How to Find the Right Volunteer Opportunity 如何選擇適合自己的志愿項目

陳曉璐 審訂/文軍

There are numerous volunteer opportunities available. The key is to find a position that you would enjoy and are capable of doing. It’s also important to make sure that your commitment matches the organization’s needs. Ask yourself the following：

· Would you like to work with adults， children， animals， or remotely from home？

· Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team？

· Are you better behind the scenes or do you prefer to take a more visible role？

· How much time are you willing to commit？

· What skills can you bring to a volunteer job？

· What causes are important to you？

· Consider your goals and interests

You will have a richer and more enjoyable volunteering experience if you first take some time to identify your goals and interests. Think about why you want to volunteer. What would you enjoy doing？ The opportunities that match both your goals and your interests are most likely to be fun and fulfilling.

Consider several volunteer possibil-ities

Don’t limit yourself to just one organization or one specific type of job. Sometimes an opportunity looks great on paper， but the reality is quite different. Try to visit different organizations and get a feel for what they are like and if you click with other staff and volunteers.

Where to find volunteer opportunities

· Community theaters， museums， and monuments.

· Libraries or senior centers.

· Service organizations such as Lions Clubs or Rotary Clubs.

· Local animal shelters， rescue organ-izations， or wildlife centers.

· Youth organizations， sports teams， and after-school programs.

· Historical restorations， national parks， and conservation organizations.

· Places of worship such as churches or synagogues.

· Online directories and other resources.

How much time should you volunteer？

Volunteering doesn’t have to take over your life to be beneficial. In fact， research shows that just two to three hours per week， or about 100 hours a year， can confer the most benefits—to both you and your chosen cause. The important thing is to volunteer only the amount of time that feels comfortable to you. Volunteering should feel like a fun and rewarding hobby， not another chore on your to-do list.

Getting the most out of volunteering

You’re donating your valuable time， so it’s important that you enjoy and benefit from your volunteering. To make sure that your volunteer position is a good fit：

Ask questions. You want to make sure that the experience is right for your skills， your goals， and the time you want to spend. Sample questions for your volunteer coordinator might address your time commitment， if there’s any training involved， who you will be working with， and what to do if you have questions during your experience.

Make sure you know what’s expected. You should be comfortable with the organization and understand the time commitment. Consider starting small so that you don’t over commit yourself at first. Give yourself some flexibility to change your focus if needed.

Don’t be afraid to make a change. Don’t force yourself into a bad fit or feel compelled to stick with a volunteer role you dislike. Talk to the organization about changing your focus or look for a different organization that’s a better fit.

If volunteering overseas， choose carefully. Some volunteer programs abroad can cause more harm than good if they take much-needed paying jobs away from local workers. Look for volunteer opportunities with reputable organizations.

Enjoy yourself. The best volunteer experiences benefit both the volunteer and the organization. If you’re not enjoying yourself， ask yourself why. Is it the tasks you’re performing？ The people you’re working with？ Or are you uncomfortable simply because the situation is new and unfamiliar？ Pinpointing what’s bothering you can help you decide how to proceed.

志愿活動數量繁多，在其中找到一個你喜歡且能勝任的崗位至關重要。與此同時，也要確保你的條件符合該組織的需求。當你在找志愿活動時，問問自己以下幾個問題：

·你是否愿意與成年人共事，與兒童、動物相處？是否愿意在家遠程工作？

·你更喜歡獨自行動還是團隊合作？

·你是擅長幕后事務還是臺前工作？

·你希望投入多少時間？

·你具備哪些志愿者技能？

·對你來說，哪些目標意義重大？

·思考你的目標和興趣

如果你先花點時間明確自己的目標和興趣點，你將獲得更豐富、更愉快的志愿經歷。想一想你為什么要做志愿者？你喜歡做什么？與你的目標和興趣相匹配的機會最能讓你在實現自我的同時樂在其中。

多考慮幾個志愿項目

不要局限于一個組織或一種特定類型的志愿服務。有時志愿項目在介紹文字上描繪得很美好，但實際情況卻不盡如人意。可以嘗試造訪不同的志愿服務組織，去了解它們的真實情況，再看看你是否能與組織里的其他工作成員和志愿者和諧相處。

在哪里尋找志愿項目

·社區劇院、博物館和紀念館。

·圖書館或老年中心。

·服務組織，例如獅子會、扶輪社。

·地方動物收容所、救援組織或野生動物中心。

·青少年組織、運動隊以及課外活動項目。

·歷史遺物修復中心、國家公園和自然保護組織。

·禮拜場所，例如基督教堂或猶太教堂。

·線上指南和其他資源。

投入多少時間參與志愿活動？

要從志愿活動中受益，不一定要讓它占據你的全部生活。研究表明，每周僅2到3個小時，或每年100小時左右的志愿時長，會給你和所選事業帶來最大益處。投入多少時間從事志愿服務要以你感覺舒適為宜。志愿服務應該讓人覺得是一種有趣有益的愛好，而不是待辦清單上的又一件苦差事。

充分利用志愿服務

你既然投入了寶貴的時間，享受志愿活動并從中受益是很重要的。為確保找到一個恰當的志愿項目，你應該：

多問問題。應確保志愿活動與你的技能、目標和打算投入的時間相吻合。比如，和志愿協調員交流時，可以問問如何把握志愿時長、是否需要培訓、你將和誰一起共事，以及志愿活動中遇到問題時怎么辦。

確保自己了解志愿服務組織的期望。你在組織中應該感到如魚得水，并知道志愿活動需要投入多長時間。考慮從小事做起，免得一開始就過度投入。如果有必要，可以靈活變通，改變自己的關注點。

不要害怕做出改變。不要強迫自己去做不適合的事，或逼迫自己堅持不喜歡的志愿工作。你可以向組織提出變更工作重心，或尋找更合適的另一組織。

慎重選擇海外志愿服務。一些海外志愿項目會剝奪當地人急需的就業機會，如果你加入這樣的志愿項目，弊則大于利了。一定要尋找信譽良好的志愿服務組織。

享受整個過程。最好的志愿服務對志愿者和志愿服務組織都有利。如果你并不喜歡，問問自己為什么。是因為你正在干的工作嗎？還是因為和你一起工作的人？或僅僅是因為對新環境不熟悉而難受？一旦你找出讓你不快的原因，你就可以做出抉擇了。

（譯者單位：北京航空航天大學）