What is volunteer work?

Doing volunteer work involves using your time, money, energy or expertise to help improve the world around you in exchange for little or no pay. You may be able to find information on different kinds of volunteer work and how you can get started by word of mouth, from the Internet, your government information service or directly from any volunteer organization.

Why volunteer?

Volunteering can give you the opportunity to:

• Interact with many different people
• Challenge yourself and learn new skills
• Possibly travel to and learn about different countries and cultures
• Teach, build, help and otherwise give back to your community.

Can you afford to volunteer?

Part of being a volunteer, especially if you go overseas, involves spending some of your own money. For example, some groups ask the volunteer to provide all of his/ her own funding while other organizations may pay part such as room and board, travel costs, insurance etc. Still other organizations may actually pay a stipend if you have specific qualifications or experience.

A major volunteer project can actually cost you quite a bit of money, so take care not to get in over your head. Consider saving up first or seek sponsorship.

Lashley Financial can help you identify ways to finance your venture.