Ravenous

Ive been thinking of doing this lately for a few reasons. I want to get out more and doing some good would be great. I also want to meet new people (mainly girls) and expand my social circle. Im in my 20s and worried Id just be working with older retired couples But work has been kicking my ass and I need a bit of an excuse to get out! Plus Id like to pad my resume with stuff like this but the thing is I dont know where to even start looking to do volunteer work. I also have a bit of a fear that it may be great at first but Ill lose interest and give it up after a month. Any suggestions or ideas?

Oh and in case otters ask Id like to work with animals and the outdoors/nature.

kvrdave

I do a lot of work with unwed mothers. Just helping them get their start.

Th0r S1mpson

I don't have anything going on currently, but used to help out at a homeless shelter... not a great place to meet girls. At all.

Have you considered protesting something?

Animals... outdoors... maybe try the zoo? I'm pretty sure zoos take volunteers.

Superboy

I used to volunteer at a homeless shelter just for the massive amounts of free gourmet food they let you take home.

TomOpus

Join PETA. Looks like a lot of women work there. And they're naked most of the time.

Rockmjd23

I would have recommended this a few years ago, but we have a black President now so protesting is probably racist.

Troy Stiffler

Volunteer work? Like, consentual volunteer work? Or like, "I accidently offered to pay a cop to have sex" volunteer work?

NORML54601

I don't want to volunteer to spend time with a bunch of do-gooders or old folks. There are enough old folks in my apartment building, catching the elevator door for them is my volunteer work.

jonw9

I volunteer for a local mountain bike association.

A lot of my time is trying to get other people to volunteer to come out and do work. I spend the remainder of the time doing the work myself (with the same 3-4 people every time) because people are too busy, too lazy, or too not interested to help out.

jfoobar

I did Habitat for Humanity a few times, was a bit turned off with their strict rules. Had to reserve a day to help sometimes several weeks in advance, wouldn't let you work a half day, etc.

I have been thinking about calling Boys and Girls Clubs to see if there is something I can do to help them.

whotony

No.

Kurt D

Barking up the wrong tree, I think? My experiences with volunteerism have usually involved someone urging me to do it, me not wanting to do it, and ultimately finding it really rewarding.

Never met any girls, though.

Go back to school if you want to meet girls.

NORML54601

A local high school if possible!

story

What's your passion? Chances are, there's a volunteer opportunity for that in your area.

I really enjoy teaching English and I spent a semester as a volunteer teaching aide for non-native English speakers and adult basic education (people in their 50s trying to get through 4th grade). It was awesome. These adults were crying while we read aloud and talked about the trial scenes in To Kill a Mockingbird. They had never experienced literature and didn't know reading could have themes that pertained to their everyday real lives.

I had a powerful experience at a political / religious march in El Salvador last year and have done a volunteer presentation to at least a dozen groups over the last year because my passion for justice for El Salvador has been ignited.

A group at my church loves coffee and loves refugee outreach so they sell fair trade Peace coffee beans at church and used the proceeds to help furnish an apartment for a war refugee family newly arrived in the US.

I get emotional when I learn about easy, inexpensive fixes that save lives. It spurns me on to do volunteer work like take up a shift at Feed My Starving Children to feed kids in Haiti or donate some cash to UMCOR for their Imagine No Malaria campaign (the UMC, ELCA, Bill & Melinda Gates, and the NBA are teaming up to wipe out malaria in sub-Saharan Africa in the next five years and $10 saves a life; it's too easy).

Find your passion. Volunteer work comes out of it.

Then the girls.

tasha99

If you like working with animals, see if there is a wildlife rehab center near you. I volunteered at a raptor rehab center years ago and thought it was very rewarding.

whoopdido

Join Greenpeace. Vince Vaughn says Greenpeace is 80% female.

But seriously maybe volunteer at the humane society. I've considered doing that actually. I never thought I'd meet a girl but you never know. I'm a dog lover so if I did happen to meet a girl, more than likely we'd have that in common. I'm just afraid I'd end up bringing home a couple more dogs... Or even worse a cat.

A-aron

Planned Parenthood?

Mookysdad

Get their start as unwed mothers or after they've become unwed mothers with the help of someone else?

Spottedfeather

Years ago, I helped out in a kindergarten class. It was really fun....except when the little girls would chase me around.

PopcornTreeCt

I'm considering volunteering for a hospital. Not for the girls but to get into grad school.

DeputyDave

About once a week I pass out food to the homeless at a church downtown.

Funny thing from an atheist, conservative cop.

marginal

Volunteer at a local no-kill shelter. My wife and I operate one and live on-site, and we rely heavily on volunteer help. (If you're a no-kill facility, it's much harder to get access to funds that kill facilities get. We're funded completely by donations/fundraising.) Most of our volunteers are female... but they're also older (retired). We do have some younger volunteers, ranging from high school to 20s/30s. It probably depends upon the shelter, but I know that our volunteers don't feel like they need to "save" animals from our facility. Our dogs have tons of space and playmates, and get lots of love.

DVD Polizei

I'd look into volunteering at your local human society.

Don't put your DVD Talk username on the application, however.

NORML54601

You should have the hot young ones do a calendar as a fund & cock raiser.

SuperJim88

Why do you hate babies?