just been feeling so anxious about it even though it happened quite a while ago now..

I'd appreciate any advice and things like that.

I don't want to stay at home forever. I'm tired of it. I want to use my body and mind. I'm mostly interested in difficult stuffs such as military training, firefighter, etc. But they all have stricts requirements that doesn't allows my condition for safety reason. Know any volunteer opportunities anywhere in Canada with similar rigorous training but friendly enough for my condition. I'm not there for job or careers opportunities. I want to challenge myself further, not the boring ordinary gym/workout/swimming every week. Thank you.

If you are a board member, or other volunteer with a nonprofit that anyone would consider progressive or activist, you need to read this article about how to prepare for the consequences of H.R. 9495. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/alert-progressive-nonprofits-preparing-hr-9495s-potential-weiner-fhrnc/?trackingId=WY4wE0vFSJmNX%2BTpcbL5CA%3D%3D

I'm curious to hear others' thoughts (especially others who oversee volunteer programs) on parents who inquire about volunteer opportunities for their teenagers. It happens so often - sometimes for court ordered community service, sometimes for school hours. When it's for community service, I feel especially strongly that their teenager should be the one putting in the work to find a place to volunteer. The most recent inquiry I had was for someone's high schooler who needs hours for school. At some point in the conversation I learned that their son is 18. I feel like they are not helping set their kids up for success and independence. If someone is old enough to vote and serve in the military, aren't they old enough to find places to volunteer on their own? I feel so old complaining about this, but I volunteered a lot in high school and I found those places on my own.

Most food pantries are overrun with volunteers over the holidays and turn new volunteers away. Same for organizations serving the homeless. Many are overrun with donations they don't need.

If you want to volunteer over the holidays, here are some options:

Habitat for Humanity ReStores exist to raise funds for the local Habitat affiliate with which they are affiliated. Many are decorated for the holidays, and often get lots of help for putting up those decorations - but don't get help for taking them down. If you are looking for a volunteering activity, your local ReStore may welcome your help to help take down and carefully package Christmas-related items for next year.

A lot of nonprofits are having holiday performances - concerts, theater, music, dance and more. These nonprofits may need help from volunteer ushers, people to staff their info tables, people to take photos during the performance, setting up beforehand or taking down everything afterward. Look for events in your area (Facebook events is a good way. so are community calendars), see if they are hosted by a nonprofit and, if so, contact the nonprofit and offer your help as a volunteer.

Holiday farmer's markets or city markets. Many towns and cities ended their outdoor weekly farmer's markets this month, but will have a special in-door event in December. Same for nightly markets, artist markets, etc. Just find the nonprofit or government agency that does your town's weekly or monthly farmer's market, artist market, outdoor market, etc. and see if they have an event in December, and contact them about volunteering.

Practice singing 5 - 10 short songs with families or friends, then call your local hospital or senior home and see if you could perform there during lunch or supper for patients or residents during the holidays. They might like to sing along. But first you have to call the senior center and ask permission!

Please do NOT make cards for people in senior centers unless you call the senior center first and ASK if that's something they want, and don't be surprised if they say no: many of these homes are overrun with cards from strangers, and some feel that it makes the folks in the homes feel worse, not better.

Hi, i'm really interested in volunteering and i been actively joining environmental related volunteering for almost 2 years. Recently, i been looking for humanity volunteer opportunities and I just realised that i always don't feel like inviting my friends to volunteer together. I feel like there is no passion, its a different vibe. So should i ask them to join with me. Is this a mindset problem cause i feel like i should invite more people to volunteer together. Small steps at a time, changing a person is a person. But sometimes its just the motive to join volunteering activities, sometimes the people just join for the certificates and stuff. I dont know is it just me wanting to be special, or i just want to know new people without staying in my own circle but i know not much people can give the commitment as much as i do so.

I have some questions about volunteering and your work environment? Is anyone working? Are people students and volunteering? Or are they volunteering while retirement? Or are people more in a SAH volunteering situation? What I'm trying to do is get my work organization to pay their workers for their volunteer hours. The organization says it supports the community but does nothing. What are people's thoughts? Do you think people would volunteer more if organizations got PTO solely to volunteer? What are pros/cons?

I have volunteered nearly 50 hours with this organization over the course of a year or so. I'm always told to refrain from giving personal advice, which I never really do in my conversations - I share anecdotes about things I've learned from doing this, i.e. drinking water might help you stop crying, it's okay to feel your emotions, etc. Whenever I do this, the argument against doing so is that I'm reframing the conversation about myself, and told to look at the sample texts. The sample texts suck. They sound robotic. I like to volunteer, especially with mental health related initiatives, but I feel stuck. I can understand that many people give bad advice, but I don't think anyone appreciates being badgered with questions and statements affirming the exact same thing they just said. I think this is the general sentiment amongst people texting in, at least. I can usually crank through a conversation in 30 minutes with at least some affirmation of the person feeling better at the end instead of an hour and a half long conversation just asking what basically amounts to the same question.

I (25F) think I was sexually harassed while doing court-ordered community service at a dog shelter. It happened while I was working alone in a small, brick laundry room far from others. With the noise from the machines, no one would’ve been able to hear me.

A man in the work-release program, much older—likely in his late 40s or 50s—came in wearing his vest and started speaking to me in Spanish. I tried to be polite, but he quickly got creepy, asking my name, age, if I was single, and why I didn’t have a boyfriend. He even asked if I had brothers and if they were older. Like why? You gonna assault me??? I felt uneasy but stayed calm.

When he left briefly, I realized how unsafe I was—trapped in a small room with him standing by the door. He returned and got closer, asking, “How long have you been single?” At that point, I lost it and scolded him as best as I could, telling him he was making me uncomfortable, his questions were inappropriate, and that when men ask things like that, it’s because they’re trying to do something creepy. My Spanish isn’t great, but he understood.

When I left I was shaking and scared. I told another volunteer, who reported it to the work-release program supervisor. The supervisor listened but didn’t take it seriously, and the man was allowed to stay. I feel so creeped out. The way he watched me, and his greasy hair is just engraved in my mind. I’m so mad at myself too, I should’ve pretended I didn’t speak Spanish at all, but I try to be a decent human. Most people I meet there are perfectly normal.

I hate that I have to go back, but I need 30 more hours and I don’t want this to stop me from volunteering there when I enjoyed it.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? I feel like what he did goes against the rules, especially since he’s there doing a a jail alternative program.

So I want to volunteer. I also want to establish a network of friends.

I have severe social anxiety and panic disorder and I am agoraphobia. (,I only leave house to pharmacy topics of scripts) and my psych just does appointments by phone call.

But I am doing exposure therapy to fet back outsidebl interact with people.

I was honding if anyone knew where a person can use my psychology/,biology degrees.

It talked to a friend he said look into some mentorship or even homeschooling... butbi have no idea where to even start.

I didnt see a list of positions .

Also the reason I can seen to lay down all day and do nothing is because I inheretedb a bunch of money. BUT I don't want to rely on that, I would like to actually work/,volunteer.

Also I can't really do anything in biology/psych degrees, my professor said because yoy need at least a masters.

Last point, I did go to a masters program for social work but I had to go to people houses and a schizophrenic man stabbed me and scarred my face. So I left that program because recovery time wouldn't finish before graduation

And one of the things the social workers complemmenting to me on. group therapy wa what they said bicep do best. I don't know if that's possible to volunteer for that.

Thanks have a wonderful day

I’ve volunteered at a dog rescue for a few years, and while it’s been great at times it’s starting to run its course for me (see reasons below if interested) and want to quit. Thinking of mentioning it before Xmas (when we usually break for a few weeks) and then not returning after break. Because I’ve been going for so long I’m not sure how best to approach this, and I don’t feel I can be entirely honest.

Reasons - the rest of the volunteer staff (of which there are not many) are not very sociable and keep to themselves (not even small talk). Since I started volunteering bc I was lonely this side hasn’t been great (but the dogs themselves help).

I’ve had a few incidents where I’ve been asked to work with a dog and not been told he/she bites until I bring up their body language cues.

I don’t really feel useful anymore

I get roped into weekend long fundraisers and am periodically given the most boring jobs.

I have been told off for advertising dogs needing homes because it’s not my place. Generally they don’t like change or any change to the way they do things.

Head staff not really open to feedback or suggestions so it’s hard to bring up the above issues. One head annoyed me recently when I donated a large bag of dog food and treats and he just took it off me and put away with no thanks or acknowledgement.

So I don’t really want to be honest and being vague feels weird since I’ve been going so long. So I guess I’ll probably just lie and say I’ve got other commitments?

I've applied to be a volunteer at a hospice near where I live in order to gain some work experience for working in a healthcare setting and saw it as an opportunity to take. It is recommended by the school to have some relevant experience to the nursing courses I wanna do at university that I would be able to include in my personal statement. But I've just finished my phone interview and realised it's quite a demanding role and commitment that I don't think I'm capable of on top of school which I have already been really struggling with this year.

The whole things really a fault on my part but does anyone have advice on how I could back out on the volunteering role? I feel like I've too far gone into the application process and don't really know what to do.

There are people trying to recruit volunteers on this subreddit and their posts keep getting rejected. They have been told why each time they are rejected, but keep submitting their posts over and over. Here is why these posts keep getting rejected:

• The initiative does not have a web site that lists the names and locations (and, preferably, qualifications) of the people behind the initiative. The substitute they have been offered is to post links to the LinkedIn profiles of every person organizing the initiative. Anonymous recruiting is NOT allowed on this forum.
• The initiative involves children, people experiencing depression, or other vulnerable people, but does not list safeguarding and safety measures. I've repeatedly posted what safeguarding and safety measures look like, including in online programs. There is NO excuse to not have these policies.
• It's not clear if the initiative is a real, registered nonprofit or NGO or just a group of people with no experience who are trying to put together something unofficial and on their own.
• The initiative isn't a "do good" initiative, with a mission, vision, etc, but a dream of a start up company or open source project.

If you don't like these rules, please go to the top of this subreddit and read Reddit4Good - there is a long list of subreddits there, some of which have no rules and you can post pretty much anything you want.

I am a graphic designer with 3 years of experience and I am looking for NGO's to volunteer my skills.

Hi everyone! I’m Bisola, a virtual assistant and design enthusiast, offering volunteer services to help businesses, nonprofits, or individuals with administrative and creative tasks. I’m looking to build my skills while contributing to exciting projects.

Here’s what I can assist with:

Administrative tasks: Email management, scheduling, and document organization.

Social media support: Content scheduling and engagement.

Creative services:

Mood board creation: I can help visualize ideas for branding, projects, or design concepts.

Interior design space planning: Providing basic layouts and planning assistance for homes, offices, or event spaces.

I’m passionate about learning and bringing value to creative and organizational processes. If you need a helping hand or know someone who does, feel free to DM me or comment below. I’d love to collaborate and gain practical experience while supporting your vision

Age 65, former civil/environmental engineer, mostly retired doing contract work.

Offered my services to Sierra Club, Habitat for Humanity, and several others as a planner/writer/organizer/project manager, but no interest.

Would like to give back as a volunteer in my field, but lower back issues make physical labor impossible. So no site cleanups, carpentry, etc.

What should I do?

Looking for an opportunity to volunteer any marketing skills I have acquired over the past years, I am currently in my 3rd and final year of Business Management and Marketing, and would look to help anybody with any product marketing, getting their business more out there or simply understanding how to tackle any marketing issues!

Hi I would like to volunteer for a non profit but I don't understand why they would accept if they have no money or plans to develop the project. So that means I need to search for people wanting a app? Help please

I'm looking to volunteer for a non profit and offer my talent and skills as a ux designer , but I'm confused with who to approach because once I make the design-will this compnay take it to a developer?

Does anyone have any experience working with Reach Out World Wide, because I've thought about becoming a volunteer but I want to hear some first hand accounts of what it was like.