A Helping Hand

I love volunteering; yet during my first shift in 9^th grade, it’s not a thought I would’ve even considered. I was at an info booth with an older volunteer during a sticky evening by Harbourfront, staring aimlessly at my watch and passing cyclists. We were promoting The Word on The Street, a Toronto-based book festival. With a pile of unread pamphlets and hours left to go, I made a choice that’s shaped my volunteer work since – I did something.

My partner and I arranged our pamphlets into a large “WOTS” pattern, drawing attention to our previously lonely booth. Soon we were answering questions, opening refill boxes, and having fun. All it took was some initiative.

Since then my 40 hours have flown by, and I’ve come to see how volunteering can be more than a graduation requirement. It’s provided me with a variety of experiences, tricky problems, and chances to meet amazing people. Here are the ways I’ve learned to make the most out of volunteering.

Evaluate Your Commitments

From emergency shelters to pop-up festivals, each volunteer placement has its own type of commitment. If you’re new to volunteering or need to get hours quickly, set aside a weekend for events (such as WOTS or Toronto MakerFest) that offer full-day shifts. Full-day events offer a variety of interesting roles with a single commute and without a long-term commitment. For the Toronto MakerFest I earned 18 hours in one weekend by greeting visitors, setting up booths, and assisting events. That said, placements offering weekly or monthly shifts let you take on your responsibilities at a slower pace and build a long-term relationship with the organization.

Take Initiative

There’s always something to be done, so ask and see how you can help. Whether you’re moving extra chairs or covering someone’s lunch break, you’ll find interesting opportunities and show your enthusiasm.

When I helped find a lost volunteer in 9^thgrade I found myself exploring the festival grounds as I learned how complex and crucial volunteer coordination can be.

Help’s almost always appreciated and pays off in the end. After two years working with the Logistics Team at WOTS to organize the inevitable event-day chaos, I gained enough experience to become a Volunteer Captain and lead others.

Talk To People

There’s always someone to talk to, be it a fellow volunteer at the info booth, a confused parent at a festival, or a friendly but rushed coordinator. I recently started tutoring, where openly talking with my supervisor, student, and fellow tutors have made me feel a lot more comfortable in my new role. Volunteering is a community effort, after all, and talking clears up what your commitments are, opens up opportunities to take initiative, and gives you access to the support you need to succeed. Unless you plan to live under a rock, you’ll need to work with others to solve problems, share ideas, and have an overall good time.

So when you’re looking for your next volunteer placement, keep these three lessons in mind. Keep an eye out for full-day events to make the most out of a weekend, or keep working for a long-term commitment that’ll let you develop your skills and impact over time. Wherever you go, keep your head up for spontaneous chances to lend an extra hand and see where it takes you. Throughout it all, keep the conversation going.

Ask questions, make friends, and never pass up a chance to teach or learn something new. Keep these in mind and you’ll find that soon enough, you’ll love volunteering too. Have fun!