For our first post, we wanted to talk about a very important, yet mysterious, and weirdly esoteric subject; how do you go about volunteering during this COVID-19 pandemic? Fear not, because we have the answers that you’ve been searching for. To begin, we understand that this is a difficult, and taxing time; quarantine is different for everybody, and before anything else, we advise that you look after yourself, and your mental health first. For those looking to help, and give back to the community, there are a lot of opportunities for you to do so. For example, there are a lot of volunteering positions that you can find via official government websites; the Job Bank, and Volunteer Canada are superb resources, and great for finding COVID aware work and virtual volunteering opportunities. As well, SparkOntario is a volunteer listing website with a large variety of different opportunities.
With quarantine raging for the last few months, non-profits have been sprouting up, and getting a lot more attention. Here are a few that are worth checking out:
Contacting senior citizens who are isolated from their friends/family during the pandemic; submission ideas include (but are not limited to): singing, poetry, arts & crafts, and words of encouragement.
Sending thank you, and appreciation messages to health care workers. Note: guidelines for your video are listed on the website with a few mandatory: landscape (not portrait) video, quiet, and well lit location. For family/friends/fans of healthcare workers, you must relay support/appreciation for them, share why researching the health and wellness of healthcare workers is important, and encourage them to join the HERO Registry.
Youth mentoring, and counselling. Note, you can also request a mentor with a few clicks as well.
Essentially a middle-man to match your skills with non-profits, and opportunities, at your own schedule
Non-profit organization seeking to stand up for injustices, take action, and take a stand for each country around the world.
Initiative to translate information (articles, reports, etc.) into other languages. Note: you must be fluent in at least one other language other than your native tongue to be eligible.
Contribute to real academic research from the comfort of your home. Through Zooniverse you can categorize research results with real world impact.
Putting your skills into action, and changing the world for the better.
Calling all history buffs! This volunteer opportunity might be for you. When you volunteer with the Smithsonian you're able to transcribe real historical documents to make the more readily available for the public and researchers.
Help proofread E-books
And there are so many more opportunities available online!
Our #1 TIP for you is to find volunteer opportunities tailored to your strengths and interests. You shouldn't feel as though you have to volunteer within a certain industry. For example, we get a lot of messages asking how to volunteer in the medical field and if that will guarantee their entrance into X program. The truth is, while it's important to volunteer within the field that piques your interest for your future career, it's equally as important to develop your skills and interests beyond just that one industry. This is important for you, to reorient yourself to a more purposeful form of learning. But it can also be important for university applications to show the admissions board who you are outside of academics, as a well-rounded human being.
If you're good at playing the piano, you could consider teaching kids on the weekends, or playing for seniors. If you're artistic, you could consider doing the graphic design for a non-profits social media. The list goes on! This is a time to work on yourself, experiment, and discover your potential. Don't be afraid of new volunteer opportunities.
"What will set you apart from everyone else is how you overcome these circumstances. How are you helping your community in spite of quarantine?"
That concludes our very first blog post. We hope you found it helpful! If you have any other volunteer opportunities to share or questions about what we've written feel free to leave a comment! Make sure to tune in next Friday for to find out how to build a resume that GETS you the job.
Until next time, this is the Project Uni team signing out! Take care, and stay safe :)