DISCOVER YOUR VOLUNTEERING POTENTIAL!

Happy volunteer senior holding donation box

Did you know that helping people creates endorphins, the chemical inside you that makes you happy?

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and keep busy if you are looking for a way to remain productive in your retirement years. Aside from helping a great cause, it is an opportunity to socialize and meet new people, learn new skills and discover a side of yourself that perhaps you never knew existed!

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and keep busy if you are looking for a way to remain productive in your retirement years. Aside from helping a great cause, it is an opportunity to socialize and meet new people, learn new skills and discover a side of yourself that perhaps you never knew existed!

It is important however, to choose a cause that you feel passionate about, and to volunteer in a way that best utilizes your skills in contributing to the charitable organization. Here are some tips to help you discover your volunteering potential.

CHOOSE YOUR CAUSE
The first step is to choose a cause that is close to your heart. The more passionate you are about it, the more rewarding of an experience it will be for you. Think about what has impacted you the most in your life – perhaps a particular incident, or something that has happened to a loved one. Are there particular vulnerable groups that for whatever reason, are dear to your heart? Do you love animals? Children? Do you want to help third world countries? Those are just some examples of common charitable causes. Another way to think about it is in terms of a particular health condition – perhaps you are cancer survivor and want to help others with cancer. Or your spouse has dementia and you want to support caregivers who care for other loved ones with dementia. There is literally no end to the possible causes and organizations that you could choose to help.

DO SOME RESEARCH
Once you have decided what cause you want to support, do some research as to possible organizations that fit within the particular cause you have chosen. For example, if you wish to support those who have cancer, there are various organizations that could be associated with cancer patients. While the most obvious choice might be the BC Cancer Foundation, some more in-depth thinking might reveal other possibilities such as volunteering at one of the local hospitals, hospice, caregiver support groups, or other programs. For example, the Canadian Cancer Society runs a program where volunteers can drive patients to and from their cancer treatments.

REACH OUT AND GET INVOLVED
Once you have shortlisted a few organizations that you would be happy volunteering for, reach out to them and enquire whether they are looking for more volunteers. You will find that most organizations are happy to accept more volunteers but the timing of their needs may not match your availability. Enquire about what kind of help is most needed at this particular time and see if it fits within what you want to do.
Get to know the organization by attending an event, or go meet the Executive Director or other staff. The culture of the organization can really impact your volunteering experience.

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?
Lastly, to maximize your volunteering potential, think about how to match your skills and strengths to the organization. Volunteering can take place in various forms. Once you have chosen your charity, there are lots of ways to contribute. You can be an event volunteer, or you could help the charity with its fundraising. You could also join a committee. If you are well connected in the city, many organizations would love just to have someone open doors and make valuable connections for them. Many organizations would also value having some help in the office to help offset admin costs. If you are a good public speaker, many organizations would love to have volunteers who act as ambassadors in the community. Think about what your skills and strengths are, based on perhaps what you did in your career and offer those skills to the charitable organization.

The number of ways you can volunteer is almost just as long as the number of charitable organizations you could choose to volunteer with. The options are endless, and there is nothing wrong with choosing more than one! Get inspired, go out and volunteer and have fun!

For those who are interested, Stephanie will be conducting a live workshop session helping seniors discover their volunteering potential. The workshop will take place on Tuesday January 24th at Legacy Senior Living. Please contact Legacy at 604-240-8550 to register for the event.