Finding Your Purpose

Activity : Finding your purpose....* adapted from NHS

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Activity : You knew that your volunteer experience looks great on college and scholarship applications, but did you know that it can also help you land a summer job?

Here are 20 skills you could build when volunteering.

• Which of these skills is most important? Pick 3. Why?

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1. Timeliness

If you’re not there at the beginning, you’re letting your team down. Same thing in the workplace, with even more at stake!

2. Ability to work with a variety of people

Did you notice that some people do community service a little differently than others? It might have been that they had different volunteering styles.

3. Time-Management

You prioritize and figure out the best way to accomplish many tasks within the community service time.

4. Leadership

Did you ever rise above and help lead a group of youth on a project? What about just showing others how to do a certain part of the task? Those are your leadership skills at work!

5. Communication skills when talking to people of all ages

Get more comfortable interacting with people of other ages than you might have been before volunteering.

6. Professionalism

You represent your self and the school to the community, requiring you to be professional and courteous.

7. Teamwork

Volunteering with others involves working as others with different skills. you’ll have developed your skills in working with all kinds of teams.

8. Ability to work with people different from you

Did you meet people from another part of town? Did you work with youth with different interests from you?

9. Work Ethic

You knew this would be part of this list, right? If you can spend an afternoon spreading bark mulch on a 100-degree day, that shows a lot about your dedication and work ethic!

10. Customer Service

Did you interact with people coming through to get a meal at the soup kitchen? Did you interact with customers at a thrift store? What about greeting hello to hikers on a nature trail you were mulching? Every time you were in a situation like this, you were developing customer service experience!

11. Confidence

Did you have to step outside your comfort zone ? It might have been scary at the time, but in the process you became more confident.

12. Public relations

Did you ever have to explain the volunteering to other volunteers or your friends? You were being a public relations expert.

13. Teachability

Did you learn a new skill ? Someone probably taught you this skill, and you were receptive to what they were telling you, an important ability to learn.

14. Organization

All kinds of projects involve organizing, from sorting cans at a food pantry to reorganizing a supply closet in the animal shelter.

15. Following Instructions

At the beginning of volunteering you get instructions on your responsibilities. Staying on track and following their guidance is an important thing to learn.

16. Flexibility

Not everything goes according to plan. You need to adapt and be prepared for whatever might come your way on any given project.

17. Problem-Solving

Sometimes it seems like there’s no way you’ll be able to accomplish a project from start to finish. Then you think it over some more, talk with your team and just start tackling the project. Before you know it, you’re done.

18. Planning

Not only did you have to plan ahead when you signed up, but you also probably had to plan your tasks for the day to ensure that the entire project was successful.

19. Creativity

Volunteering offers all kinds of ways to think creatively, from helping kids with an art project to acting out a play at a retirement home.

20. Training

Did you ever teach other youth how to do certain aspects of a project? You were training them on the task, just like you might one day train someone else.