Looking for Community Volunteer Opportunities? We Can Help

(ConservativeSense.com) – As we enter a new year, charities and voluntary organizations are appealing to Americans to get more involved in public life. The online youth group Do Something, which encourages teenagers to live productive lives, has compiled a list of recommendations and advice on how to get the best out of voluntary opportunities.

Among the activities recommended is working at local libraries, which often survive thanks to volunteer staff. Work in public broadcasting is also suggested and offers a chance to gain production experience for “aspiring media-makers.” Further prospects include helping out at animal shelters, community centers, and hospitals or getting involved in politics.

Teen Vogue published a guide in 2018, which the Do Something group recommends reading. It documents a young person’s introduction to Capitol Hill and party politics. Linzy Rosen, a freshman at Brandeis University and 18 years old, was over the moon to have the opportunity to work in Congress but was left disillusioned.

“My tasks consisted of updating databases, completing donor research, and swimming in spreadsheets,” she wrote, before adding, “After hours of work from behind a screen, I could only see the world in gridlines.”

Nonetheless, Rosen warmly endorsed political involvement and said that while the work can be difficult and tedious, the skills gained make it worthwhile.

Many Americans agree with Rosen’s take, and figures show that millions volunteer for various organizations every year. Census Bureau stats from 2022 showed that Utah had the highest number of volunteer workers in 2021, with 40% of its residents getting publicly involved during the pandemic. Wyoming was in second place at 39.2%, and in third was Minnesota with 35.5%

Fundraising is the most common voluntary activity in the US, and studies show that individuals between the ages of 35 and 54 are the most likely to offer up their time. Studies also show that people have a 27% better chance of finding a job if they undertake voluntary work.