How to Find Service Opportunities

Whether for school or for fun, volunteering your time to benefit others can be both a fun and rewarding experience! Finding volunteer opportunities, however, can be difficult.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Newspaper
• Phone
• Will to volunteer your time!

1. First and foremost, call your local park district! More often then not, your local park district is looking for help with various activities ranging from Mom and Son Night to Senior Citizen Visit Nights! If you are looking for a quick and easy way to find volunteer hours, check the park district first!

2. 
    
   Visit http://www.redcross.org/

   Sign up with the American Red Cross! Not only does the American Red Cross accept blood donations, they also provide Disaster Services, which they will recruit volunteers to help with. If you are interested in volunteering with the American Red Cross, visit http://www.redcross.org/ and sign up for their "Volunteer Match" service.

3. Sign up for a volunteer website! Websites such as 1-800-Volunteer.org and idealist.org provide services that connect citizens to local volunteer and service opportunities. Many of these websites also provide an option to specify your age in order to match you with the most ideal type of work.

4. 
    
   Altar Servers help the pastor during the mass by performing tasks such as carrying the cross during the opening procession and distributing hosts to the church-goers.

   Contact your local church! What better way to volunteer your time than at your local church or religious center! Churches always are looking for help and provide many volunteer opportunities. If you are within the ages of 10 and 15, you have the opportunity to act as an Alter Girl/Boy during a mass. If your church has a choir, volunteer for it! Another form of work that churches always need help with is working in the Rectory. While working in the Church Rectory you may be asked to answer phone calls regarding mass times and booking religious ceremonies.

5. Consult the newspapers! Often times there are ads posted in the local newspapers about available service opportunities. The service opportunities can range anywhere from helping your local middle-school to working at your local pet shelter.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are serious about volunteering your time, why not volunteer doing something you enjoy? With this list, there will be a widespread list of service opportunities available to you (with this list you can pick out an activity you are interested and will enjoy).
• When volunteering make sure you are going through a reputable service center or person. If a volunteer opportunity seems suspicious in anyway do not attend.
• Do not apply for volunteer opportunities that are above your skill level. If, for example, you lack basic carpentry skills, do no volunteer to build houses for the needy.

Resources

• A Link to the American Red Cross
• The American Red Cross sponsored service sight.
• A website that links people to local volunteer work.