Volunteering?

Raven

**I wasn't sure where to put this, so I chose GB. Mods, please move if there's a better spot!**

To everyone:

Do you do volunteer work, or give back to your community in some way?

vinlyn

I used to do a fair amount of volunteer work when I was a school principal. But since retiring, I don't...although I do contribute money to more charitable organizations now.

Raven

It's great to support charitable organizations! Do you have a favourite?

vinlyn

Not really. Varies from time to time. I do like sending a contribution to international charities when they go specifically for child-related issues.

Raven

That's really good. I always like to hear about what other people are doing to make the world a better place. Child-related issues are really important; I always feel worse for kids, because not only do they need help (related to the specific situation) but as kids, they often lack the ability to help themselves the way that adults can.

Money for us is tight right now, but I volunteer as a Pathfinder leader (Girl Guides of Canada) one night a week. It's awesome! I've been in GGC since I was six and haven't looked back It's a great way to be involved with the community and the future generations, too.

zombiegirl

When I was in high school, I used to volunteer for a soup kitchen on the weekends.

I don't do anything currently, but you reminded me that I really should. I've been kicking around the idea of volunteering for the local GLBT Resource Center for a while. They have a lot of youth programs and a suicide hotline that they can train you for.

Raven

@zombiegirl,

That's a great idea! I bet you'd be a big help there. You're so compassionnate and have a big heart - you could do a lot of good.

Arjquad

I used to do some with the Boy Scouts, but ever since I got my Eagle I hav'nt done any. But on my transcript I believe I have over 200 or 300 hours.

AMH

I have only had short stretches when I did not volunteer, I am trying really hard not to right now! That said my family does a lot, my dad retired and drives for the blood bank, my mom does things for senior centers since she built one from the ground up and ran it, and I have done Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, local swim team, literacy program at a library, and some various one-time events.

Raven

Wow @aheerdt it sounds like you and your family have been busy!

@arjquad that's a lot of hours!!

Lady_Alison

I baby sit for free when my friends need someone. I walk an obese dog everyday since owner doesn't have time. I lead a Bible study group, offer a smile, lend a helping hand when it's presented...volunteerin your time to people around you is charity and charity is. Loving kindness.

ZenBadger

I was a Scout Leader for quite a long time which was very rewarding but led to a bit of a burnout (too many abusive parents). These days I don't do much apart from keeping an eye on a local nature reserve and clearing up litter.

ThailandTom

I myself do the little things like trying to keep my litter in the bins, recycle etc. If I see someone who needs help with something, I try to help them be it carrying something or getting up a step, maybe even opening the door for someone, these 'little things' do add to a persons wel being I am sure.

zombiegirl

I myself do the little things like trying to keep my litter in the bins, recycle etc. If I see someone who needs help with something, I try to help them be it carrying something or getting up a step, maybe even opening the door for someone, these 'little things' do add to a persons wel being I am sure.

The little things can be really important. I once read an article about the huge number of suicides by people jumping off of The Golden Gate Bridge. It had apparently become common for jumpers to pin their suicide notes in plastic bags to their bodies. They found one attached to a body that said, "I am going to walk to The Golden Gate Bridge. If anyone smiles at me, I won't jump." Nevermind that this person was in obvious distress and blame can hardly be placed on the shoulders of those people he passed during that walk... the point for me was just that it was so sad that people feel so disconnected to each other that something as simple as a smile has become so rare. I always make an effort to be kind to strangers.

Invincible_summer

I currently volunteer at a senior's home in the dementia unit, as well as with a Crisis Services centre, co-facilitating an anger management group for children.

I do like volunteering, but being an unemployed university graduate in the most expensive city to live in in Canada makes me wish I was paid for the stuff I do. Also, volunteering with seniors that have progressing (worsening) dementia sets one up for a lot of burnout. They never remember your name, can never focus on the activity, sometimes have outbursts for reasons unknown to anyone but them, and sometimes cannot even communicate. It's very challenging and requires a lot of being "in the moment."

Kangaroo

I work in juvenile detention, in addition to my 40 hour work week I volunteer a lot of time and money to help out with the kids. For those boys in our residential treatment programs we go camping and fishing, go to movies or sporting events.

I also donate several times a year to the Arbor Day Foundation.
I love trees.

AMH

Invincible, My mother ran a senior daycare for people with dementia and alzheimer's for over a decade. It is really an 'in the moment' job like with kids, but sometimes sad to see this at the end of life. With kids you know what the next stage is growing up and what to expect, and with dementia it is often an uneven slide down in functioning.

Raven

@kangaroo I love trees too! I wish everyone loved trees. People are so wasteful with them!

@aheerdt and @invincible dementia is exhausting for everyone except the person who suffers from it, or at least that's what I found. My grandmother has it and used to live with us - it was more that a challenge, that's for sure. I have limitless respect for people who can work with the elderly (especially those with extra challenges), as I know I could not handle it.

genkaku

I do some volunteer work, but I am interested as well in the lengths to which others will go to convince the good-hearted to volunteer. I have heard the federal government encourage churches to do what the government won't do. I have heard the implicit calls for teachers to provide (paper, pencils, fans, etc.) for what tax money allegedly cannot or will not. Volunteering feels pretty good ... but I also wonder at the ability of others to manipulate that altruism and allow them to sit on their hands.

Raven

@genkaku I hadn't heard about those kinds of initiatives you mentioned. Teachers providing materials seems unrealistic - despite what some people may think about what teachers get paid, I'm sure it's not enough to become Staples for their class. However, it doesn't seem odd to me that churches would be involved in community work - churches helping out is a very normal thing to me...but the gov't should butt out.

One woman I volunteer with actually gets time off for her volunteer work! Not all the time, but when we do our camps or trainings, if they fall on a day she's supposed to work, she applies for her "volunteer leave" and off she goes! I think it's great, because "no time" is often what we hear when we try to find new leaders.