Volunteering as an Adult

ahava

So, I'm living in New Zealand and while waiting for my next, more permanent, visa to get approved which will open me up for more job opportunities than what I currently have, I've decided (with help from ecco) to start volunteering.

I have sent my CV to one of the volunteering organizations in the city, and they have responded giving me two jobs to essentially pick from. One of them is general administrative assistant work, the other is a recruiting interviewer. I decided to go with the Admin one, simply because I think that will give me a good basis to figuring out how volunteerism works in new Zealand, and also a good start in figuring out what an AA does.

here comes the question.

The only volunteering I've ever done in my life, and granted i've done a bunch of it, all happened between the ages of 9 and 18 while in 4-H. I'm now 30. And I honestly am not sure what is involved in volunteering as an adult. is it really something as simple as just rolling up your sleeves and getting involved like it was when I was a kid? Have any of you done some volunteer work on a large scale, or small scale, in your adult life and can you give me some advice or pointers for just what I might be getting into?

I worked for my dad's non-profit that he ran out of the house, but that was mostly stuffing envelopes and inputting people into the address database that we started back in 1995 and have never upgraded and is still on the same IBM computer that it started on (dad does not handle change very well). What else is there to really expect?

Anything anybody can tell me about being an adult volunteer would be awesome, I'm really hoping that this will help lead me into a different direction in my life with maybe a future career in an industry like this.

Raern

Volunteering really is as simple as going some place and doing something without being paid. It may require some paperwork depending on what you're doing, I got police checked by the salvation army as standard procedure before volunteering there for example.

Through doing some work there I've made contacts in some organisations relating to what I'm doing, and there's a seemingly endless number of opportunities just around Palmerston North, where I am.

I guess the question is whether you want to volunteer somewhere that uses skills you have already, or volunteer somewhere where you feel strongly about what they do, or even just volunteer somewhere where they really need what help they can get.

Whichever way you go with it, there are some advantages to pushing yourself to learn new things and help people.

Casual

Raern wrote:

Volunteering really is as simple as going some place and doing something without being paid.

Pretty much this. When I lived in Wanganui I stepped right into a volunteering role with the local YMCA which later led to some paid work. There's nothing more to it then showing up and following instructions. Just go there with no expectations and you could end up meeting some cool people and doing something worth while.

Deebaser

I did Big Brothers for a few years and that was pretty bad ass. Maybe there's something similar in NZ.

ahava

that's pretty much what I figured guys. Thanks.

of course I get deep into my head and get myself all worked up aboutt how things are different down here in some aspects and what if I'm expecting the wrong kind of thing, etc etc.

Seems like a great way to meet people, learn some new skills (hopefully) and see where it can take me from here. Better than sitting on my behind all day doing nothing.

Lucid

Some of my volunteer experiences have been far better for my resume than quite a few of the paying jobs I've had.

Good luck!