4 Ways to Get Involved at Work as a Volunteer

Your current job may never burn the passion within, but volunteering can be just the fuel you need to find that passion. According to a Gallup poll conducted last year, no more than 13% of adults with full-time jobs found their work meaningful. As many of us look to our full-time jobs to fill a void of passion and purpose, we often forget the opportunities outside of our 9-to-5’s to find meaningful work. What better time to look outside of our traditional roles to feed our soul than with National Volunteer Month. Here are five ways you can start volunteering:

Mentorship

What better way to pay it forward than to pour into others. If you are senior in your career, this is a great time to find another young professional to take under your wings and help them navigate the obstacles they’ll eventually face to become an executive like you. Industry-specific associations are a great way to get paired up with junior-level professionals or college students. If you are looking to mentor young women, try becoming a Big Sister, Girl Scout troop leader or volunteer with the youth program your church or in your neighborhood. No matter the age, there are plenty of women and girls who could benefit from your time, your knowledge and your presence.

Create a Volunteer Committee at Work

Get your coworkers in the volunteering spirit by forming a volunteer committee to work with outside organizations. As a company, you all can find ways to give back to the surrounding community by adopting a school to fund, food pantry to organize, or a street to keep clean. As a leader, you can find monthly activities and opportunities to participate in your neighborhood by starting a food, clothing or blood drive to rebuilding a park or home.

Volunteer Your Expertise

If you are a Black woman breaking the glass ceilings with your business, you probably receive email requests for coffee dates or pick your brain sessions. If time commitments restrain you from becoming a mentor, select one particular business owner each month or quarter for a free consulting session. Helping a sister out is not limited to your inbox either. There are many co-working spaces and business centers in need of professionals to teach their members unique skill sets.

Start an Inclusion or Resource Group

If you are feeling isolated at work, join or create an employee resource or inclusion group. Volunteering for these groups can help you meet new people at work, mentor the junior staff and recruit and retain employees with similar backgrounds as yours all while making your time at work more enjoyable.