Volunteering: How Helping Others Helps You
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Durango Heritage Celebration
When: October 11, 2014
What: 4-8 students total
• Morning set-up (2-4 students) - 7:15AM-9:00AM
• Evening set-up and "bussing" (requested 2 girls and 2 boys) - 5:15PM-7:15PM...
must wear white shirt and black pantsVolunteering has a positive effect on your community — and it’s good for you too. Ben, a college freshman who did volunteer fund-raising work, calls it “a win-win situation." He says, "You feel good because you're helping others, and the others feel good because they're getting help.”
NOTE: Contact Zoe Nelsen for additional information ([email protected])
Mumbling Marmot Tutoring
When: Ongoing
Are you good at Math and/or English (writing)? Do you want to add community service hours and/or volunteer hours to your resume for college and scholarship purposes (or do you just like to help people!)?
Mumbling Marmot Tutoring is in need of high school tutors to assist middle school students with their homework. YOU pick your schedule, number of hours you put in, subjects you are good at, and where you want to meet for the volunteer hours. Mumbling Marmot Tutoring Center will write you letters of recommendation for colleges and /or employers.
Interested? Call Yvonna at 970-903-7498 or email her at [email protected]
Boys and Girls Club
When: Ongoing
What: Tutoring and/or Leader in Training
The first opportunity for students that I wanted to extend was our tutoring/volunteering program. Once our elementary/ middle school kiddos come to the Club, they are encouraged to do their homework before engaging in the scheduled activities we provide them. Although our staff would love to be able to work one on one with each student, we simply cannot- our numbers are too great! This is where we would love to see high school student volunteers come in. Right after school, for one to two hours, volunteers would be able to work one on one with students in the areas of reading, math, and science. Not only would each student be getting help with their homework, they would also be creating a bond with an older mentor.
The next opportunity we have for high school students is called our Leader in Training (LIT) program. LIT is a mentor-ship/ internship program for students 8th-12th grade. Students in LIT are assigned to a staff member at the club and work with them in their area. The mentoring program provides students with a positive role model, leadership training, as well as job training. LIT is considered a job at the Club, although they are not yet getting paid. Once members complete LIT training and their application is approved, the can move up to be a Junior Staff member, which is a paid position.
The Boys and Girls Club is not only a positive place for students to go after school, but it can also help them get into college. The Club offers numerous scholarships throughout the year to members, and simply being a part of the Club looks great on college applications.
Questions? Kelsey Bonar(605) 381-9490
[email protected]
Americorps: Youth Outreach Coordinator
Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering can help you learn more about yourself and even put you on a path to your future career.
Reasons to Volunteer - Giving back to your community is valuable in itself, but helping others also offers many benefits. For example, it can help you learn more about yourself and even put you on a path to your future career. Learn more about the reasons to volunteer below.
Gain Valuable Life Experiences and Skills - Whether you build houses for the homeless or mail flyers for a local politician, you can experience the real world through hands-on work. And you can explore your major or career interests at the same time. For example, as a premed freshman, Gregory spent his summer volunteering at a local health clinic. He picked a clinic in an area with a lot of Spanish speakers so he could practice his language skills while observing medical workers. He also found time to ask the doctors questions.
Meet Interesting People - Both the people you are helping and your fellow volunteers can give you new insights. No matter what groups of people you’re working with, you’ll find that they have information and ways of looking at the world that can broaden your horizons.
Get Academic Credit - Some high schools offer academic credit for volunteer work through service learning — a program that offers hands-on learning through service to the community. To find out if your school offers service learning, talk to your school counselor.
Show Colleges You’re Committed - Your volunteer work illustrates your interests and character. When you list your volunteer work on your college applications, you show admission officers the value you’ll bring to their campus community.
Make a Difference - It’s eye-opening to realize that doing even small things can have a big impact on others. Rhea, a college sophomore, still remembers a visit she made to a senior home with a choir when she was in middle school. “An elderly man in a wheelchair looked up at me after the last strains of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and said in a gravelly voice, ‘You’ve made my day. This means so much.’” She recalls, “No one had ever thanked me in such a way for doing something so small, and a stranger no less!”
How to Get Involved - Organizations everywhere need volunteers. Here are some ways to get started:
- Check out the "Volunteer" board in front of the College Counseling/LINK offices
- Call programs based in your community and ask if they need help.
- Visit your town’s website. It may list volunteer opportunities in your area.
- Contact a local museum or other cultural institutions or get in touch with similar organizations that can point you in the right direction.
- Ask libraries, religious organizations and community colleges if they sponsor any volunteer groups.
- Check out the following websites to learn more about causes and to find volunteer opportunities near you:
- What have I done in the past that I’ve enjoyed?
- What do I want to do as a volunteer — and what would I rule out doing?
- How much time can I commit?
- What talents or skills can I offer?
- What kinds of people do I want to work with?
- What would I most like to learn by volunteering?