Finding the Right Opportunity

Source: AARP.org | January 14, 2004

At different points in your life, you may be ready to do some volunteer work. You may see it as a chance to give back to your community, to support a cause that you believe in, to develop new skills, or to establish new friendships. Whatever your reason, you can put your time and talents to good use by volunteering in your community.

Your help is always needed. Many organizations are facing shortages of volunteers while the demand for direct services continues to grow. To help organizations keep up with increasing demands, volunteers now play a greater role in developing and providing key services. Today's volunteers bring a breadth of skills and experiences to many organizations. Behind the scenes and in the forefront, you too can make a difference in the lives of others in your community.

When considering volunteer opportunities, there are many questions to ask yourself. You'll need to decide if you're interested in a formal or informal assignment — one that is regular and ongoing or one where you work as needed. Many organizations offer opportunities where you can apply a variety of leadership and technical skills. So, you'll need to decide whether you'd like to work directly with people being served or behind the scenes helping to plan, coordinate, and establish programs.

Take time to think about the types of volunteer opportunities that would most interest you. The clearer you are on what you seek to get out of the experience, the more likely you are to locate an opportunity that can meet your needs. To help you make this decision, ask yourself some key questions like:

• Why am I interested in volunteering?
• What type of activities am I interested in?
• What are my natural strengths and gifts? What do I really enjoy doing?
• Would I prefer a small local organization, or a larger regional or national one?
• What issues do I care most about?
• How will my desire to serve fit in with my current time commitments?
• How much time do I want to give? What days, or parts of days?
• Would I prefer to do something in my own neighborhood, or travel to another?

These questions are meant to help you begin to think about your skills, interests, and preferences.

AARP Tax-Aide is administered by the AARP Foundation