International Volunteer Day

This blog has a bit of a different outlook to our normal themes. Today is International Volunteer Day, which celebrates all the hard work so many people put into volunteering projects. We’re going to look at a few ways in which you could volunteer and help someone in need.   Christmas Day With the big day coming up very quickly, have you thought about volunteering some of your time on Christmas? Last year I spent my Christmas afternoon at a local church, helping serve people their dinner. This was for people such as the homeless, elderly and those who do not have anyone to spend their special day with. As well as being a great way to help people in need, it was also such a fantastic day. I got showered in little gifts, ate far too much and had a good few glasses of sherry! It still left me time to go home and spend the evening with my family, making it one of my best Christmas celebrations to date.   Local Homeless Shelters The local homeless shelter in Lincoln, Nomad Trust, provides emergency shelter for people in the city that are homeless and looking for help. As well as a bed, food and shelter, they also provide items such as shoes and coats, and access to services like housing, job searches and benefits. Shelters like this are always in need of a helping hand, whether to cook breakfast for the residents or help with the cleaning, organisation and general social tasks. Give your local shelter a call and find out if they’re looking for any extra help, especially over the winter.   Humanitarian Causes For those determined to volunteer on a larger scale, humanitarian organisations and projects are a great option, which make such a huge difference to people’s lives. This could be something like disaster relief after natural disasters – earthquakes, hurricanes, etc. – health disasters, community development, and a whole range of other scenarios. Check out organisations such as the UN Volunteers to see what opportunities are available.