Anyone here done volunteer work?

sunflower27

Hi there

I'm due to be made redundant this week and while financially I'll be OK for a while I'm a bit concerned about sitting around all day doing nothing.

I know a second-hand clothes shop in town is looking for volunteers and I think I might ring and offer my services. They are asking for one or two hours a week, but realistically i can do a lot more than that if they need me to.

Has anyone here ever done it? I think it will be a really positive thing to do. And beats sitting around all day.

Plazaman

Hi Sunflower. You should also have a look at http://www.volunteer.ie/

There are listings in most counties of organisations looking for volunteers for all types of duties. I'm involved in a Summer Festival and I know we find this organisation great to contact and they put people directly in touch with us. The only problem? There isn't half enough people willing to volunteer. I have volunteered myself for other groups (albeit 2 to 3 days work) but I find it great fun and great to network and meet other peole.

Acoshla

I've done volunteering a few times, when I was in school I volunteered with a youth group that visits special needs people and we used to chat, play games, great fun. I also volunteered in Canada as a kitten feeder for orphaned and abandoned kittens, bottle and syringe feeding them, it was the best thing I've ever done. I used to do the 11pm to 4am shift on Tuesday nights, made work the next a bit rough but was totally worth it.

If I was unemployed I would definitely love to volunteer at something, but is there still some rule that if you're volunteering you're not available for work and so won't receive Social Welfare? I think that used to be the case anyway. I checked out volunteering here while back but I assumed there would be things to do in the evening/weekends but the majority of them are during the day here.

Faith

There's a lot of places looking for volunteers where you'll also learn great transferable skills that will look great on your CV. Places like Cope, The Samaritans, etc.

sunflower27

Spadina wrote: »

If I was unemployed I would definitely love to volunteer at something, but is there still some rule that if you're volunteering you're not available for work and so won't receive Social Welfare? I think that used to be the case anyway.

Yeah, I have heard of that. I check online for jobs every morning and it is usually the same situation - nothing. I check again in the evenings.... I dont know what else they expect me to do. Sit there looking at the screen refreshing the site :rolleyes:

I live right near a FAS office - 2 mins walk in fact - so that takes no time at all to pop in.

I don't drive so I wouldnt want to be doing weird shifts that would require taxi fares but I'll definitely ring the samaritans.

I'll definitely apply to the shop though - it's Enable Ireland.

Acoshla

Yeah I used to be able to get a tram from right outside the Toronto Humane Society back to my door at 4am, Ireland isn't equipped with that kind of public transport!

I think that SW kind of act as if volunteering is what people choose to do instead of looking for a job, but obviously if the possibility of a job arose people would jump at it, people should be rewarded for doing it instead of sitting at home moping, which doesn't do them or anyone else any good.

coffee_cake

I remember some people on boards saying they got a note or something from their volunteer place to say it wasn't hindering their job search. Can't remember the details.
I'd say you'd be grand anyway

sunflower27

Spadina wrote: »

Yeah I used to be able to get a tram from right outside the Toronto Humane Society back to my door at 4am, Ireland isn't equipped with that kind of public transport!

I think that SW kind of act as if volunteering is what people choose to do instead of looking for a job, but obviously if the possibility of a job arose people would jump at it, people should be rewarded for doing it instead of sitting at home moping, which doesn't do them or anyone else any good.

I know! I think that most people that get off their backsides to volunteer would prefer to be in a paid job so I really don't get the whole 'not willing to work' vibe.

I am doing all I can, just as I am sure most people willing to work are

LittleBook

I'd do anything rather than sit home watching daytime TV.

I used to volunteer for Childline, manning the phones.

Very tough and (to be perfectly honest) very frustrating because although they practice mandatory reporting, you can't report anything if you don't have any personal information from the child. I used to think that once they got in touch with an agency like the ISPCC that they were on the road to being saved.

But simply being there at the end of the phone to listen to a child who needs to talk (about ANYthing) is not to be underestimated.

Good for you Sunflower, whatever you choose to do.

jokettle

I worked for Aware for about a year, on the phonelines. Much like Littlebook's experience, it was tough at times but it seemed to make a huge difference to people.

Most callers would always thank us for taking the time to talk and listen to them; there's an awful lot of loneliness out there!

I quit because I couldn't make my shifts once I started college again. I'd certainly consider going back there though; even though it was tough and brought me to tears on more than one occasion, it was something I felt proud of because I knew it was helping so many people. Plus, some regular callers were a good laugh

iguana

bluewolf wrote: »

I remember some people on boards saying they got a note or something from their volunteer place to say it wasn't hindering their job search. Can't remember the details.
I'd say you'd be grand anyway

That was probably me. I've written many of these letters over the years. You need to get the shop manager to write you a letter saying that even though you will be volunteering in the shop they will ensure that it never interferes with your search for work. If you need to fill in an application form or go to an interview you will always be given the time to do so. You will also be immediately released when you need to start a job. And I suggest you have the letter with you when you inform SW that you will be volunteering instead of telling them, have them object and only then getting the letter.

It's just silly bureaucracy. All volunteers can become unavailable at the drop of a hat. They are volunteers and not under any sort of contract, there is nothing that the shop manager can do to ever "make" you miss an interview or come work in the shop if you can't.

Working in a charity shop can be good fun, especially if it's run well. Managers usually love to get enthusiastic people, especially if they have a professional/personal background that can be put to good use in the shop. A young fashion aware person is fantastic for sorting through and pricing the clothing donations. Or an enthusiastic reader can help with categorizing books and even identifying rare, valuable prints. Perhaps some who is IT literate might be able to help with online selling through ebay/ABE. Or someone who is good at figures might be able to help with the accounting side of things.

G86

I volunteer with a charity called 'Big Brother Big Sister Ireland'. You're assigned a child who you mentor for a year, take them out once a week etc. They work mainly with disadvantaged kids and those with disabilities/problems mixing well with peers. It's a really fun thing to do and you can make a massive difference to a kids life with just a few hours a week of your time

Stheno

I've volunteered loads in the past, in recent years not at all, but due to changing circumstances am looking again.

I've worked with animal charities, prison visiting groups, adult literacy groups, Vincent de Paul, taught lifesaving and swimming.

Each commitment was based on when I could be free, and if I couldn't be free and gave enough notice that was fine. The one exception was prison visiting who looked for set, fixed commitments in terms of times and days.

It's fun, you get to meet people who might not ordinarily meet, you develop new skills and you get a greater understanding of what's going on locally imo.

Good luck!

Maple

Yep, I did telephone counselling with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre some years back. Harrowing by times but very worthwhile, you can man the phones in the centre if you're available but you need a phone at home because they ask that you take a night shift once a month. I used do my shifts at home so ensure that, if you house-share, you can take over the phone for a few hours and that you have the necessary privacy.

Novella

I volunteered for the Samaritans for a while at the start of this year - talking to people on the phone. It's a really good thing to do, but at times I felt like nothing I could say was enough.

Glowing

If you're in Dublin, try the DSPCA ...

Lorrs33

I haven't worked in a charity shop but I have done a lot of volunteer work. The best was fundraising for the Blue Cross on Grafton Street. It was so rewarding and you really see how generous people can be

Asphyxia

I used to volunteer in a day care center for the elderly it felt really nice to be helping out and the chats I used to have with some of the people that attended used to be great. I found myself getting emotional at times though because many of the people attended were after been abused in so many different ways by the people close to them. I knew one lovely lady who's daughter used to take her pension and leave her stranded in the house with no food :mad:

I used to do alot of fund raising for different charities like last year at Christmas time we used to go caroling it was a great laugh

Conor Bourke

What about doing something like Order of Malta/Civil Defence/Red Cross/St. John's Ambulance?

It's take you a few weeks to get trained up and get your basic first aid before you could go out on duty but I'm sure any of those organisations would be delighted to have you. I'm a lapsed Order of Malta member, when I was more active with my unit at home they often needed people on weekdays for community care duties (visiting older people or bringing them out and about) teaching classes (even if you can't teach you can help out as a "Go-for" or casualty- good fun and good learning opportunity) or general sports stuff like Special Olympics, Race Meetings etc... When I found myself between jobs 2 years ago it was great to pull on the uniform and get out there doing something useful as opposed to just getting out of the house for the sake of it.

There is the added advantage of getting yourself upskilled while you're at it, making you more attractive to an employer and of course the social side of it too

Best of luck with whatever you choose to do, let us know how it goes! Hopefully you'll be back in work before too long

serenacat

sunflower27 wrote: »

Hi there

I'm due to be made redundant this week and while financially I'll be OK for a while I'm a bit concerned about sitting around all day doing nothing.

I know a second-hand clothes shop in town is looking for volunteers and I think I might ring and offer my services. They are asking for one or two hours a week, but realistically i can do a lot more than that if they need me to.

Has anyone here ever done it? I think it will be a really positive thing to do. And beats sitting around all day.

I volunteered at meals on wheels, you can work as a driver deliverying the foods or help preparing the foods, if preparing foods you work from 9-10.45 it is great, the ladies are lovely , pleanty of chats. Plus they really need people.

panda100

I volunteered with Rhuama for a number of years in Dublin. It really opened my eyes to the sex industry in Ireland.I met a ton of lovely people there and felt like I made a small difference to the world.
Despite seeing some awful cases their I found volunteering in the youth club in my local town a lot more difficult!Some of the groups used to wreck my head and I dont have that abundant energy that a youth worker seems to need to have.


I would really recommend volunteering in an area that you have an interest in and where your skills lie.

Ms Fluorescent

I volunteerd two years ago in an after schools programme for travellers. Changed my life! I now study social work because of it! really opens up your eyes! would really recommend it to anyone wanting to work with people

sexydancer

I have worked in animal shelters, very rewarding