When to Volunteer?

By: Volunteer Success

Timing is everything when it comes to volunteering. Check out this time-saving article to help you figure out what is the best time for you to volunteer, when to start looking, and how much time you can give!

  • For high school students: finding the right volunteer role can take time so don’t wait until your final year of high school to start looking.
  • Thinking of getting a paid job in grade 11 or 12? Try to get your hours completed in grades 9 and 10 so you aren't juggling volunteer and paid job commitments. In fact, getting volunteer experience early can only help you get a job later in high school!
  • Age matters: in some cases, organizations may only accept teens if they are over the age of 16 or even 18. Some may require parental permission if you are under a specific age.
  • Think about your schedule and when you are available to volunteer. Are you available in the evenings and on weekends only or do you have any half-days on a regular basis for volunteer work?
  • Many nonprofits and charities only offer volunteer opportunities during regular business hours (Mon - Fri, 9 to 5) so you may wish to look for those opportunities that are available evenings and weekends.
  • Volunteer opportunities can be one-day, short-term (3 months or less) or long-term (3 months+). Again, consider what kind of commitment you can make so that you can find the right opportunity.
  • Depending on the work involved, virtual opportunities may offer more flexibility in terms of time and scheduling.
  • Need lots of hours? April to October is the “outdoor event/festival/charity race season”. These one-off events generally take place over the weekends and require lots of volunteers. If you need hours and enjoy working in a fun, busy environment, look for event opportunities.

Ready to start your volunteer search? Go to How to Find the Right Volunteer Opportunity

Also check out:

How to Apply for Volunteer Roles

How-to Tips for Interviewing and Email Communications

How-to Tips for Applying for Unadvertised Volunteer Opportunities

How-to Tips for Working in the Volunteer Role

How to Troubleshoot Problems in Your Volunteer Role

How to Get a Reference and/or Paid Role!


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Events from the past year have served to highlight the importance of increasing focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). In this article we will provide a checklist that could be useful in beginning to examine your own program and that I have used in consultation of others’ Volunteer Programs through a DEI lens.

Understanding Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement: What Is Wrong With This Picture?

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I recently googled “Volunteer” on Google images and got 972,000,000 pictures. The first two pages of images, since I didn’t look at all 972 million, displayed 30 images, and 11 (just over 1/3) of those pictures were like the ones below. The following graphics are used by many organizations to promote their volunteer opportunities. When you click on the image, you are linked through to the website of the organization that is trying to recruit volunteers. As I looked at many appeals for volunteers, I asked, “What is wrong with this picture?” The answer? Twenty-first century volunteers do not want to raise their hands.

Before Recruitment, Know your BFORs! Why knowing your Bona Fide Occupational Requirements is vital to successful volunteer recruitment.

By: Chelsea C Anthony

What are the factors you consider when recruiting for a volunteer role? Chances are you probably want a good volunteer. Someone reliable, up-to-task, efficient, and well-suited to the needs of your organization, its events, and its projects. As you probably already know, the first step to recruiting such a volunteer begins well before the recruitment process. Before interviews and before onboarding, aspiring volunteer managers should first craft a role or position description. This small step is essential to successful recruitment. As a volunteer manager, before beginning recruitment, you should know the requirements and responsibilities of the role you are hiring. Or stated simply, you should know your BFORs.