When you’ve lived and worked in the same place for a long time, you may be tempted to give something back to help improve your community. It doesn’t have to be full-time or involve financial donations: you can give part of your free time to support a cause you identify with.
This practice allows you to improve the lives of other people. It will also connect you even more with your community and make a positive impact that won’t escape the eyes of others. While this is not the primary goal, giving back to your community can actually boost your business.
But how do you choose the best way to do it? First of all, identify the local needs. Specific jobs or careers will benefit people more than others.
These are five jobs with the potential to give back to a community in a meaningful way.
1. Nonprofit
Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) exist to advocate for a cause. Although they receive external donations and even some government support, these organizations mainly exist because of volunteers like you.
Find out which NPOs are active in your community and offer your services. It doesn’t always have to be physical work. Some organizations can benefit from someone who helps create and publicize their campaigns on social media or from a coordinator of other volunteers.
Here are five large nonprofit organizations always looking for volunteers:
American Heart Association
Promotes programs to prevent heart disease and strokes.
American Red Cross
Helps people in disaster-stricken areas by providing food, water, medicine, and shelter.
United Way
Invests in professional education for children.
Humane Society of the United States
An organization dedicated to animal protection.
Salvation Army
Promotes charity actions for people living in poverty.
You can also identify some special needs in the community and start your own NPO, taking more time and work.
2. Emergency
Emergency service jobs would help people more than most. After all, every community needs ER drivers, volunteers to provide first aid, and even emergency responders for crisis lines (such as suicide prevention).
If you are already trained as a doctor, psychologist, or nurse, you can offer a few hours of your services free of charge to underserved communities. Otherwise, you can still get some volunteer jobs with more basic training (becoming a volunteer firefighter, for example).
With more emergency service workers in demand, maybe you can even consider a healthcare technical course. If you are in New Jersey, look at the LPN program in Egg Harbor, NJ.
3. Counseling
Volunteering for counseling jobs can also be very valuable for your community. Many jobs in this area require at least a bachelor’s degree. But if you have the gift of listening to others, you’ll probably find opportunities to help people who need someone to talk to.
There are several types of counselors: school counselors, who help children and teenagers in cases of bullying or low grades; substance abuse counselors, to help people trying to quit alcohol or drug addiction; grief counselors, to guide families after a tragic loss, etc.
If you already work in teaching and nursing, you already have the main requirements for working in the field.
4. Assisted Living
Although assisted living facilities have specialized staff, volunteers are always welcome to help with caring for seniors. This can be done in different ways: escorting residents outside the institution, helping with special events related to religion or recreation, etc.
You can also help seniors in your neighborhood without the need to work directly with a nursing home. For example, you can carry out periodic social visits for elderly people who live alone to talk to them and ensure their well-being. Or help with the distribution of meals for people who can no longer leave their homes.
5. Childcare
Childcare volunteers are people who love working with children. You can do it with education, healthcare, or just mentorship. The most practical way to start is to look for an orphanage or children’s home to find out how to help. But you can also work directly in your neighborhood.
Some options offer free tutoring to children struggling or looking after children whose parents need to work and cannot afford proper care.
Helping Your Community is Priceless
By investing some of your time to improve your community, you give back all the support you received while living and working there. Most of all, you’ll start to see the world in another way, identifying ways to help fill gaps in society.
Remember that giving back to your community is essential for services and assistance programs to work in the first place. After all, someone needs to do it!
There are a lot of important causes out there, and any help is welcome.
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