Work Tips for Volunteers
1) Don't be afraid to talk: Showing up on your first day of a any new job is daunting; you have brand new faces, names and instructions to remember. For an international volunteer is compounded by the language barrier.
One mistake that new volunteers often make is staying quiet and not asking questions because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing. In order to be truly effective, and a valuable part of the team, you will have to communicate with your co-workers. And remember: It will get easier.
2) Kids are very perceptive: When working with children, never underestimate their ability to read what you are feeling or thinking. Most of the children that you will work with as a volunteer will be from impoverished and/or broken homes, and have faced tough situations from a very young age. As a new person in their lives, always remember that kids generally just want to giggle and laugh and have fun…and you are the very person to make that happen.
3) Teamwork works: Whatever your particular skills or expertise, the greatest resource you can bring to a non-profit is the ability to work within part of their team. Your host organization will value your adaptability, and together you can accomplish much more than alone.
4) Celebrate the little victories: Many volunteers come into an experience, hoping to change the world from their first day. While this is a wonderful, idealistic attitude, the reality is that social change, environmental conservation and healthcare reform are slow processes. Rather than measure your experience on the global scale, take some delight in the day to day; making a child laugh, beautifying a km of road, delivering food to a hungry family and nursing a sick turtle back to health are all reasons to be proud of your work.
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