<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"><base></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><base class=""><div class="Apple-Mail-URLShareUserContentTopClass"> Just saw this on the community service division twitter feed. </div><div class="Apple-Mail-URLShareUserContentTopClass"> Think it’s pretty interesting, and the points raised are more important than the context here. </div><div class="Apple-Mail-URLShareWrapperClass" style="position: relative !important;"><blockquote type="cite" style="border-left-style: none; color: inherit; padding: inherit; margin: inherit;" class=""><div class=""><div class="original-url"><a href="http://discovercorps.com/blog/10-tips-better-volunteering-experiences/" class="">http://discovercorps.com/blog/10-tips-better-volunteering-experiences/</a><br class=""><br class=""></div><div id="article" role="article" style="-webkit-locale: en; border-bottom-width: 0px;" class="">
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<div class="page"><h1 class="title">10 Tips for Having Better Volunteering Experiences</h1><div class="leading-image"><img src="http://discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/10-Tips-for-Having-Better-Volunteeering-Experiences.jpg" alt="10 Tips for Having Better Volunteeering Experiences" srcset="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/10-Tips-for-Having-Better-Volunteeering-Experiences.jpg?w=599 599w, http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/10-Tips-for-Having-Better-Volunteeering-Experiences.jpg?resize=300%2C187 300w" class=""></div><div id="safari-reader-element-marker" style="position: relative; top: 96%;" class=""></div><p class="">People who seek out volunteering experiences when they travel usually do so with the intention of making a positive impact. We want to help people. We want to help animals. We want to save the environment, improve living conditions, and build futures. In essence, we’re devoting our time and energy to something much greater than ourselves: The idea of making the world a better place.</p><p class="">Unfortunately, as <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/07/31/336600290/as-volunteerism-explodes-in-popularity-whos-it-helping-most" class="">the number of volunteer travelers continues to increase exponentially</a> each year, so does the misappropriation of their hours and efforts. For many NGOs, the additional help is too good to pass up. But finding the right tasks for well-intentioned (but often unskilled) volunteers has proven a challenge.</p><p class="">With the right mindset, traveling volunteers can work with and truly help local non-profits and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-governmental_organization" class="">NGOs</a> accomplish their important goals. Here are our tips for having a better volunteering experience when you travel:</p><div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class=""><img src="http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/14974143793_ebb35ed925_z.jpg?resize=640%2C480" alt="family volunteer vacation Africa" srcset="http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/14974143793_ebb35ed925_z.jpg?w=640 640w, http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/14974143793_ebb35ed925_z.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/14974143793_ebb35ed925_z.jpg?resize=180%2C135 180w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="451" class=""></p><h3 class="">Start with a Reputable Project</h3><p class="">Successful volunteering experiences begin with joining a team and participating in an ongoing project. It’s important that we join the best teams. For some, this means grassroots organizations; for others, it’s global aid programs. In either case, as volunteers, it’s important that we learn about the team we’re joining– its history, its mission, its successes, and especially its needs. We should know for whom we are volunteering and why this group is good choice.</p><p class=""><img src="http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/13096086345_e539498c9b_k.jpg?resize=640%2C426" alt="volunteer vacations in Thailand" srcset="http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/13096086345_e539498c9b_k.jpg?w=2048 2048w, http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/13096086345_e539498c9b_k.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/13096086345_e539498c9b_k.jpg?resize=1024%2C682 1024w, http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/13096086345_e539498c9b_k.jpg?resize=1280%2C852 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="401" class="clear"></p><h3 class="">Choose a Suitable Situation</h3><p class="">Volunteering experiences allow us to put our own skills and interests to good use. Finding the right match for them will help make the experience more fulfilling for everyone. Not everyone has the capability to build a home, just as not all people can piece together a website in a week. As individuals, we all have specific talents we bring to the table. Finding posts where they’re applicable– where we’re more than “unskilled labor”– increases the value of our contributions.</p><h3 class=""><img src="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/volunteersustainabilty.jpg?resize=640%2C427" alt="Are volunteer vacations sustainable" srcset="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/volunteersustainabilty.jpg?w=640 640w, http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/volunteersustainabilty.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="401" class="clear"></h3><h3 class="">Research the Location</h3><p class="">Good volunteer travel puts us in contact with myriad <strong class=""><a href="http://discovercorps.com/why-discover-corps/#immersion" class="">local people</a></strong>. One of the great pleasures of volunteer travel is the opportunity to connect with these individuals on a deeper, more personal level. When going into a volunteer experience, it’s good to know the basics of the country’s politics, traditions, and religious leanings. Not only does this preliminary research help to deepen the connections we make, but showing an interest in their homeland almost always resonates with our hosts.</p><h3 class=""><img src="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/11095543873_3a8a157523_b.jpg?resize=640%2C424" alt="Building bottle clinic in Dominican Republic" srcset="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/11095543873_3a8a157523_b.jpg?w=960 960w, http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/11095543873_3a8a157523_b.jpg?resize=300%2C199 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="399" class="clear"></h3><h3 class="">Prepare Yourself to Help</h3><p class="">Successful volunteering experiences require a lot more than just an able body. To accomplish things, our team must be organized, creative, adaptive, and equipped. Much of the work happens long before we are on-site with a shovel or a textbook. For the best results, volunteers should contact the project coordinators and provide a list of skills and specialties, suggesting ideas or asking for suggestions as to how they might be useful before arriving.</p><p class=""><img src="http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Masaai.jpg?resize=640%2C360" alt="Maasai" srcset="http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Masaai.jpg?w=640 640w, http://i0.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Masaai.jpg?resize=300%2C169 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="338" class="clear"></p><h3 class="">Accept That Change Often Occurs Slowly</h3><p class="">Make no mistake: Volunteering abroad is helpful. But making a big impact ultimately takes years. Good volunteers should be aware of the fact that a school, city, or country will likely not be changed eternally by one person’s volunteer vacation or six-month stint. However, with the right approach, our collective efforts can effect real change. It’s important to remember that volunteering isn’t about our individual accomplishments, but advancing towards a collective goal.</p><p class=""><img src="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Things-to-do-in-Thailand-Visit-Hill-Tribes-Hmong.jpg?resize=640%2C527" alt="Things to do in Thailand - Visit the Hmong People" srcset="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Things-to-do-in-Thailand-Visit-Hill-Tribes-Hmong.jpg?w=690 690w, http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Things-to-do-in-Thailand-Visit-Hill-Tribes-Hmong.jpg?resize=300%2C247 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="495" class="clear"></p><h3 class="">Expect to Be Transformed</h3><p class="">Our volunteering experiences often take us to severely impoverished communities. We see that pain and need in the world is deeper than many of us ever imagined. People have been mistreated, the planet has been ravaged and polluted, and animals have been exploited relentlessly. In a word, it can be depressing. Good volunteers understand that hope is real and that small, incremental, meaningful goals are worth pursuing.</p><p class=""><img src="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lola_Peru.jpg?resize=640%2C426" alt="Discover Corps volunteer Peru" srcset="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lola_Peru.jpg?w=980 980w, http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lola_Peru.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="401" class="clear"></p><h3 class="">Donate Money and/or Materials</h3><p class="">Volunteering is, of course, a worthwhile contribution. But non-profits and NGOs also desperately need money and quality materials. While providing labor seems like a great way to help, it doesn’t replace the value of money. Good volunteers think about how to provide both. This can often be a wonderful way to include folks back home via fund-raising parties or material donation wish lists, which also serves to raise awareness and attract more international support.</p>
<figure class="clear"><img src="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Students-from-the-Volunteering-Days-in-Guatemala.jpg?resize=640%2C480" alt="Volunteering with Kids in Guatemala" srcset="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Students-from-the-Volunteering-Days-in-Guatemala.jpg?w=690 690w, http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Students-from-the-Volunteering-Days-in-Guatemala.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Students-from-the-Volunteering-Days-in-Guatemala.jpg?resize=180%2C135 180w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="590" height="443" class=""><figcaption style="font-style: italic;" class="">Photo by Emma Gallagher</figcaption></figure><h3 class="">Volunteer Longer</h3><p class="">Staying in a place beyond a few days or a week makes a huge difference in the efficacy of our volunteering experiences. Considerate volunteers understand that the first few days of volunteering are largely eaten up by acclimation, training and orientation. The longer we volunteer, the more experience we have, and the bigger and more crucial role we can play in what’s being done.</p><h3 class=""><img src="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/10087849075_cae11c2099_z.jpg?resize=640%2C427" alt="Family Volunteer Vacations in the Dominican Republic" srcset="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/10087849075_cae11c2099_z.jpg?w=640 640w, http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/10087849075_cae11c2099_z.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" width="602" height="401" class="clear"></h3><h3 class="">Hold Yourself Accountable</h3><p class="">Some people believe that volunteering is not a “real job.” It’s easy to forget that the NGO or non-profit we’re volunteering may be relying on us, and simply slip into vacation mode. This can result in additional problems for an organization, as well as letting down the people/animals/eco-system that we are there to uplift. Volunteering experiences can be a fun adventure, but it’s also a serious situation in need of responsible contributors.</p><h3 class=""><img src="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/rsz_10561609353_2fbd947cf6_o.jpg?resize=600%2C375" alt="volunteer vacation with elephants" srcset="http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/rsz_10561609353_2fbd947cf6_o.jpg?w=600 600w, http://i1.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/rsz_10561609353_2fbd947cf6_o.jpg?resize=300%2C188 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" width="602" height="376" class="clear"></h3><h3 class="">Remember Who You Are & Why You’re There</h3><p class="">Volunteering means so much to us, it gets to the core of who we want to be and why we’ve traveled to a given destination. When things aren’t going as we envisioned, it’s easy to became disillusioned with a situation or organization. But it’s important to stay focused and try to remember the important role we’re playing when we volunteer. Good volunteers look for ways to work with, not against, their team. They’re contemplative and constructive in their concerns, and then active in the solutions.</p><p class="">Volunteering experiences can and should be positive for all parties involved, creating a warmer, more welcoming world. Whatever problems may exist today, travel reminds us that planet Earth is an amazingly inspiring place. No wonder we all want to do it! <em class=""><strong class="">–Jonathon Engels</strong></em></p><p class=""><a href="http://discovercorps.com/our-trips/traditional-culture/" class=""><img src="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Volunteer_Vacations.jpg?resize=626%2C100" alt="Discover Corps Volunteer Vacations Footer" srcset="http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Volunteer_Vacations.jpg?w=626 626w, http://i2.wp.com/discovercorps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Volunteer_Vacations.jpg?resize=300%2C48 300w" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" width="602" height="96" class="clear"></a></p><p class=""><em class="">BIO: Jonathon Engels is a traveler, writer & teacher who’s been living abroad as an expat since 2005. He’s a regular contributor to <a href="http://GreenGlobalTravel.com" class="">Green Global Travel</a> as well as <a href="http://permaculturenews.org/author/jonathon-engels/" target="_blank" class="">Permaculture News</a>, which focus on helping to keep the world green and clean. He’s also the founder of <a href="http://www.thengolist.com/" class="">The NGO List</a>, a compilation of grassroots NGOs seeking international volunteers. His work can also be found at <a href="http://jonathonengels.weebly.com/" target="_blank" class="">Jonathon Engels: A Life Abroad</a> and his <a href="http://jonathonengels.travellerspoint.com/" class="">personal blog</a>.</em></p><div class=""><a href="http://discovercorps.com/blog/staying-healthy-while-traveling-tips/" rel="prev" class="">← <span aria-hidden="true" class="">Previous - </span><em class="">Staying Healthy While Traveling: 12 Simple Tips</em></a></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""><br class=""><div class="">
<div class=""><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Darian Smith</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">President, National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Web: <a href="http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">www.nfbcommunityservice.org</a></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Twitter: @NFBCSDivision,@goldengateace</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Facebook: search for “National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division"</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; color: rgb(71, 135, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="">E-mail: <a href="mailto:president@nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">president@nfbcommunityservice.org</a></span></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> </p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">(415)215-9809</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""> </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 14px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">blindness is not what holds you back.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> “We need your service, right now, at this moment - our moment - in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history” — Barack Obama </div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> Help drive change for the blind .</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Donate your car to the National Federation of the Blind today!</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; color: rgb(87, 86, 214); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(87, 86, 214);" class="">For more information, please visit: <a href="http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org/" class=""><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(71, 135, 255);" class="">www.carshelpingtheblind.org</span></a> or call 1-855-659-9314</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Times; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">“</div></div>
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