Volunteer’s Best Friend: The Benefits Of Pet Therapy
Your organization focuses on assisting youth or the elderly at group homes, senior centers or hospitals. You try to do all you can to help these wonderful people get through an illness and feel less alone.
You read to them, play games with them, visit them regularly. You even have handicapped vans to take them out for shopping and other trips. But maybe you’ve overlooked something that has been proven to help with loneliness, depression and even physical ailments.
Pet therapy.
What Is Pet Therapy?
Simply put, pet therapy is the interaction of animals and humans. This can be through trained therapy animals – often dogs, but sometimes cats – who visit hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers or youth groups. The pet’s handler brings the animal to the location and residents or participants are invited to pet and interact with it. Dogs used in these activities are well-trained, well-groomed and should be certified as a therapy dog.
Another pet therapy program matches seniors living alone with older shelter pets who run the risk of not being adopted because of their age. The pet serves as a constant companion for its elderly owner, the health benefits of which are numerous.
Proven benefits of pet therapy are both physical and emotional.
Benefits For Seniors
1. Having a pet requires seniors to be more active. Daily walks are good for both the pet and its owner. The simple acts of feeding and playing with a dog or cat require more activity than an elderly person may otherwise get.
2. Petting an animal has been shown to lower blood pressure, regulate the heart rate and decrease stress.
3. Seniors living alone or even in an assisted living facility are prone to depression. Regular visits from a therapy dog or a pet of their own are proven to battle loneliness and improve emotional outlook.
4. The elderly sometimes lose self-confidence and withdraw from socializing. A therapy pet helps restore confidence and often gives the senior a trustworthy confidante. This can lead to increased interaction with other people.
5. Seniors who interact with therapy pets have been shown to smile more. Is there anything more beneficial to both the senior and the volunteer than a genuine smile?
6. Therapy pets are a source of unconditional love for seniors, something they may feel they’ve lost when visits from family and friends are fewer and farther between.
Starting Your Own Volunteer Organization
If you have a strong passion for helping others and giving back to your community you may want to explore starting your own volunteer organization. In the beginning the organization likely won’t need its own building or office, but as time goes forward and new recruits join you may need to find some land for sale.
If starting your own volunteer organization sounds interesting, but you have no idea how to get started here are a few tips:
- How much do you know?
If you are planning to run an organization you need to have knowledge on the subject. People who decide to join the cause may have questions and look to you for leadership. Unfortunately, if you don’t have any answers you will lose credibility.
- Game plan
Running an organization takes planning. As a leader of an organization you are in charge of others who are freely giving their time. Have a plan or schedule set for the volunteers, so they can plan ahead and decide when they’re available. If you just randomly call people on the day of an event you may discover people are not available.
- Write out goals
It is important to have a clear mission and goals. Putting those in writing can be a good way to keep you accountable. You can use social media by creating a Facebook page and a Twitter account and add the mission statement there. Let people know what you and the organization are about, and what they will be doing if they choose to join.
- Leaders
All of the most successful organizations have people chosen for leadership positions to balance out the responsibility, share ideas and delegate tasks to groups of employees. The same should take place in your volunteer organization. It’s a great idea to have a mix of older individuals and younger people to be able to see things from different viewpoints.
Passion is definitely needed to start a volunteer organization, but it takes more than that to have an impact. You have to plan things out and build a team. If you are able to bring on volunteers who are passionate about the cause; combine that with structure and planning, and your organization will make a difference.
Volunteering: Entertaining the Elderly
High school and college students who are looking to get some volunteering in to boost their resumes and give back often overlook working with the elderly. There are too many senior citizens who go for weeks and months without any visits or interaction with people. Fortunately, companies make things like life alert systems for seniors to assist them if something happens. Nevertheless, it’s good for seniors to interact with a young people who are interested in volunteering. These volunteers could benefit from the interaction, too.
Assisting the elderly is often overlooked because people think it will be all work and no fun. There are many older people who are still very active and like to get out and enjoy life. There are many activities you could do while volunteering to enjoy yourself and help out the elderly.
Shopaholics
Do you like to shop? There are a lot of elderly people who enjoy shopping, too. Many of them like picking up things for their grandchildren who could be around your age. You could help them pick something out. Some nursing homes take groups of residents out shopping and they could always use help in assisting them. You could request a trip to the mall with them if you get enough people who would be interested in going. It may feel like just another trip to the mall for you but for an elderly person getting out and going to different stores and being active could be a big thing.
Holidays
Nobody wants to be alone during the holidays and many senior living facilities are filled with elderly people who have out-of-state family members who are unable to visit with them. If you are into baking you could make some cookies or pies and bring them in to share with them. You may be able to bring the ingredients in and bake with the elderly people there. I’m sure you will come across some who used to cook for their families for years and they will be excited to tell stories and give out their recipes. Having dinner served to them every night is helpful and takes a load off them, but having a chance to get back in the kitchen and bake some cookies would be a big hit for some of them.
Workout
Your New Year’s resolution may be to work out more regularly and lose weight. Sticking to that could be difficult if you don’t have someone working with you and keeping you motivated on the days you don’t really feel like working out. Being active is big for the elderly but a large number of senior citizens are not getting the physical activity they need. You could volunteer to lead a workout program that would be a major benefit to them and you also. Going for walks around the facility or a park would be great to get them up and active – and you too.
Volunteering to assist the elderly is a great way to help but you can have fun too and learn some interesting things from them in the process.
Branching Out
When people rally together and work towards a goal positive things can happen, especially when it comes to volunteering. I have seen doors open for groups that started with no budget but with the goal in mind to help people. Before long, they were able to feed and provide clothing for thousands of people in need. They went from having no equipment to getting free service from various moving companies who signed on to help transport clothing and food to different areas.
Conglomerate
There are many people who volunteer on their own when they can and they are not part of any organization. There are groups who perform volunteer work and then there are bigger non-profit organizations that have funding to do it. If you are in a member of a smaller group that is looking to expand your reach and help out on a larger scale, look to team up with other groups or an organization. Depending on the size of the group your resources could grow by large amounts. People have different skills and connections they can bring to the table to help with the volunteer efforts.
Outreach
If you are looking to find some passionate people to join your volunteer team or you want to get the word of your efforts out, visiting college campuses is a great idea. College students tend to have a lot of free time (just don’t visit around mid-terms and finals) and they are into fighting for a cause they believe in. I have seen different groups come and set up a booth right on campus and talking to students about a charity they are fundraising for or signing people up to volunteer. Just a tip for reaching college students, if you offer free T-shirts or food your likelihood of grabbing their attention gets boosted up to 50 percent (just trust me on this statistic).
Build your brand
As you look to expand your charitable efforts and team it is important to let people know who you are by building your brand. Not because you are volunteering to receive credit for helping but because it can help your cause. If people see your team around town cleaning up parks or assisting in shelters or nursing homes they may want to join or donate money and resources to you. Have shirts with the team name or logo on it will help you to be recognized.
City to City, State to State
The issues that are facing your town or city are not only felt in your area. There is a strong possibility that the cause you are working towards is affecting other is surrounding areas and in different states too. Reaching out to volunteer groups outside of your area and comfort zone is a great idea because you can share ideas and experiences. The groups in neighboring towns may choose to come together to work on different projects and double or triple their numbers to have a greater impact. When you are working towards a common goal to aid others in need people usually are more receptive to helping out.
Volunteering is Fun!
Hey, lean in close, I’m going to tell you something that may come as a surprise to you. Here it goes, are you ready?
Volunteering is fun!
Yes, that’s the secret. A lot of people think of volunteering as going to a hospital or shelter (for the record, those are two great places to volunteer and both are very rewarding) and giving out food or helping people who are sick. There is more to volunteering than that.
There are opportunities to volunteer at almost any type of event you could be interested in. Here are a few examples of fun volunteering opportunities that you may not have thought about before.
Museums
Volunteering at a place like a children’s museum is fun for a few reasons. A lot of the people there are on a family vacation or class trips so there is always a feeling of excitement there. People are looking to learn more about the exhibits and have a good time with family and kids. The enthusiasm of the kids will rub off on you as they run around trying to see everything. You can volunteer to help out in a number of different ways from leading tours to answering questions. It will be a rewarding and fun experience for you.
Sports events
Colts fans (and those unfortunate fans of other NFL teams) did you know that you can be a part of your favorite sports team? There won’t be any plays drawn up for you in the huddle so you don’t have to practice your touchdown dance, but you can assist the team by volunteering. Depending on the time of the year, you can do different things. During the season you may be needed to usher fans into the stadium and help them find seats. You also may be able to pass out giveaways or promotions the team is doing on game day. There are a number of things taking place at a stadium leading up to the game, during the game and after. It’s a fun experience for fans to be around the game and interact with other people who share the same passion for the game as you. You may even get a chance to see parts of the game and meet players depending on what you do as a volunteer.
Helping the Future
If you have a passion for working with the youth, then volunteering at schools in your community or after school programs are great options. Again, doing this type of volunteer work is beneficial for you and the kids because you can do what you are passionate about and the kids will learn from you because you are fully involved in it. There are many options, too:
Coach: If you are a former player or have a great understanding of sports that you are interested in sharing, you can look into coaching a number of different sports. Teams are always looking for people who are able to give of their time to teach kids the correct way to play and carry themselves.
Tutor: Test scores are not where they should be in many districts across the country. If you are good in math or English or any subject for that matter there are children who need to help. Who knows, your help could give a student the confidence he/she needs to finish high school and go to college.
These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are nearly endless. Get out there, volunteer and share your passion.
Moving Doesn’t Have to Mean Disconnecting
Doing volunteer work and being active in your community shouldn’t stop because you are moving. Actually, you should become more active or at least maintain the same level of commitment in your new location. It would be a huge benefit to your new community and yourself for a number of reasons:
• New friends: There’s something about working with a group of people for a good cause that is great for building relationships. Normally the people you work with are in good spirits because it is volunteer work and they have made the choice to help. No one is forced or pressured into doing it. You all share a common interest so it serves as a nice icebreaker and conversation starter.
• Eases the transition: Moving to a new area with no friends or family can be difficult. Being proactive in reaching out to people and looking to form new bonds can make the transition much smoother. Doing volunteer work is a great way to see different areas of the city/town and to interact with a wide range of people.
• Maintain your schedule: If you have been doing volunteer work every Saturday morning for years and you look forward to that each week, don’t break that routine just because you moved. If makes you happy while providing a service for others you should keep it going. It can help you to feel stable in a completely new and changing environment.
If you are doing volunteer work for a national organization you can call into the office and set up your transfer to continue assisting at your new location. If you would like to join into local programs many of them are as simple as going in and signing up. Before you move you can search for volunteer groups and opportunities online or by speaking with friends who may be familiar with the area. Having an opportunity set up before you arrive would be one less thing to think about. But before you agree to help there are a few questions to ask yourself.
• What causes do you feel passionate about?
• What skills can you contribute to the cause?
• How much time are you willing and able to commit?
• How much responsibility are you willing to take? Do you want to lead or help out?
If you are able to assist in an area that you are passionate about you will be more helpful and you will benefit from the work also. Everyone has skills that be put to use and through volunteer work you will pick up new skills as you perform different tasks you never had done before. Volunteer work is also a great way to gain experience in a field that you may be interested in entering at some point. While you volunteer your obviously not being paid but you may be working with professionals and doing the tasks that they would do. Students can list their volunteer experiences when applying to schools and it will go a long way in helping them get accepted because it shows that they are well-rounded.
Making Volunteering a Priority
Finding time to volunteer can be difficult. Between the obligations of being a student, young professional, parent, spouse or even a busy single, carving out time to give back is never easy.
However, sacrificing even an hour or two a week can be very fulfilling and a welcome break from your daily grind. It goes without saying that giving back to the community is important, but you’ll discover that volunteering goes much further than the standard cliché can encompass.
How to Get Involved
If you’re not sure where to go to get started, you can talk to local resources to get you started. If you’re a student, your university probably has a volunteering department or a community service office. Finding volunteering opportunities on college campuses is typically pretty easy if you pay attention to announcements or flyers around the beginning of each semester.
For those who aren’t in school, you can contact local bureaus or publications to find opportunities. I met with the volunteer resources coordinator at the Children’s Bureau in my city to find what opportunities were available and which of them would match my interests. Try to meet with coordinators or volunteers who are involved in an opportunity that you find interesting or appealing. The girl I met with helped me get signed up to be a hostess at the Children’s Bureau Celebrity Cook-off, which raised nearly $80,000 for adoption programs.
Cook-Off courtesy by Bello Romance Photography
Since then, I’ve also been involved with an organization called Girls, Inc. I’m currently co-facilitating a program called Work It Out. The program is designed teach girls ages 9-11 how to navigate conflict, respect their peers, communicate effectively and stand up for themselves and others – lessons girls of all ages can benefit from.
Why Volunteering is Important
Volunteering provides a way to donate, even if you can’t afford to donate dollars. Your time is valuable, and too often organizations have to cancel or limit their program offerings because they don’t have enough volunteers to run them.
Volunteering is also great for professional development and meeting future business contact. If you can volunteer in your area of interest, you’ll gain much-needed experience and meet people who can help you later in your career. This concept is especially true for any volunteering experience that works in the healthcare field or with disabled persons. Volunteering in a hospital is great experience for nurses-to-be or working directly with disabled persons is great for an engineer-to-be who may go on to design handicapped accessible vans.
Your efforts not only benefit you, but the recipients of your services and their families. Your impact goes further than you may ever realize. Do all you can to get involved in something that interests you, even just for an hour or two a week or even if you think you’re too busy. You’ll be glad you took the time to invest in others.
Tech Practices & Tips for Volunteers & Nonprofit Organizations
Whether you’re running a nonprofit or interested in volunteering for one, technology can make all the difference in whether you fail or flourish. With the Internet essentially serving as the easiest, most efficient and most widespread form of modern communication, making sure that your nonprofit is technologically equipped to handle volunteers, donors, and beneficiaries can help your cause and boost awareness.
Easy Accessibility to Information
Getting the word out there about your nonprofit is one of the most difficult aspects of the business. With so many nonprofits competing for donations and volunteers, you want to make sure your information is easily accessible. Dealing with paper forms can be a hassle. While there is not much you can do to make submitting grant proposals easier, you can streamline the volunteer process.
It’s neither cost-effective nor efficient to have your volunteers fill out paper forms that must be printed, faxed, or scanned. If your volunteers have Internet access, managing forms with Google Docs or online surveys is a much easier route to take. While some of the people you serve may not have access to a computer with Internet, you can still eliminate a great deal of paper and postage by taking to the Internet for the majority of your volunteer recruiting or feedback.
I worked for a nonprofit that primarily used Survey Monkey for its questionnaires for both volunteers and those helped by the nonprofit. Paper forms were available, but were used for less than 10% of the survey collection. Collecting and assessing the data is also much easier with free online survey generators or Google Docs.
Also, when recruiting volunteers, make sure to keep the sign-up process short. Stick to the basic information initially, and when volunteers show more interest, go in for the rest of the info you need. You can also use online forms for these purposes. Follow up with basic information about your company through email within 24-48 hours, but don’t bombard them.
Charity Runs: Tips for Starting Your Own & Being a Good Participant
After logging long hours studying, the best way for me to ease any tension or stress I feel about an upcoming exam is to lace up my sneakers and hit the pavement running. There is nothing like running through Lincoln Park here in Chicago, especially on a brisk fall morning before class. When I don’t make my morning runs, law classes can be difficult to sit through. But on the days I enter the classroom still feeling the effects of my “runner’s high,” the day breezes by. I first fell in love with running back in middle school when my aunt Emily was diagnosed with breast cancer. It came as a shock to the entire family but while we were feeling bad for her and thinking about how we could help, she was lacing up her sneakers and heading out the door. She would run for miles to free her mind and keep her body active. When she was undergoing treatment, there were days when she couldn’t run more than a block but would walk as far as she could. Some days she couldn’t get out of bed to run but she would urge me to “go get the run in for the both of us.” Aunt Emily won her battle with cancer and since then we have run dozens of marathons, 5ks, and mini marathons to raise money for cancer treatment and awareness of the disease.
I love running and I love it even more when I’m able to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause. Last year my aunt invited me to visit her back in Indiana and join her in running the Jill Behrman 5k Run. I was ready to go as soon as I got the word but after hearing about the cause, I was fully in. Jill Behrman was a student at Indiana University and an employee of Campus Recreational Sports. In 2000, she set out alone for a bike ride and she didn’t return. Three years later, it was discovered that she had been murdered.
Business Education Through the Expansion of Micro Finance Systems in Ghana
Non-profits are always finding new ways to help improve the living conditions of individuals around the world. Take for instance non-profits focused on international microfinance. According to a World Bank report in 2008 almost half of the world’s population live on less than $3.00 a day. The poorest 40 percent generate 5 percent of the global income whereas the wealthiest 20 percent generate almost 75 percent of the global income (Human Development Report 2007). Microfinance caters to those who were formerly considered as “un fit to bank” because of their lack of security. It also creates opportunities for people to establish or expand businesses, increase incomes, and change their lives forever. Take for instance the African country Ghana where many rural communities exist and where there is a lack of business and microfinance skills to manage their money. Microfinance tools aid to empower individuals to save, borrow, and learn.
Lumana is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing this financial assistance to the local communities in Ghana. This non-profit has chosen this country due to fact that only 1 percent of the microfinance industry extended to Africa and even less in the rural areas they work in. In the beginning the non-profit ran into some challenges largely in part due to finding loan officers. Another obstacle was the search for trained and skilled workers who would be committed to partnerships, willing to balance with the org and each other. However, once they found Ghanaian staff, they proceeded to train them to eventually educate the locals in curriculum consisting of savings planning, basic accounting, business planning and more.
