Poll: Do you volunteer?

[Scarim Coral]

No "kind" or "used to"?

Since I was unemployed for so long, I was desperate enough to look for volunteering work so I went to this volunteer work agency. While I fill out my preference and etc but only one company reply back to me which was a carer like company (my prefer choice was those charity shops).

I signed and joined them and no I didn't do any carer related work, more like just promote it. In saying so the only volunteer I ever did with them was just going to a few towns over to sit by their stand and look after the used books they were selling for a few hours (they paid for my train ticket and lunch).

After that I never had any contact from them again (if they were to contact for any new volunterr I would had to decline since I got a job now). I suppose they did know I wasn't really dedicated to their goal since I didn't attend to this seminar they were having some time ago (I did had a choice of going or not).

 

[FFP2]

I volunteered at the SPCA yesterday... I think I'ma do it every weekend There's just something so satisfying about helping animals.

 

[tippy2k2]

No "kind" or "used to"?

I didn't do a "used to" because the intent was more to let people talk about what they're currently doing. I thought about it but decided against it. Besides, some people volunteer so much that if they talked about everything they're doing now and in the past, this thread would be a book

 

[Ieyke]

Interestingly, to me at least, I don't volunteer myself, but my friend/one of the girls I love is just all over volunteering for stuff and helping the environment, and crafting stuff out of other stuff....
And if I ever get to date her I fully intend to be right there alongside her with all of that stuff- because
A] She's busy as hell and it'd give me more time with her,
and
B] I'm naturally inclined towards helping, but I simply have no idea where to start with volunteer work. And despite my inclination to help, I don't actually -care-. Where she's concerned though, I care that -she- cares and want to help -her-, so I'd happily unleash my natural inclination to help there.

I'm much more likely to donate money to kids, animals, and medical research than anything else. Money towards solving problems that are helpless to solve themselves.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity brags not itself, is not puffed up.

 

[Auron225]

Spent the past three summers in Cape Town, South Africa helping kids living in poverty - bringing them food, taking them on trips, running a creche for the young ones and an after-schools homework club for those in school. I had the time of my life. I miss those kids =(

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

I donate blood 3 to 4 times a year. I'm reluctant to give money to charity but I like to use my time to help others when I can.

 

[DigitalSushi]

I'm not allowed to give blood anymore because I had a major operation, but I used to do that regularly.

I teach English for free in town, and when in England I used to volunteer at a youth club for delinquent teenagers, they were actually a nice bunch bought up in a bad area.

.nac I sa netfo sa doolb evig I .1
.nac I sa netfo sa ytirahc ot evig I .2
.hguoht ,esle gnihtyna od t'nod I

You seem to have a severe case of "writing backwards-itus"

 

[lacktheknack]

I have volunteered a few times. It typically ended with the homeless I was helping yelling conspiracy theories at me, so now I'm more fiscal in my donations.

 

[Chrono212]

I used to volunteer a lot but now I think it's legal slavery.

Especially if you're promised a job at the end that never materialises.

Here in the UK, employers are seriously taking advantage of paying ultra-low wages so that people still need to be on benefits as well as taking as many "volunteers" as possible for free labour!

It's a total joke and con that they're playing on all the unemployed youth.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I used to volunteer as a water slide monitor two nights a week for 3 hours. It was insanely boring because you got to watch lots of people have fun while occasionally telling people to go feet first.

It looks nice on a resume so I'm going to try and do more.

 

[tippy2k2]

I used to volunteer as a water slide monitor two nights a week for 3 hours. It was insanely boring because you got to watch lots of people have fun while occasionally telling people to go feet first.

It looks nice on a resume so I'm going to try and do more.

A water slide operator? That sounds more like a job than volunteer work

Where was this (if you don't mind me asking of course)? That just seems really weird to me for some reason...

 

[tippy2k2]

I used to volunteer a lot but now I think it's legal slavery.

Especially if you're promised a job at the end that never materialises.

Here in the UK, employers are seriously taking advantage of paying ultra-low wages so that people still need to be on benefits as well as taking as many "volunteers" as possible for free labour!

It's a total joke and con that they're playing on all the unemployed youth.

Another one like this? Well, like the post right above me, would you mind explaining where this was or going a bit in detail about it?

Maybe volunteering is different in other countries (RedDeadFred is from Canada according to his profile) but I've never seen anything like your guys examples. Internship maybe but volunteer work?

 

[AloriD]

No, but I wish I had the time to.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I would if my job wasn't so active. I'm very tired at the end of the day, and my days off are for recovery (my legs and feet really ache), so nothing physical from me.

And I would donate blood too, but I hear it can tire you out often, so no good for work.

However I do donate money to the NSPCC every month so that helps out a bit.

 

[Theminimanx]

I'll help people I know the moment they ask (assuming they aren't just being lazy). For example, recently I've been helping a friend of mine set up the lighting and sound for some school events. However, the chances of me helping someone I don't know are next to zero, mainly because I'm too awkward to approach organisations who might need help.
Donating blood sounds interesting though, but I'm propably too young to be allowed to donate.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I used to volunteer as a water slide monitor two nights a week for 3 hours. It was insanely boring because you got to watch lots of people have fun while occasionally telling people to go feet first.

It looks nice on a resume so I'm going to try and do more.

A water slide operator? That sounds more like a job than volunteer work

Where was this (if you don't mind me asking of course)? That just seems really weird to me for some reason...

It was at an in door swimming pool. I basically just made sure people didn't slide down in a dangerous way. I did need to have some CPR and basic lifeguard training for it.

 

[tippy2k2]

It was at an in door swimming pool. I basically just made sure people didn't slide down in a dangerous way. I did need to have some CPR and basic lifeguard training for it.

Oh...that makes way more sense now

In my mind, I was picturing like...Valleyfair or Six Flags or an amusement park of some kind that took volunteers instead of paying people for doing jobs.

 

[Alcamonic]

I can't donate blood due to always taking various kinds of pills. Sucks. But at least it's a blood type none wants anyway.

I regularly buy a magazine which supports homeless people, that's about it.

This thread about all you do-goodies makes me feel guilty for not doing anything more.