Reply With QuoteThey haven't been a part of my life but I'd certainly think it's a great thing to do. I'd like to say that I will look into that stuff when I get my own affairs in order, but maybe that's exactly backwards.
Something I've always felt I should do more of is volunteer, or get involved with some worthwhile community organization, and I recently heard about a cool organization I'd love to work with/for. I've never really done any volunteering, but I know for some people it's a very important part of their lives.
One friend of mine says public service jobs (peace officer, firefighter, etc.) are a big part of her families' value system. I wasn't raised with any particular emphasis on public service, so it's always interesting to hear how other people feel about it. I feel the same way about others' religious beliefs. My last serious girlfriend volunteered at animal shelters regularly, and got a lot of enjoyment out of it, even though she was also very busy with the many other things in her life, all of which she did happily and well.
So yeah. As a way to think more about it (and hopefully get over to the local office and volunteer with them!) I'd love to hear about your experiences volunteering or doing public service work, or how they have or haven't been a part of your life.
They haven't been a part of my life but I'd certainly think it's a great thing to do. I'd like to say that I will look into that stuff when I get my own affairs in order, but maybe that's exactly backwards.
I was going to post a reply to this, but just in time, I realized it wasn't in P&R.
I thought the thread was "pubic service." Carry on, then.
Thought I hate to admit it, the only times I've had to do public service is when ordered to, either by my priest at church or one of the fine judges of the Wisconsin legal system.
Edit: I thought you meant "community service" but it's kind of the same thing.
Public service jobs rock. Very fulfilling.
As far as volunteering, I volunteer as a "communications officer" for emergency service radio stuff. County fairs, air shows. And if a disaster hits... disasters. Also I'm a volunteer examiner, so I have the power to give FCC licenses.
Community service work, in my mind, includes artsy stuff (figure model, e.g.) and teaching, both of which I do sometimes.
The volunteer work is more rewarding than the community work, for me.
I usually only volunteer when a significant other recommends it/gets me into it (same thing with giving to charity) and it's always a wonderful experience.
Two times stand out:
1. Painting a public school that was in big disrepair with a bunch of strangers. Felt like a real community experience. Awesome.
2. Tutored an "underprivileged" (whatever, what he really was was poor and black) kid in SE DC. He was a tough face when his friends were around, but really wanted to better himself, school was just super hard for him and he got frustrated when he didn't get it. After a long semester we got him a C in science and a B in math. He wanted to be a vet or vet tech and work with animals. At the little ceremony we had for the tutors he gave me a $5 gift certificate to Best Buy. Then he did something I've only seen in movies, he thumped his chest with his fist as in a "from the heart" sign.
I held off until I got to the car before I started up with tears of utter joy and human connection and understanding. Hell, just telling the story and remembering the look on his face makes me tear up a little.
It's worth it, yo, as he would say.
Sometimes when I am lying awake in bed at 02h45, I think Heinlein got it right in Starship Troopers.
I volunteered for a while on the ambulances in Israel and also worked at a center working for pluralism.
Volunteering is good stuff. You meet good people, have fun, do good works, I recommend it in your free time.
I cannot believe this has been up for six hours and hasn't drawn a bunch of drooling replies yet.Originally Posted by fire
I volunteered once. Sure I got a salary and some fancy green clothes but I am not doing it again.
Pics pls.
Had to do Volunteer work to graduate high school, as it was a requirement at my school.
Really rewarding, especially if you do something you want to do. Don't force yourself into it, or else you'll feel less rewarded for it.
Almost without fail, whenever I have volunteered, it has opened up the can of worms where my boundaries are not respected. I understand that no one volunteers, and so nonprofit organizations, etc. must get a little pushy trying to get people to help.
That said, it has been a frustrating experience to help with something, be very clear up front that I only have so many hours a week, a month, etc., and after performing the help I said I would give, getting hit up constantly (with calls to my house, etc.) for money, more time, etc. The worst is that you get the feeling from some that by volunteering time, you have suddenly become their employee to direct around.
You know, volunteering doesn't have to be a non-geek affair. For those in the Bay Area, the ACCRC http://www.accrc.org always needs people to install Linux, rebuild PCs and stack boxes of old computer junk. Help the Earth by helping poor people gain access to computers. Also, you can dispense knowledge if you're a well versed PC tech or Linux geek.
Teaching is, I think, the best way to volunteer. Anything where your knowledge can be passed on to those who do not have it.
Probably because I mentioned it before; it's old news. Aren't you keeping up?
Also because we're getting pretty mature around here. We can handle big-kid stuff.
Ah, agreed. The Computer History Museum is always looking for greeters, docents, and folks to move around and clean their inventory. I went through their training, and planned on volunteering more, but moved away. Really nice, professional people.
If you're around San Carlos, another excellent place to put in a few hours is the Hiller Aviation Museum. I worked a helicopter show there; it was badass. It was a great way to teach myself a few basics about something I knew nothing about, and hang around impressive-looking equipment.
Usually places like this can benefit from a younger (and techy) crowd helping out.
Of course. Is there any reason you're posting about volunteering and shaving the nether-regions? Does your prospective volunteer and/or community service work require it?
I do a fair amount of volunteering. A while back I retired from search and rescue after about five years because I just didn't have the time anymore, and I'd learned all there was to learn about it. Currently I produce my church's newsletter and website as well as various brochures and things.
To me, volunteering is a chance to do things I want to do without all the overhead of running a business. If I wanted to get paid for web or graphic design work I'd have to advertise, deal with clients and learn bookkeeping. Volunteering skips all that. Plus, there's no "the customer is always right" when you do it for free. When someone gives me a stupid suggestion for the website I just tell them it's not worth the effort.
I've "joined" Habitat for Humanity, but I've only managed to actually go do it twice in six months, plus set up for a publicity event. They have their big work bees on Saturdays and I like to sleep in, so it's just not a good fit. The nice thing about most of the other work I do is that I can fit it in wherever I have time.
Arise! Forgot I had some pics.
First out the door? Good show.
Yes. Standing in the door was the longest ten seconds of my life.
I've volunteered in a number of places. Highlights:
Library- shelving, cleaning, reading to small children. Didn't like the reading to small children so much, but having the input on books they bought was nice. Also nice was not having to pay for printing. And now, 6 years and 3000 miles away later, every time I walk in twice a year, I still get smiles and waves.
Hospital: both university hospitals: cleaning beds, stocking carts, getting food. Got a chance to watch procedures lots of times, learn from medical school professors in both places. People still remember me after I've moved away.
Tutoring: tutored free of charge at a school populated mostly by pampered children of wealthy parents. Eventually ran the tutoring center, where I caught abuse from the students, the tutors, and the administration. I managed to have it weather it, but I think it died after I left.
Museum: showed people exhibits, translated into a variety of languages. Greatest hits: Genome, Epidemic, Chocolate, Dinosaurs, Bugs, Dead Sea Scrolls. Also, met the Sofaers here. It was fun.
I've been considering joining search and rescue. It seems very rewarding, but I'm not totally sure what would be expected of me and of how demanding it would be on my schedule. Could you elaborate a bit on your responsibilities and what impact it had on the rest of your life?
I work for a webdesign/misc. services company which does a lot of volunteer work for all sorts of organisations.
Some abuse it, but most are good customers. It ends up with them also paying for more services later on,
just enough that the company is going well.
They also do training and various stuff for the state-owned (un)employment agency.
Occasionally, I volunteer by trips to third world countries and villages helping out by building schools, basic computer systems, and teaching English and some basic science. (Getting electricity out of oranges is like godsend in some northern Indian villages).
It's a great experience when approach with the right mindset and the right people. There was the sort of people who went in expecting to change the world and bring light to the plight of the unfortunate villagers stranded in the forgotten areas of development. By and large, if you're part of a volunteer group, it's unlikely you're going to be affecting real long term change. Long term change comes less from volunteering and more from being a full-time administrator for such missions.
However, the short term benefit for the villagers involved seems great. Workable toilets, sense of education, medicinal treatment, the sheer joy on some of their faces is something that's pretty life affirming.
My company also outsources work to prison rehabilitation centers which seems to be a good thing all round. It trains those who want it and need it some productive skills that seem to keep them out of trouble.
There'd probably be many more volunteers, depending on the assignment.
The main training was one evening for two hours followed by Saturday and Sunday from 9 till about 4, once a month. I know of other groups who only did the evening and Saturday. On top of that there were additional subgroups you could join that had other training requirements. I did high-angle rope rescue which was about three hours every two weeks (plus the occasional optional weekend) and a few other courses like first aid, structural collapse/urban SAR and team leader which were one-off courses, anywhere from one to five days. Some teams also have cave teams, swift water teams, alpine teams etc. It all depends on the terrain in your area.
Outside of training, you're basically on-call at all times. If you can't miss work for searches it just means you don't get to go on weekday searches. I got approval from my manager to use my discretion depending on how busy work was, and make up the time later. You really can't predict when people will go missing, and there are a lot of scenarios where time is really of the essence like missing/abducted children or alzheimers patients who've walked away from their home/hospital. If you're so busy that you can only make it to searches on weekends, you're not going to get to go on many.
On the other hand, a lot of searches go into multiple shifts (a shift lasting anywhere from six to 12 hours) and they will usually try to schedule a shift starting in the evening to get people who couldn't miss work. And other searches like evidence searches, suspected suicides or known body recoveries will be scheduled outside of work hours. But it can also be really tiring to work all day, go on a search from 6pm-2am or so, and then sleep for a couple hours and get up and go to work again.
As far as impact on your life, it probably depends on your circumstances. I have no kids and was dating long distance at the time. My co-workers and friends and family all knew I did it and so if my pager went off in a meeting or during dinner or whatever, they knew I had to leave.
Part of the reason I quit was that I started de-prioritizing SAR. A call came during my brother's birthday dinner and during choir practice and other things and I didn't go. Eventually I decided it wasn't worth it anymore. But in the first few years it was great. Nothing breaks up a work day like leaving at noon to go tramp through the bush.
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