Smita Diwan
Volunteering might seem simpler when seen from a third-person point of view. You join hands with an NGO and work along with them. That’s it, not. In reality, volunteering isn’t everyone’s cup of cake. Sometimes, you need the nerves of steel to drive in the scorching heat and deliver food to the poor or attend to patients and listen to their heart-wrenching stories to help them out. You should always be prepared in advance to deal with rainy days with a lot of patience and perseverance. In a nutshell, how do you turn out to be a better volunteer?
Try following these steps to awaken the inner Samaritan in you:
1. Start Your Research
Volunteering isn’t just about collaborating with a team and carrying out what they ask you to do. It’s about finding your purpose and moving towards a goal. Which cause do you feel really, really appealing to your heart? It could be environmental welfare or healthcare, research about the current issues, hard stops and how you can solve a problem. Go ahead with your research and serve.
2. Develop Your Soft Skills
You need to develop people skills and understand a bit about human psychology. Wouldn’t you need it when you find yourself with a shortage of funds or dealing with complex characters? Read books on psychology, watch videos and mould yourself. Soft skills matter and can make or break deals.
3. Choose the Right NGO
Not all NGOs can suit you like armour. Some might not fit in too, be it for reasons such as lack of flexible timings or language barriers. Hence you need to ensure that you choose an NGO with a comfortable team and atmosphere to work in. If not, you might even get demotivated.
4. Be Transparent, and Expect Transparency
When donors ask how you will be utilizing the funds you collect, you should be in a position to answer comfortably. The NGO you collaborate with should also appreciate transparency. Ask the right questions to get away from the shadow of doubts and hesitation. If there is not transparency, don’t even indulge as you will lead nowhere.
5. Take Breaks
Don’t force yourself to do more than you can. Don’t feel guilty with thoughts like you are not able to give back more to society. Your physical and mental health comes first, so don’t think twice to take routine breaks.
During this pandemic, it can be challenging to take a step forward with your volunteering endeavours. But when you put your mind, body, heart and soul into something, it’s going to fetch you better results.
Do your best. This too shall pass.
