Volunteering?

paperclip

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
459
Reaction score
0
Does anyone volunteer? If so, what do they do?

I had some great people who put in extra time with me growing up that made a difference academically and emotionally - tutoring, extracurricular activities, etc. Some of the members of this forum have been really encouraging and supportive. I want to pay it forward. However, I'm not sure where I should look? I'm hoh/oral. I don't want to create unnecessary stress - meaning that I thought tutoring kids in my town would be awesome, but when I tried it, I had a hard time keeping up with the conversation/questions. I know the hospice needs people to talk to the citizens but again, not good at conversation.

I'm not super into animals - but I'll open myself up to shelters if I need to. I would rather work with people, but I feel restricted from building meaningful relationships with any of them. I did a few habitat for humanity builds, but then I have people watching over my shoulder and it feels like they are doing the volunteer service including me. Can anyone relate? As far as I know, there are no hoh/deaf schools that are local enough for me for me to pursue.
 
When unemployed, like now, I help out at our local Food Bank. The tasks vary from day to day. I usually only sign up for a 3 hour session once a week.
 
Are you prepared go Pacific islands they desperate sign teachers and deaf kids have rough life
 
I've been volunteering in animal shelters since I was in high school.
I also volunteered in wildlife rehab from high school through first year of college.

In college as a student with a disability <LD's>, I was a client with Disabled Student Services; I also volunteered through there, to read tests to people who needed alternative testing format.

I also volunteered one SUmmer at a camp for adults and youth with spina bifida and other mobility needs.

In college I was also tutor in the reading/writing Lab. I worked with English Language Learners and students with mild language-based LD's who wanted or needed assistance with writing papers and other text or language-based assignments <nothing related to any math or most sciences; although I do well in much of Biology, there's still a good chance math would enter into a Bio class somewhere and my diagnosed LD is in math>.

In my experience as a animal shelter volunteer, it's kind of a mis-understood idea that you will not be working with people.
Part of what shelters do involves relating to the public. Often shelters need greeters, guides, counselors for children's programs and the like.
Some volunteers do paperwork - put together adoption packets or other materials.

But, if you wanted to volunteer specifically with something deaf/hoh-related - what about any deaf kid's camps near you? or be a mentor to a hoh/deaf kid at a public school, who's maybe in a self-contained classroom or is a "solitaire".

Then there's also general things like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, volunteering at the 'Y', at after-school programs - a lot of that could be one-on-one.
 
I do volunteer computer work.. more like a clerk type position for a organization. Helping them with their computer filing of forms. 1-2 days a week 4ish hours each day usually. Keeps me busy a bit at least.

found it here- http://www.volunteermatch.org/
 
I am a supervisor at a hospital called John Muir in NorCal. I also mentor deaf kids who struggle with their preteen years because isolation can really overwhelm some. I do maybe 5 hours of volunteering a week, but it amps up during the summer :)
 
I did animal shelter volunteer work in middle school, I don't have a lot of free time any more but when my kids are old enough forfor school I will find some where else to volunteer at
 
No time to volunteer these days ..

But i have in the past done all sorts of volunteerr work

When time permits hope to again
 
Back
Top