“What? I don’t have time to do all that!” this phrase abruptly clicks in our mind whenever we encounter the word “Volunteer”. Actually, volunteer work is meant to be more than what most make it out to be. Convincing someone to step out for giving helping hand voluntarily to others is more important than telling him/her about the volunteer opportunities available over the globe. Let me first solve this riddle – whether volunteer work is beneficial or not, by
mentioning “For every God-given goal, He gives grace to accomplish it”. The time you’ve spent so far in volunteer work is of little worth as compared to the generosity you manifested.
mentioning “For every God-given goal, He gives grace to accomplish it”. The time you’ve spent so far in volunteer work is of little worth as compared to the generosity you manifested.
“The sun is never denied the light it gives; likewise, you are never denied the kindness you bestow.”
The catalogue of the perks one enjoys during volunteerism is not limited to the one’s own grace. Besides this, it yields new exposure around the world, imparts sublime experience & insight, broadens one’s social circle, embellishes personality, proffers exceptional sense of accomplishment and above all, career building options.
It is to be admitted that every volunteer work is not suitable for everyone. It depends upon the opportunity, expertise, availability & area of interest. Being a university grade student, we can avail opportunity to serve humanity in the following sectors:
1. Education
Global Vision International (GVI): GVI is an award-winning organization that provides volunteer and internship opportunities in various continents like Asia, Africa, America and Europe. Its alumni network provides access to higher education and career development options. They operate their own volunteer projects to ensure real and sustainable impacts on the ground.
International Student Volunteer (ISV): ISV discloses its volunteer opportunities to provide education to poor, orphaned, and vulnerable across six continents. Their one of the motives is to avoid children from forced child labor. Through each volunteer opportunity and travel program, they work on after-school programs.
Connect-123 Internships & Volunteer Program: It offers volunteer programs, internships and study abroad placements in South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Through customized travel opportunities, one can mainly focus on education. It also provides housing support, orientation, and emergency support, ensuring you the best experience abroad possible.
2. Wildlife & Health Care
World Health Organization (WHO): It provides excellent volunteer opportunities for students and professionals to participate in the work of the organization and to expand the knowledge and understanding of organizational goals and activities in the area of health care and global health initiatives. It also promotes the development of cost-effective, safe and quality health services in low- middle-income countries.
Volunteering Solutions (VolSol): it is an international volunteer organization. You can choose from the projects focusing on nursing, medical care, dentistry and physiotherapy on the basis of your hand-on experience in your concerning field. Their targeting countries are Nepal, Thailand, South Africa, Peru and Costa Rica.
International Volunteers HQ (IVHQ): It offers affordable volunteer trips and overseas healthcare volunteer program. Volunteers assist in rural clinics, orphanages or small communities to provide checkups and basic medical care depending upon their experience and ability to lead under their placement at Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
3. Human Rights & Empowerment
UN Volunteers (UNV): UN Volunteers, international and national, serve side-by-side with United Nations Personnel, bringing unique perspective and knowledge in the area of sustainable development – from eliminating poverty, empowering women and youth, and playing critical roles in peace keeping missions and humanitarian response, to advocating for the rights of marginalized people.
Global Nomadic: It offers affordable volunteer opportunities to build new skills and enhance careers abroad. Its program supports women, widows, children and orphans. Their volunteers make a difference and ensure your efforts are sustainable and impactful by working alongside local NGOs on the projects relating to your degree or career goals.
Global Leadership Adventures (GLA): GLA sends a number of volunteers in nearly two dozen countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and America for youth development each year. People with them have the opportunity to learn about social construction and much more for society empowerment.
4. Seminar/Workshop/Event
Projects Abroad: It provides volunteer opportunities in the wide-range focusing on teaching, agriculture and many more. Actually, they provide training to their volunteers who further serve humanity by arranging events and workshop for awareness and sharing of knowledge. Its new comers are well guided by the specialists.
Society & Commission: This word comprises of all entities working in the area of engineering, sciences and technologies. They mostly organize the seminar, workshops and events through their volunteers in various universities and colleges around the world. Each society and commission is now more able to create its beneficial impacts among the students.
Cheeb Organization: It is prior non-profit organization working for the eradication of cybercrimes especially in South Asia. It offers volunteer opportunities each year. It organizes seminar, technical workshops and events to spread awareness through its volunteers. It also provides training, counseling & guidance to the victims voluntarily.
5. Youth Work
Reach Out Volunteers: It provides fun, high-impact volunteer programs designed to make a difference in impoverished communities, help endangered wildlife and to immerse volunteers in a new culture. This specially works on the local issues and tries to seek them out under the best possible solutions.
Volunteering Journeys: It prides itself on personal attention for all participants, high quality services and the placements that actually engage high level alumni. It has a large diversity factor in his area of working especially in community development. They also provide extra cocurricular activities like visit, trips and recreational tours, to the children.
Cross-Cultural Solutions: It offers year-round presence its host communities, a full team of local expert staff to support the volunteers, and among the highest standards of safety and well-being. This organization has also received some valuable recognition. It also develops a lot of activities for females to motivate them to play their vital part in volunteerism.
All the above mentioned organizations are of international standard, which have their bylaws and policies for volunteers. You may join any of these by applying through a systematic way. Some are free to all but many have some cost of subscription to join them. It’s important to note when we join any organization according to our interest and aptitude, we should better serve in a dedicated and effective way without being taking it as a burden.
It is better to serve than be served.
The writer, Mr Saad Shafqat Chaudhary, is a student of BS Electrical Power Engineering and President IET On Campus CIIT Abbottabad Network under jurisdiction of IET Islamabad Local Network, Pakistan. He is also an Executive Member of the Organisation named Cheeb - providing Cyber Bullying & Cyberharrasment Awareness.