Poll: Do you volunteer?

[omega 616]

I live in a housing complex (of sorts) and I help the caretaker, caretake.....

Been doing it for a touch over a year, just about every weekday for about 5 hours a day.

It's so lax its a joke, I can turn up just about any time, besides bins at 8:30 on Monday there is no schedule and more tea than I can cope with.

Might even be taking over the job soon

 

[dfphetteplace]

**I am a volunteer firefighter/paramedic (I also work at a regular job as a paramedic).
**I am the medical officer for my department, as well as a firefighter instructor and an EMS educator (IC).
**I do PR with the local schools, showing kids how to get out of burning houses and how to call 911, as well as what an ambulance is like and what happens during the call.
**I teach CPR and first aid.
**I read to kids on the ped floors of the hospitals.
**I donate blood every 56 days too.
**I served two terms as a city councilman, and donated my money from that to the fire dept.
**I work with the local Special Response Team (which is just another name for SWAT) as a paramedic.
**Currently trying to put together a Tactical Response Team for serious events and disasters (such as high angle rescue, trench and machine rescue, advanced HAZMAT, natural disasters, hostage situations, mass casualty situations, ect).

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Nope. I care very little for those I don't know.

 

[alik44]

I do volunteer work at the Recreation center in my neighborhood at first it was just to make resume look a lot better but as time went on i actually started to enjoy it.

 

[neoontime]

I did when I lived back in Phoenix but not anymore since none of the hospitals I live by have room. I'll do it again when I go back for the summer.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I don't volunteer particularly often because I just don't have a lot of time, but I do enjoy doing it. I volunteer as a referee for the Special Olympics, I help build houses for habitat for humanity, and I help out with boxing up food during the thanksgiving food drives every year. I never give blood though, that shit stays inside me, and if it ever gets loose then we have a problem.

 

[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.

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?

Just count yourself lucky that you haven't had a shitty experience.
Internships are a load of bullshit too.

 

[Kae]

I used to clean beaches when I lived in beach towns, I live in a desert right now though, I may be moving to México city next year though, but I'm not sure about that yet.
Anyway I tried donating blood, the doctor wouldn't let me because he said I'd pass out if I did, don't see how that's a big deal.
And I sometimes give food to homeless people, because I feel really sorry for them and most I've met are fairly nice people, but you know how it is with giving them money...

OH YEAH, and like half a month ago I rescued 2 dogs from the street and took them to a shelter, this despite the fact that I hate dogs and the entire time they were there I was like almost crying and making a fuss, because they were filthy dogs, I still helped them though...

Yeah I just wanted to give myself a pat in the back, I'm not that great, one time I was supposed to work at one of those community kitchens but I never went, though it was because I never understood how to navigate Tijuana and had no idea where anything was.

 

[an annoyed writer]

I volunteered a while back to get some job experience and the like. I've done cashier work, deliveries, janitorial services, and library organization, among other things. Looked good in my records. Of course, I need money so I kinda need to work for that, so no more volunteering. Kinda need a new job though.

 

[Strazdas]

Used to. Then i became one who needs voulanteering for. now id rather make peoples lives better by other means. i been planing to donate blood. but not because i want to save lives, because currently our country lacks blood and buys it from Poland. I hate poland and i dont want our government giving them money. so they shoudl rather take my blood.

 

[Eleuthera]

I volunteered at the Escapist Expo last September, and this moderating things maybe kinda counts...

Besides those I give money, I would give blood but I'm not allowed, and I'm part of a vacine test group.

 

[UniversalRonin]

At the moment I volunteer with a couple of different organisations. But it's mostly for the experience, and so that I don't go crazy from being between jobs. Once I am back in full time work, I will probably keep volunteering at one of them, because the staff are ace, and you can see the difference it does make to them, but honestly, I do it for the experience and to not be unemployed and doing nothing. A full CV is a happy CV after all. (Note- the organisation I will keep volunteering at is one I started volunteering at a few years ago when I was at University.)

 

[Powereaver]

I used to volunteer my name as a computer tutor for people who couldnt afford tutoring... i helped them with any questions they had for 3 hours a week

 

[Playful Pony]

I donate a fixed sum every month to fund schools in Africa... Other than that, pretty much nothing. I do my work and pay my taxes. My country is VERY big on the whole "foreign aid" thing so I'm guessing a pretty large amount of my money goes towards that. My tax money also pays for schools and social services so... I do like to think I'm doing my part, even if I spend my own time and whatever money I have left over on my self and those close to me. I've helped out around the neighborhood several times, we have this "thing" every year where we pick up litter, fix fences, fill in holes in the road and do other things to make our area a nicer place to live. Not that I live in a bad area at all, it's mostly young families (lots of kids) and pretty peaceful. Fiberoptic cables provide me with a great internet connection too. Still, nothing I would call volunteer work, or even donating. Just stuff I'm supposed to do, and I do them X3. Africa school thing, thats all...

I'm also not allowed to donate blood for about a year because I recently visited Tanzania, Kenya and Mauritius...

 

[xmbts]

I spent a year working at an anti-gang program in a middle school, once my group moved up to highschool though the project went under new management and I didn't feel very welcome there anymore. >.>

Oh and I have a sponsor child that I have sparse correspondence with.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

Between classes and the fact that I live 2 hours from any urban areas, I could never efficiently donate my time to any meaningful causes. And its not like I have any money to give, being a college student with no job.

 

[maninahat]

I used to volunteer at my local NHS hospital, and more recently, I spend a couple of days a week at my local Oxfam books. The story might change when I get full time employment.

 

[capper42]

If I could, I would definitely give blood, seeing as blood transfusions saved my life when I was really young. Unfortunately the condition that meant I needed them prevents me from being able to give back.

Otherwise, nope never have, I like the idea of it but truth is I'm very lazy. I barely do the stuff I need to, and as much as I hate it, can't seem to find the motivation to change that.

 

[Ranorak]

I do participate in medical experiments as a test subject.
Though it's not really volunteering because you get a bit of money for it.

So far I've tested a combination of 2 strong medicine. The two were already FDA approved, but the test was to see if taking them at the same time would cause complications, and/or, loss in function of either medicine.

Another one was a study of the brain to see if local electric stimuli to the brain would show a significant differences in that specific function.

The money is fun, but I usually do these tests in a combination of personal interest and to help the research.

 

[Kennetic]

1. I joined the Army and to me that counts.
2. My blood type is AB+ so I donate as often as possible (my plasma is rare or something like that)
3. Before the Army, I used to volunteer at a soup kitchen and clean yards for the elderly.