What's the biggest obstacle to you volunteering?

Question

For people who *want* to volunteer, but who haven't yet volunteered, and...

For people who *want* to volunteer, but who are not currently volunteering or aren't doing as much as they would like, and....

For people who used to volunteer, but now no longer do:

What is the biggest obstacle to you volunteering? Is it lack of time? Lack of transportation? Your age (you are told you are too young by organizations you want to help? Lack of knowledge about where to volunteer or what your options are? Not sure how to decide what to do? Uninterested in what is offered? A previous experience that left you disillusioned about volunteering? Another reason?

Also, please give your age (or a general idea: under 18, in your 20s, etc.).

I'm asking because I'm very curious about various points of view when it comes to volunteering.

Answer 1

Jayne,

Your Questions, are thought provoking, 'Keep it Up'

I am 55,

and at different age (group) volunteered different cause(s),

for different reason(s).

@ 17 to 32 years of age (almost for 15 years) worked for Blood Donation.

@ 30 to 50 years of age ( almost for 20 years) worked for

Eye Donation { for Government / Army Hospitals - Only}.

@ 48 onwards, working for less / under privileged children [with the idea, to support the cause(s) like poverty eradication through education and creating a defensive system through education and empowerment self dependent and self supporting (self reliant).

Most of the time, many Social Organisation loose good volunteers, due to local politics. Your curiosity is natural, how do propose to be discouraged. hope this will suffice for your study in context. If not other relevant experience / information will shared, if the situation so warrant.

God Bless, all those who volunteer for any social cause,

God Bless, your followers @}-->-->---

                                     @}-->--->---

With all the Best @}--->--->---

Answer 2

for me it is my time conflict.  because when you want to volunteer, you have to sacrifice your work.  

volunteering for whatever assigned task is that you know you are capable of doing it.  you don't have to be super well informed for it.  it is your service like simple packing of goods, story telling to kids, talking to people, etc.

when we volunteer, we share a part of ourself to others.  we reach out to those who are in needs - our touch, our care are worth more than gold.  our life will have meaning.  we live not for ourself alone but to bless others as well.

i am in the 40s.

Answer 3

I am 29 and am currently doing volunteering as a means to get back to work as i have been off work for over a year with anxiety problems. Volunteering can be very helpful to people in my situation. It can be difficult to find the time to do it if you are already working and need to work to have enough money to live.

The place i am volunteering at is a bookshop run by the children's charity Barnados. It is a very rewarding experience doing this, i would recommend it to anyone that can spare the time.

Answer 4

Well, for me it is transportation (I live so far away from everything and don't have a car!). My other obstacle is that I'm so cursed shy! I have good intentions, and I know my heart is in the right place, but my fear of talking to people I don't know makes me pretty much useless!

I'm 17.

Answer 5

Im 24 years old and currently in college. Im volunteering my time with tutoring and teaching remedial English. I wont be able to do it next semester with my heavy class load and work schedule.

Transportation tends to be the biggest issue for me and fitting something into my daily schedule. Most of my free time comes at late hours way past most organizations operating time.

Answer 6

crummy assignments not be allowed to learn major skills like how to plan and build a house from scratch. not being able to travel working with lowlifes on your team being sent to the most god forsaken dangerous neighborhoods never actually getting to experience being a leader no money to support your self

Answer 7

i m of 20.

the biggest obstacle for me is lack of Time, Money and knowledge about what to do.

for giving me information mail me on:

[e-mail]

Answer 8

37

the biggest obstacle to doing volunteer work is the politics involved in the different organizations.  i volunteer for 3 organizations and my goodness, i've recently reached the point to just wanting to stop doing any of it, its so frustrating.