Finding the right volunteer opportunity

"Where do I start? What am I qualified for? I don't have that experience!" We all uttered those words at some point in our paid careers. Now that many of us 50+ people are ready to use our skills and life experiences to help others and make an impact, do we need to go through this process again? The answer is "yes and no."

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, as of 2004, there were 1,397,263 nonprofit corporations registered with the IRS in the United States. It's fair to say that the majority of these organizations use volunteers in some way. That means there are many choices and opportunities. So, just as in a job search, it is a good idea to focus on those most suited to your skills, experience, passions and goals. Finding the right match is a process that's well worth the effort.

Step 1: Understand your objectives for volunteering

This is an important place to start. It will help narrow your search and guide you through the process.

We all have different drivers that help shape why and when we decide to begin volunteering and what we hope to accomplish. Ask yourself why you want to volunteer. Is it to:

• Add purpose to life?
• Support a specific cause?
• Use your existing skills?
• Learn new skills?
• Meet new friends and expand your social circle?
• Support a career transition?
• Impact someone else's life?
• Support an organization in a more strategic manner?

Giving purpose to one's life is typically a critical aspect of volunteering. According to Dr. Howard Gurr, a noted clinical psychologist based in New York, "Since lifespan expectancies have extended another 20 to 30 years, filling those years with productive and meaningful activities is critical to the psychological well being of the individual. Volunteerism can provide this outlet, as it positively incorporates the emotional and physical needs of the mature adult. When the individual's objectives are met and the volunteer opportunity is a good fit, they will derive a sense of personal satisfaction, and generate increased levels of self-confidence and self-esteem."

Step 2: Review your interests and passions

Are there nonprofits that you have supported in the past? Do you have a special hobby or cause? Are there things you are interested in but have never experienced? Volunteering is great way to make a deeper connection with an organization that represents and supports your personal interests. If you are a serious athlete, you may want to support an organization such as World TEAM sports, which teams disabled athletes with able-bodied athletes to form a true team (www.worldteamsports.org).

Exploring your family history and connections with friends and colleagues can also help you identify organizations that you may want to support. For instance, if a family member had Alzheimer's disease, you may want to help further research on the disease through The Alzheimer's Organization (www.alz.org).

Step 3: Define your skills and talents

Part of creating a successful experience is ensuring a strong fit between your skills and expertise and a nonprofit's needs. Even if you are exceptionally talented and/or capable, you'll have to find an organization that needs you. But think creatively about your skills. If you have strong financial skills, you can help with the organization's accounting, but you can also do fund raising or help children in need of math support. There isn't one way to best use your talents.

Other questions you may ask yourself:

• Would you rather learn new skills than draw upon your background? And if so, is training available or necessary?
• Do you work well with others?
• Do you want to work with children, animals or adults?

Being clear about what you have to offer, whom you'd like to work with, and what you need to learn will help you determine what volunteer opportunities would be a good match.

Step 4: Determine your available time and commuting needs

Volunteer opportunities can be short-term or long-term -- a one-time opportunity or an ongoing commitment. It's important to understand how much time you are willing and able to devote, and stay open to the possibility that this may change.

Often people begin as a once-a-month volunteer and then realize that they'd like to do it weekly or even daily. And, as with a paying job, often they end up putting a lot more time, energy, and effort into a volunteer project than they anticipated. More often than not, if it's a good working relationship, the nonprofit organization is very happy to have as much of their time as they are willing to give.

In terms of location, I'm a firm believer in looking within your own community. The advantages of volunteering locally are many: less travel time, a greater chance to meet other local volunteers, and the ability to see your efforts make a visible impact on your community. But it does go back to your volunteering objectives. Perhaps you want to make an impact in your grandchild's classroom in another town or improve life in a country far away. Even if you cannot travel, the Internet can open a world of possibilities. (See related article: "Giving Back: Where to find opportunities online.")

Step 5: Research a variety of organizations

There are many ways to accomplish this.

• Visit your local library, city or town hall and ask to see a listing of local nonprofit organizations and volunteer opportunities.
• Ask at your local community centers and places of worship about local volunteer needs.
• Search Web sites that help connect you with organizations that match your interests and skills. Some of the larger online services are VolunteerMatch, Idealist, Global Service Corps, and SCORE.
• Speak with friends and colleagues to see if they have recommendations or what they know about an organization you have already identified.
• Seek out staff and board members to learn more about an organization that interests you.

Call the organizations you think you'd like to assist and request a time to meet with someone to learn about volunteer opportunities. The director or volunteer coordinator will likely be thrilled to give you a tour of a facility, and that's a great way for you to see firsthand whether you would be comfortable in the environment. You can bring along your resume to highlight the skills and experiences you could contribute to the organization. You can also meet other volunteers and hear about their experiences.

Some organizations are attuned to the needs of more mature adult volunteers; others are not. For example, Cambridge School Volunteers in Cambridge, Mass. (www.csvinc.org), offers an intergenerational literacy tutoring program that pairs volunteers 55 and older with K-Grade 3 children to improve reading and comprehension skills. According to Harriet L. Finck, executive director, "Many of our volunteers are retirees who enjoy sharing their expertise with students in grades K-12. We understand the needs of these volunteers and work diligently to train them and ensure that the environment meets their needs as well as those of the students."

Step 6: Commit!

If you've done your homework well and followed the appropriate steps, you should be able to find a great volunteer opportunity and/or organization that needs your help. Make sure to ask questions along the way and get oriented to do the job at hand. The more comfortable you are in your new position, the more satisfied you'll be.

Still, there are times when your expectations will not be met. Don't be discouraged, and don't give up. Go back to the six previous steps, and try to see what went wrong. You may find that another organization will be a better fit.

Remember: You can make a big difference by helping just one person or doing one discrete task. It's most important for your volunteer experience to enhance your life and bring you meaning, balance and joy. So jump in now, and get started!