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Volunteers are widely recruited in humanitarian service and in animal welfare all over the world. If you have a penchant for social work and like to do it in your free time, then signing up for volunteering activities is something that you can certainly do, provided you keep some important tips in mind.

Consider your Skills

The first thing that you need to consider if you are looking to be a volunteer is to pick the areas where you would like to devote your time and what your skills are. If you are fond of helping the elderly and like to chat for long hours with lonely elders, then volunteering at an old age home would be the right thing to do.

If running around with children sounds like something you would enjoy, then assisting at an orphanage or child shelter would be a good idea. Don’t just volunteer anywhere. You want to make sure that you enjoy the time you spend giving back to your community.

Avoid Over Commitments

While volunteering projects are great to sign up for, you need to make sure that you do not overcommit. Often NGO’s and social organizations run entirely because of the assistance provided by volunteers. If you are unable to commit six to eight hours in a day to the social service organization where you volunteer, then you need to be clear about this well in advance. There’s nothing worse than bailing out on people who actually need you.

Make sure you have Good Referrals

High profile NGO’s and governmental organizations that work in the area of social service are often known to recruit volunteers only if they are referred by highly-qualified individuals. If you are looking to volunteer with an NGO of repute, then you need to ensure that you have a good recommendation that will strengthen your application.

Always have Fun

The final important point that you need to bear in mind if you want to be a good volunteer is to ensure that you have fun doing the work you do. You don’t want to offer assistance and feel unhappy during the experience. This will reflect in your behavior with others. Letting your attitude get in the way of your volunteer work isn’t helpful for you or the organization.

If you keep the above points in mind, you will be a great volunteer. Not only will you help others, but you’ll enjoy yourself and want to volunteer even more.