JUMP TO OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

If you fit the profile of the average BC student, you’ve probably volunteered some of your time in a local school, shelter, hospital or social service agency.

But what if your job after graduation could provide the same rewards on a full-time basis? Are you motivated by a desire to be of service to others, to broaden your experience and knowledge of the world, or to make a difference in other people’s lives? Then full-time volunteer service may be just the solution to your job-hunting blues.

Not Just "A Year Off"

Though a volunteer position may seem like an easy way to avoid the job hunting process, you need to put at least as much effort into your search as your friends are devoting to their corporate job quest. Whether you’re involved in volunteer work for a few months or several years, this time provides a tremendous opportunity to develop skills that you will carry into future jobs.

A long-term volunteer position may, in fact, provide you with far greater opportunities for responsibility and growth than would most paying jobs. As a Peace Corps volunteer, for example, you may be responsible for setting up and providing health care facilities or educational opportunities for an entire community. When you return from such a challenging work experience, the skills you have developed and the responsibilities you have undertaken will be greatly valued by any employer

Pay and Other Compensation

Working as a full-time volunteer does not necessarily mean that you will have to cover all your own living expenses. Many of the volunteer agencies that require a long-term commitment (a year or more) will provide free room and board and a monthly stipend to cover your personal expenses, and some will even pay your travel expenses.

Finding the Right Fit

How do you begin to track down volunteer opportunities that match your goals and interests? Let's say you're committed to serving the homeless. Ask yourself how you would like to see the issue approached. Would you prefer to work for an organization that advocates for adequate housing and job training programs, or one that focuses more directly on serving the immediate needs of homeless people?

Gather information on the ways in which the various organizations achieve their goals, and how often they succeed. Ask for information about each organizations’ policies, agendas and programs, and ask to speak with current or former volunteers. An excellent place to start your search is with Volunteer! The Comprehensive Guide to Voluntary Service in the U.S. and Abroad, available at the Career Resource Library. This book not only lists a number of service possibilities, but also provides step-by-step advice, as well as several first-hand accounts from former volunteers.

Some of the key questions you should ask of a potential volunteer employer include: Is health insurance provided? What kind of staff supervision and training will you receive, and what are the opportunities for additional responsibility? If you have student loans, can they be deferred? What are the living arrangements going to be? And what happens if you are not able to complete your term of service?

Is This Really For You?

Full-time voluntary service is not for everybody, of course. Even if you are motivated and willing, you need to ask yourself if you can deal with the frustrations and difficulties you may encounter. Can you cope with being away from your family and friends for an extended period of time? Are you willing to accept total immersion in another culture or total involvement in the community you serve? Could you handle being exposed to human suffering on a daily basis, or having your expectations thwarted by bureaucratic difficulties?

Finally, remember that while a year or two of voluntary service can be viewed as a transitional time before heading off to graduate school or a professional career, it can also be the first step in a challenging and meaningful lifetime career in the nonprofit and volunteer sectors

Opportunities and Resources 

Resources at the Career Resource Library

• Volunteer! The Comprehensive Guide to Voluntary Service in the U.S. and Abroad
  Advice, first-hand accounts of volunteers, and a listing of programs.
• The Harvard Guide to International Experience
  Includes a chapter on volunteering abroad. Excellent advice, aimed specifically at the graduating senior or recent graduate.
• Volunteer Work: The Complete Guide to Voluntary Service
  Includes: 80+ organizations offering long-term opportunities; 30 service organizations in Britain and Ireland; and 30 organizations offering short-term voluntary work possibilities.
• Invest Yourself: The Catalog of Volunteer Opportunities
  Yet another listing of volunteer opportunities in the U.S. and abroad.

Resources on the Web

• Full--Time Post-Graduation Volunteer Opportunities - search the BC database and three other directories
  • Search the database of over 80 organizations based on the criteriea most important to you - length of service, geographic location, type of service.
  • Opportunities include teaching in inner-city schools, wilderness-based therapeutic programs for troubled teens, providing health training, working in homeless shelters and food banks, and even working at a Christian radio station in Alaska?
  • Opportunities in the U.S. and abroad
  • The Career Resource Library has literature from all these organizations.
  • Attend the BC Post-Graduate Volunteer Fair, and speak with representatives of many of these organizations.
• Volunteering Abroad
  • If you prefer to work abroad, the Peace Corps is not your only option. In fact, the Career Resource Library has a collection of books with titles such as Alternatives to the Peace Corps and The Peace Corps and More: 114 Ways to Work, Study and Travel in the Third World.
  • We also have made links from our Web site to several databases on the Web, each of which lists a number of international volunteer opportunities.
  
  
• Volunteer and Service Learning Center
  • The center for volunteer service at Boston College. While they focus on part-time opportunities for students, you may want to visit them, check out their resources, and have a chat.