Guide on Being a Responsible Volunteer

When it comes to volunteering there are a few things to keep in mind that would help you become a good volunteer and increase the quality of your volunteering impact :

• Time management

When you commit a specific set of hours to volunteer, make sure you respect that time and do not schedule anything else during that time. It is imperative that you should choose a time that is convenient for you. While first starting to volunteer, it is acceptable to sign up for just one activity only. As you build experience and learn how to manage your volunteering time, you could think of taking on more volunteering projects.

• Take one volunteering opportunity at one time

When you start your volunteering journey you will be given a lot of different roles for you to choose from and you might register for multiple roles, however, this is not the right approach. Having too much on your plate will reduce your volunteering quality per role and you might not have the same impact you intended to have.

• Avoid being a ‘Ghost Volunteer’

When someone signs up for being a volunteer and then goes off-radar without informing. They become a ghost volunteer. Becoming unexpectedly busy or signing up without fully understanding the volunteering opportunity are valid reasons but be sure to inform the relevant people. Sometimes in the middle of your volunteering opportunity something might pop up that requires your urgent attention-make sure to communicate this with the relevant stakeholders instead of abandoning the volunteering role.

• Respect deadlines

Now that you have been matched to an NGO as per your relevant skillset and interest you might have several tasks to complete for the role. These tasks usually have to be completed in a given time frame. Respecting the time will allow you to impact the beneficiaries and allow you to have a great volunteering experience.

• Be open to learning

Being open-minded will enable you to think critically and rationally. Volunteering is not a one-way street and you will learn a lot of things as a volunteer. When you have an open mind, it will allow you to have a memorable experience. Being open to learning will also help you to understand whether you want to continue volunteering for the same cause or try other roles.