If you feel as though you are not really living up to your civic duty then now is the prefect time to change that and give your time to some great areas of the community. Not everyone knows where to go when they do wish to help out their local area so we spoke to a man who has championed this for many years now, Chris Bugbee, a powerhouse in the community here in Manchester, Hartford, CT. I see Chris during a social outreach event which was held here in Hartford, Connecticut, and was able to harass him enough for him to have a chat with me and to see what those who have some time could do to better help the community.
Education
There are a huge amount of opportunities in schools and colleges in the area and you can assist in a huge number of ways. For example you could be an assistant for a teacher, helping with odd jobs or tricky students, you could also assist with school lunches or you could even help other parents who can’t take their kids to school. Alternatively however, if you have more time on your hands, you could aim to get on the board of trustees who make decisions about the running of the school.
Scouts
Boy Scouts and Girl Guides are two wonderful institutions that have been training our young boys and girls for many decades now. If you have some time on your hands then perhaps you could try and become one of their newest recruits, assisting with leadership or simply helping out. Scouts have been in the new recently as they are on the lookout for new volunteers, so perhaps you can fill that void.
Charity
Charities that are both local and national are always on the lookout for people to help them with any number of activities. For example you could work in a charity store, you could help them on the street with their fundraising efforts or you could even help them with any events that they may have. Simply contact the volunteer department of the charity of your choice and you’ll see that they will be more than happy for you to help them out.
Hospitals
Hospitals may not need help from a professional point of view but there is always room to help out with the most vulnerable. Young children and the elderly for example often are kept in hospitals for long periods of time and they can get lonely. Why not spend some time with the kids or the older patients, and brighten up their day a little bit? Simply contact the hospital and let them know what you would like to do, and they will put you in contact with the right team who can work out how and when you will volunteer.
There are loads of ways in which you can help, you just need to get out there and look!
