People numbed by grief often end up feeling isolated, useless and out of step with the world around them. There are many ways to address this. One great way is to volunteer.
What are the Benefits of Volunteering?
There are many! Volunteering:
- makes you feel useful
- may advance your career or steer you toward a new one
- broadens social contacts
- refreshes old skills while fostering new ones
- reduces isolation
- interrupts preoccupation and self-absorption
- lowers blood pressure
- decreases pain levels
- decreases stress levels of cortisol (thus lowering risk for stroke and Alzheimer’s)
What to Consider:
It goes without saying, perhaps, but this commitment requires careful consideration. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the organization. Who is already serving there? What are their hours? Their mission? Are your skills a good match for the organization? Are your skills needed? Is there an alignment between the values of the organization and you? Do you need to pass a background check? Get references? Some volunteer organizations do have fees associated with applying to cover classes, manuals and other materials.
Don’t be too narrow in your estimation of what you can offer. Our local animal rescue shelter was in need of a handyman. Our county master gardener organization was hoping to find a photographer. And our local hospital was in need of a cook to help donate meals to the families of cancer patients.
Some volunteer jobs will be seasonal – such as Toys for Tots. Others may need a volunteer to only to fill in for someone else as the need arises. And there are organizations needing several hours a week.
This needn’t be in person. Some organizations are looking for virtual help. For example, some educational non-profits seek virtual tutors or mentors. Following training, many crisis lines need virtual “text counselors.”
There are also positions for the visually and hearing impaired. Non-profits and libraries constantly need people who use screen readers to test their websites and digital tools for accessibility. Historical transcription and archiving is a perfect setting for someone who is hearing impaired or just prefers a quiet environment. They often set their own hours. Facilities such as the Smithsonian and Library of Congress are two such places to contact.
Organizations like The Amputee Coalition or the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation train individuals who use wheelchairs to serve as virtual or telephone peer mentors to help the caller in their adjustment.
Do some soul searching to pin down what you want to get out of volunteering. Are you wanting to meet people? Are you hoping to switch careers? Maybe you’re feeling stale in your skillset and want to be brought up to date. Once you pin that down, see if your goals align with what the organization is all about.
Look at your other time commitments. Are you in the middle of a home restoration project? Does your grandchild expect you every Wednesday? Are you already working? Do you plan on returning to school in the near future? What is realistic in terms of your scheduled availability? Do you have a reliable way to transport yourself back and forth? Are there any medical conditions which would prohibit you from serving in that setting (like allergies or poor hearing)? Do you need special equipment?
Where to Locate Opportunities
If it seems like “its a go” after all this, the next question is where to find volunteer opportunities near you. There are many avenues to turn to.
- Does your community have a Nextdoor social app?
- Have you asked friends or neighbors about this?
- If you have a particular theme in mind (such as “working with animals” or “working in a hospital”) the next logical step would be to turn to local websites.
- Does a business you frequent have a public bulletin board?
- Perhaps you know of a national organization that interests you (such as Parents of Murdered Children, the U.S. Horse Welfare and Rescue, American Alliance of Museums, American Motorcyclist Association, U.S. Lighthouse Society or the Innocence Project.) Often national organizations can link you to local branches.
- Look up “Volunteer Match/Idealist” at https://www.idealist.org/volunteermatch
- Look up “AmeriCorps Seniors” at https://www.usa.gov/agencies/americorps-seniors
Volunteering is an overlooked, powerful, convenient and beneficial way to combat grief in all its forms. If you think you are match, go check the organization out. If you decide to move ahead, know that it need not be permanent. If, after giving it a solid try it doesn’t feel comfortable, there is no harm in switching gears.
Read this entry for inspiration on turning tragedy into triumph: https://jancantyphd.com/post-traumatic-growth-the-good-news/
