Volunteering Benefits & Tips

Living United means giving your best for an hour, a day or throughout the year to help someone in your community. But Living United also means you stand beside like-minded people who benefit from sharing their time and expertise.

Volunteering:

• Builds self-esteem and self-confidence
• Can improve your health
• Allows you to learn new skills
• Enhances your work experience and résumé
• Introduces you to new people
• Tells the world that you are ambitious, enthusiastic and care about the community
• Allows you to make a difference in someone's life

New to volunteering? Don't know how to get started? Don't worry, every volunteer offered to lend a hand for the very first time, and now they are glad they did.

It all begins by exploring options

Coming to this web site and checking out the information on opportunities to serve your community is the first step.

What do you like to do? Are you more an administrative type who likes to help organize projects, or are you more hands-on, preferring to work directly with individuals and families in our area?

The second question is who are your favorite people to be around? Children? The elderly? Teens? There are opportunities to help people at every stage of their lives.

Which of the three vital focus areas that United Way addresses is the most interesting to you? Where is your passion? Is it in the area of Education, Income or Health?

What time do you have available? An hour a week, a few hours a month, or a short term during the year that is perfect for a volunteer project.

No matter what you decide, there is a program or project that is a perfect fit for you.

What's next?

Once you have identified an opportunity you want to explore further, select the agency volunteer contact information. You will likely meet to discuss the organization, its structure and its mission. The volunteer coordinator will want to know more about you too. You will probably discuss your skills, interests and how much time you can commit to volunteering.

If it's not a good fit, don't worry. You’ll find one. If you and the organization are a good fit, you and your volunteer coordinator will work on a schedule, a time for orientation and to introduce you to those with whom you will be working.

It is important to note that some volunteer assignments require a long-term commitment because of the need for specialized training or meeting other requirements.

On the job

• Learn as much as you can about the mission and goals of the organization.
• When on your assignment, do your best to make an impact. That's why you wanted to be there.
• Remember that teamwork is important on any assignment. Support the success of the entire team.
• Remember it's okay to ask questions, and solicit feedback.
• Use this opportunity to demonstrate your current skills and build new ones.
• Have fun!

When it's time to leave

This may be the assignment of a lifetime for you, but it is more likely that over time your interests will change. That's okay. There are plenty of other people and places waiting for the unique talents you bring. If it is time for you to go, it is customary to give notice just as you would a paid assignment. Give your supervisor as much notice as possible. Two weeks or more is customary.