When a healthcare professional considers volunteering there are many questions that runs through their mind. Should I volunteer at home or abroad? What do I want to do exactly? How do I find the right organization? Volunteering is an exciting opportunity on multiple levels and many nurses, doctors and allied health workers look for a chance to volunteer at some point during their careers.
For healthcare professionals, the world really is their oyster when it comes to volunteering. Skilled healthcare workers are always in demand because there are millions of people that don’t have access to the health services they so desperately need. Finding the right organization can be daunting but if you take the time to really think about what your passions are, what you hope to achieve from your volunteer work, and what your tolerance levels are then you should be able to find the right opportunity for you.
The first step in the process should be identifying what you are passionate about and where you feel your efforts would be best utilized. Take some time and think about what areas you care most about. It’s a good idea to make a ranked list to help you sort out your priorities. Are you passionate about pediatrics? The elderly? AIDS prevention and treatment? Women’s health? Community education? Training locals? There are limitless possibilities.
Finding something that you care deeply about is important and can make your volunteer experience that much more fulfilling but be careful of choosing something too personal. It can make your job very difficult if you are too emotionally involved in the area you choose to volunteer in. You don’t want to make the mistake of burning out emotionally and/or physically. Make sure to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.
This second step should be taken in conjunction with the first and includes an analysis of your skills and abilities. What specifics areas do you have training in? Do you speak any other languages? How physically fit are you? (This is an important question for those people looking to work in remote areas where they may have to walk long distances or help transport supplies.) Do you have experience dealing with traumatized people from war-torn countries? Do you have experience training or educating others? The answers to these types of questions will leave you with a better understanding of where your skills would be best put to use.
The third step is to question your tolerance level for certain things. This will help you identify the different environments and situations you would be comfortable working in. Some questions you may want to think about include:
1. What risks to my personal safety am I willing to take? The level of risk you are willing to take should extend beyond just volunteering in war-torn or unstable regions but should include an evaluation of environmental risks, such as exposure to tropical disease, working in areas prone to natural disasters, etc.
2. Can I handle dealing with a language barrier? If the answer is no, then you have substantially narrowed your search parameters and your search should be that much easier. If yes, than you have a wealth of options available to you.
3. Am I am able to deal with dramatically different cultures? Be honest with yourself about your limits and, if you answer no, then you should only look to organizations that operate within your own country or countries with cultures similar to your own.
4. Am I able to handle extreme temperature and weather? If not, only look for opportunities in temperate climates.
5. Other things to consider: the hours an organization expects you to work, the costs associated with a particular organization, the conditions of the facilities you would be working in, rural vs. urban environments, food requirements and living arrangements.
The fourth thing you may want to consider is your reason for volunteering. This can greatly affect your choice of organization. Is this purely for altruistic reasons? For travel purposes? Are you looking for an adventure? To challenge yourself? To develop new skills? Meet new people?
Whatever your reason there are certainly organizations out there that will better help you realize your goals. Figuring out your purpose beforehand will only help you identify the right organization for you.
The final step, and probably the most important, is to DO YOUR RESEARCH. Narrow your search down to 5 organizations based on the criteria you’ve established after going through the steps above. Then, delve deep into each organization’s vision, past missions, requirements, costs, pros and cons, etc. Do your best to find testimonials, ratings and recommendations on the web so that you can hear what other people’s experiences have been with a particular organization. Also, if you volunteer with one organization and it isn’t the experience you were looking for, don’t give up, just re-evaluate and start the process again. You’ll find what you’re looking for.
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
~Anne Frank
CHECK OUT:
peoplemenders' volunteer organization listings
Our YouTube video series on Healthcare Volunteer Experiences
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