Volunteering within the Community: Volunteering Together, Growing Together
In a few weeks, on December 5th, WBFN Volunteering within the Community Initiative (VCI) will proudly mark International Volunteer Day alongside communities around the world.
Volunteering is more than just a way to give back. It is a powerful tool for personal growth, community building, and professional discovery.
Personal Growth
Dedicating time to a cause that interests you transforms both the community and your own perspective on the world.
Community Building
When you organize or join a volunteer group, you instantly create a community within a community. This was one of our goals at WBFN Volunteering within the Community Initiative. We wanted to create a group that would be interested in supporting the work of respected and well-established NGOs in the DC area.
Professional Discovery
When looking for a job, volunteering is a way of learning first-hand about an organization's mission and values. It can offer the possibility of talking to people in fields you are interested in and practicing your networking skills.
Over the last year, WBFN VCI has been collaborating with SOME (So Others Might Eat) in Washington, D.C. By securing a morning shift from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. once a month, volunteers have successfully served meals to people experiencing homelessness and supported a vital mission through their work.
SOME serves a massive volume of meals to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and poverty in Washington, D.C. They serve between 800 and 1,000 free, hot meals every single day of the year.
SOME relies on volunteers, like us. They cannot do it alone. Therefore, once a month, our group steps forward to play our small part in this important mission. Empathy and compassion guide our group of volunteers. By showing up, by giving our time, and by stepping outside our comfort zones, we show the most vulnerable that they matter to us, that they deserve care, and that we are happy to show up and help.
Organizing a group of volunteers can be done anywhere in the world. You can talk to friends, neighbors, or other WBFN members about the idea of creating or joining a volunteering group.
Creating a volunteer group requires careful planning and a realistic assessment of your members' constraints. The following is a brief guide to the steps we took to decide where and when to volunteer.
- You first need to decide what type of volunteer work you would like to do and find a shared interest.
- Research local options. Location and safety were key issues for us. In our case, we prioritized finding a secure environment with well-connected public transportation.
- Time constraints: We were offered numerous volunteering opportunities, but we were not able to take them due to scheduling constraints. We learned that many of us were available while our kids were at school and that volunteering during the morning hours was our best option.
- Commit to consistency: Finding a recurring monthly commitment has worked well for us. It has allowed us to build a deep and impactful partnership with an organization.
Being part of a volunteering group is a wonderful experience. All of us carry a wealth of diverse professional skills, cultural backgrounds, and passions. We can contribute to a cause or mission that matters to us, and at the same time, we can volunteer as part of our job search and professional development. You can consider different types of volunteering work depending on your goals, interests, and values:
Hands-On Volunteering: preparing meals; sorting and organizing clothing donations; assembling hygiene kits and school supply boxes.
Relationship-Focused: senior companionship, language mentorship, playing games with kids in shelters, or helping organize birthday parties.
Skill-Based and Professional Support: helping organizations with administrative work, office support, translation and interpretation services, or providing support in communication and content creation.
Youth, Family, and Education: assisting children with after-school tutoring or reading help; coaching community youth sports teams; or supporting local libraries.
As a WBFN member, I have found volunteering to be very enriching in my life. Many of us have gone through relocations. We have had to start all over again. We set out to build a new life. Changes come with hopes and dreams, but moving also comes with its own challenges. We might feel the need to connect with others, understand our new reality, learn a new language, or find a job. Sometimes we do not know where to start, we struggle, and we feel lonely.
In my experience, volunteering allowed me to get my first job in the United States 20 years ago. It was through a WBFN member who paid attention to my story and expertise that I learned about an opportunity in a nonprofit organization. They were looking for someone willing to translate from English into Spanish. A few months later, I got a job as a Children's Counselor.
I have learned that volunteers create opportunities. I have seen how volunteering acts as a bridge: it creates connections. Connecting with others is a powerful tool. Helping each other, listening to each other, smiling, and serving meals make us all winners.
My invitation to you is simple: Choose to be a volunteer. Volunteering can open opportunities for you. And by volunteering, you offer opportunities to others, too.
To the VCI volunteers, thank you for your time and dedication. You are truly special.