What kind of volunteering have you done?

[octopi]

I used to volunteer a lot when I was younger, for Big Brothers and Sisters, mentoring to a young girl and visiting her once a week. In addition I have worked at an old folks home (hoping to increase my level of patience; did not really help that), as well as teaching skating lessons to young uns. I stopped because I felt like I wasn't well suited to most of what I was doing (personality wise, not skill wise), and I also got really busy.

I've been fortunate enough to find a bit more free time to volunteer lately, but I'm not sure what I should do. I'm leaning towards something along the lines of helping new immigrants to Canada; taking them shopping, showing them bus routes or similar things, to integrate them into our way of life. This particularly appeals to me since I've been in their shoes, after moving to foreign countries and not knowing how to do the 'simplest' of things can be the most challenging things to get used to.


I've also considered going back to work with old folks, sick kids or the cancer institute. Too soul sucking? Can anyone vouch for any national/international organizations that have been particularly well run? Big Brothers and Sisters was, but I have had little experience outside of that with large companies.

[mrkilla]

Volunteer Fireman, 4 years but then i moved away [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[octopi]

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Volunteer Fireman, 4 years but then i moved away [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

What are the requirements? I've long thought about being a fireman, but I always thought that being a five foot tall girl really worked against me in more than one way. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[beenben]

+read news paper to the blind on a special subcarrier band of the public radio station.

[disjunction]

Mostly sorting food at a warehouse, about once a month for the last 7 years. It's different than the type of volunteering you've done, it's a little more solitary, even though there are lots of other people on the same job, socializing isn't specifically part of the task. It's made me a much better shopper, for one thing.

I recommend volunteering for everyone. In addition to the great people you meet, it's rewarding. You feel like a good person for at least the next 3 minutes.

[Guy Incognito]

Washed shelter puppies and brought them to the nursing home to play with old people. Not sure which place was more depressing.

[ed8383]

Helped out at the local Church.

[nation]

voluteered at the local hospital in high school.

[guids]

I had to do a bunch of hours every year in HS, I worked at a place that was a shelter for crack/abandoned babies, and kids that lost their parents due to drugs, mainly it was holding the babies becusae they cry a lot, and the holding them/human touch helps them out a lot, unfortunetly the place is closed now or else Id still be doing it. I also worked at a normal pre-school fixing computers, and teaching kids simple computer stuff. My buddy just got involved w/ big brothers, and I think I may start doing that back up after summer when I stop partying so much.

[CCass]

Served on the Board of the local Habitat for Humanity Chapter for 5 years. Helped build several HfH houses while on the Board.