Volunteering and Connecting with others
Finding time to volunteer can be one of the hardest choices you make. However, the benefits of volunteering are enormous, both to you, your family and the community. Volunteering with the right organization, can help you find friends as well meet new ones, reach out to the community, learn new skills and even advance your career. Volunteering has also been proven to help your mental and physical health.
Volunteering, Community Outreach, and Life Skills
Volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together. Because of their commitment to helping and serving others in need, the impact on communities are enormous. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community (as well as others) and make it a better place. Volunteering is a two-way street, and it can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to support. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.
The skills you learn while volunteering can be an invaluable life experience, which can enhance your overall ability to communicate with others. People who volunteer vary widely, with individuals that come from different social and economic backgrounds, to community leaders as well as corporate professionals.
If you’re considering a new career, volunteering can help you get experience in your area of interest and meet people in the field. Even if you’re not planning on changing careers, volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important skills used in the workplace, such as oral communication and writing skills, teamwork, project planning, task management, problem solving, and organizational skills. By honing in on these skill sets a volunteer position can become a valuable life coaching experience as well.
Volunteering, know your goals and interests
We, at Discoveries of Hope, want your volunteerism to be a rich and enjoyable experience. Whether you are a volunteer or an intern we encourage you to first take some time to identify your goals and interests. Ask yourself why you want to volunteer or have an internship with a nonprofit organization. Also think about what you would enjoy doing by aligning your interest with your goals. Your experience while volunteering can be a very advantageous one once you have considered these options. Volunteer opportunities that match both your goals and your interests are more likely to be fun and fulfilling to you.
Volunteer Process
Each year, more than 175 dedicated volunteers help the Discoveries of Hope Foundation Nationally achieve its mission of “helping support our benefactors, programs, and our community based initiatives” We have many opportunities for those who want to help support our mission, event planning, raising funds, or assist in the office.
If you would like to support Discoveries of Hope Foundation, please fill out and submit a Volunteer Application online, simply fill it out and click submit and a volunteer advisor will contact you after reviewing your volunteer interests.
We will acknowledge receipt of your application and invite you to the next available Volunteer Orientation. (For those wishing to support our organization as a volunteer, we require attendance to a Volunteer Orientation.) Also, note that all volunteers must be 18 years of age or older, and all volunteers must clear a criminal-background check, before their volunteer work begins.
The invitation to attend a Volunteer Orientation will be e-mailed out to prospective volunteers after receipt of the completed Volunteer Online Application has been reviewed, and based on our calendar of events as well as organizational needs we will schedule an orientation. Individuals who submit volunteer applications will receive invitations to each pre-schedule one-hour session for up to one year until they are able to attend, or the event and/or activity date of your interests is within 120 days of scheduled calendar date of activity or event.
Please submit your resume and cover letter to Kathleen Spencer at careers@discoveriesofhope.org or fill out the Employment, Internship & Volunteer Application online.