Doing volunteer work for your community can offer you many mental, social, and physical benefits. Studies have found that volunteering can ease depression, sharpen your memory and cognitive skills, induce a “helper’s high” by producing a rush of endorphins, broaden one’s horizons, and act as a great avenue for networking. The tricky part about volunteering is knowing where to start. What can you do? Where can you best utilize your talents and time to help others?
If you’re interested in volunteering and giving back to the community, here are a few different approaches you can take to get involved.
Animal Care
Do you have a rapport with animals? Are you interested in learning more about conservation and making a positive impact on how humans affect local wildlife? Volunteering to help animals is a popular and rewarding way to volunteer. There are no-kill shelters and animal rescues in every city that could use volunteers to help them foster pets, spread awareness about animals in their care, help host in-person adoption drives and other events, and help take care of animals at rescues and clinics.
There are also ecological and conservation groups that you could spend time with. Birdwatching groups, scientific non-profits, and even government institutions like the parks system and U.S. Fish & Wildlife can offer volunteer opportunities.
Community Gardening and Agriculture
It’s not just the local fauna that needs love: don’t forget about the flora! Community gardens are a great way to help give back to those in need while doing an activity that gives you a lot of exercise, outdoor time (plenty of time to soak in that essential Vitamin D!), and can teach you a valuable life skill in learning how to grow your own food. You could also volunteer with groups that plant trees and re-wild community spaces, integrating local wildlife back into urban landscapes.
Another volunteering outlet to consider is farms. Look for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms; some of them may offer volunteer work, which can be a great way to log those community service hours, get some fresh air, and learn more about practical “green thumb” skills you can apply elsewhere in life.
Elder Care
Many nursing homes and retirement communities offer volunteer opportunities for younger people to spend time with the elderly. Studies have shown that elderly people live longer when they spend more time with people and do volunteer work, so even something as simple as dropping in once a week to play chess with the elderly can impact their lives in a positive way.
The Unhoused
One community that could always benefit from having more volunteers to help them is the unhoused. The “homeless” community is one that offers many ways to help: working at foodbanks, organizing clothing and food drives, handing out bottles of water on hot days, and volunteering at shelters. Much like working with the elderly, volunteering with the unhoused requires some patience and empathy. Many people living on the street have to deal with incredibly stressful situations that can tax and wear down their mental health, so it’s important to offer assistance without judgment.
Clean-Up
Another way to volunteer is to take part in community clean-up efforts. This can range from group outings to pick up trash off the side of the road to more extensive work like painting over graffiti, restoring old buildings, and beautifying neglected urban areas.
Mentorship
Do you have a knack for teaching? Interested in handing down your knowledge and experience? Consider becoming a mentor. Being a mentor can take on various forms, from youth mentorship a la “Big Brother” style programs to a professional relationship where you volunteer your time to talk with someone who’s coming up in your field. Tutoring can also be a rewarding way to help others while giving you a chance to flex those teaching muscles.
Athletics
Looking for a way to volunteer that will keep you active? Volunteering in athletics could be a good option for you. There are youth sports leagues and amateur sports leagues across the country who are looking for volunteers to help them. Volunteering opportunities can range from coaching teams to being a referee, working concessions on the grounds, or helping to organize behind the scenes.
One group to keep an eye on is the Special Olympics. Many cities have local chapters devoted to providing athletic opportunities to kids and adults with special needs, and many of these groups could use volunteers to help staff their events.