Motivating your Friends to Volunteer is the Latest Trend!

Make volunteering twice as fun- teamwork makes the dream work

Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”. When we volunteer alone the outcome can be great, but volunteering together will definitely increase the results even more. The more people, the better. So grab your friends from near and far and join us on this journey! Read more to find out how you can do something new with friends, that will definitely be worth your while!

Choose a shared interest

Do you and your friends have mutual interests? Maybe a passion for cooking, playing sports, or a favorite holiday? Choose a shared interest of yours and search for a related place in which to volunteer – food banks, nursing homes, or helping the environment are all great places to start. Personally, my friends and I all love ice skating, so we decided to go to the local rink. During our time there, we helped clean, organize, and volunteer at the concession stand. We made a difference at a place we spend a lot of our time in, were satisfied with our work, and I’m certain the rink staff were thrilled to have us! So don’t be skeptic, brainstorm with your friends and find a topic and opportunity that are perfect for your group.

Inform your peers

Education is the best way to bring awareness to people, so start by gathering important information about volunteering that can help you convince others to join in on your efforts. For example, the benefits of volunteering, the change each person can and will make when taking part, and most importantly, how it can positively affect the person taking part – less stress, meeting new people, learning new skills and more! Even the change of one person is impactful, so show your friends how big of a difference you can make as a group!

Following the leader

It’s a known fact that humans follow one another. The follow the leader method that was used in middle school is coming back in a new form; so jump on board and be the one to plan an amazing volunteering event! Being the first one to step forward will surely encourage others to follow. A few years ago, my friend organized a group volunteering outing at a food bank where we sorted food and then packed it into boxes to later be delivered to those in need. At first my friends and I were all hesitant to go, but joining in was the best decision we could make. We had the best time and got to make an impact in our community. Plus, now we have a great memory to share. So Instead of watching a movie on Friday night, invite your friends to a fun and easy volunteering activity. You and your friends will be pleased with yourself for time well spent, and are bound to have a better time than you would at the movies!

This article was written by Ruach Tova intern, Maya Eingal.