The More, the Merrier: Top Tips for Volunteering as a Group

Volunteering is a lot of fun, and the experience can be made even more enjoyable by doing it as part of a group.

Group volunteering can involve doing a volunteer program with an existing group of colleagues or joining up with a group when you arrive on your program.

Whatever type of volunteering group you are invovled in, here are some tips to help you get the most out of a group volunteering experience.

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Why Volunteer as Part of a Group?

One of the benefits of volunteering with a group of people you know is that you are probably friends with them already. You therefore know whether you want to spend a long period of time working on a project with them.

That being said, if you join up with a new group you have the possibility of making new friends with the people in your group, which can a lot of fun add to the experience.

Whichever type of group you volunteer with, you can get more done by working as a team on a large project, which can be very satisfying.

And you will also have people from your own culture and background to socialize with to avoid getting lonely, which can be important if you travel to an area where English is not widely spoken.

Decide on Your Roles

If you decide to go on a group volunteering project with a group you already know, make sure you decide on your roles early on.

When you volunteer overseas on a group project, you may all have different roles within that project. This may be decided upon based on the strengths and weaknesses of all the individuals in the group.

Whatever your role is, make sure you know your role and that you are happy with it before you arrive. Otherwise you might arrive only to find that you are not happy, and this can lead to problems.

Choose a Leader

Whatever type of volunteer project you’re working on, it’s always a good idea to have a group leader, or at least someone who is in charge of administrative tasks. This can involve getting visas, buying flights, booking accommodation, and more.

By having one person who is responsible for all of these duties, you can avoid forgetting important details, and it makes the whole process go more smoothly.

There may already be someone in the group (like a teacher) who is the obvious leader. However, if this is not the case, sit down together and decide who will be in charge of organizing the various issues.

Are You Better Off in a Group?

The main thing to decide is whether you really are better in groups or on your own. Some people prefer to work alone in order to fully immerse themselves in the local community. Or you may simply prefer to work on a project on your own rather than as part of a group.

On the other hand, other people would not dream of spending a significant amount of time alone on a volunteering project.

Only you know what you prefer, so be honest with yourself and choose the right experience for you so that you have a better chance of having a fantastic time on your project.