Discover Top Student Volunteering Opportunities for Summer Break

Volunteering Opportunities for Students during Summer Break

Are you looking for a meaningful project to take up over your summer break? Volunteer work is a brilliant way for students in middle and high school to spend their holidays in an enriching and enjoyable manner. Alongside getting the opportunity to contribute to local and global communities, volunteering is a great avenue for students to connect with organizations and professionals, add an extra flourish to their resumes and college applications, and become equipped with a host of new social and professional skills.

Why Volunteer as a Student?

Volunteering involves freely giving your time and effort to be a part of causes aimed at serving the community. For the most part, volunteering opportunities are offered by Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), which are non-profit institutions engaged in various types of social work such as poverty alleviation, environmental conservation, accessible education, and so on. Opportunities available to you may be either virtual or in-person, depending on the type of work you choose to do.

Enrolling in a summer volunteer program would provide you with a valuable learning experience with professionals in the social sector, give you the chance to network with peers and other volunteers, and grant you the chance to give back to the community. This is the perfect environment to help foster in you a sense of community and social responsibility that will serve you well regardless of whether you choose to work in the social sector or not.

As a bonus, volunteer experience is a great addition to your future resumes and college applications, as they indicate in you a sensitivity to social issues and a willingness to take initiative.

Top 5 Volunteering Opportunities for Students

1. Environmental Conservation: 

Environmental degradation is one of the most pressing global concerns of this time. NGOs focused on making environmental impact are a good avenue for you to volunteer and make an impact, whether by joining cleanup efforts and afforestation projects, or by helping to spread information and awareness by helping with writing and documentation of environmental crises, efforts and outcomes. Here are a few organisations you might want to volunteer for:

1. Greenpeace India: https://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/volunteer-now/ 
2. Environmentalist Foundation of India: https://indiaenvironment.org/volunteer/ 
3. WWF India: https://people4planet.wwfindia.org/ 

2. Teaching:

Joining the effort to bridge the gaps of educational equity in India is also a great way to step up as a volunteer, especially if you like to work with younger children. If you’re competent with subjects like English, Mathematics and the sciences, you might consider offering tutoring help to underprivileged children in your community. Reach out to NGOs and social workers in your locality to find out about teaching opportunities, and commit some time this summer to helping those who may not have as privileged an access to education as you do. Teaching is a great skill to have under your belt, and the experience may teach you to appreciate your own education in new ways!

3. Community Service:

Community service involves everything from blood donation and food wastage management to clothing drives and aiding the sick. These projects are aimed towards the general betterment of local communities, and are especially concerned with disadvantaged and underprivileged minorities. Efforts like these always require teams of people and connections with official institutions, so it’s a good idea to reach out to local community service clubs and societies to get involved. Organisations such as Rotary (which has localised chapters in different regions), as well as any local NGOs, are great places to step up as a student volunteer. Here are some useful resources for you get started as a community service volunteer:

1. Rotary: https://rotaryindia.org/ 
2. Lions Club: http://www.lionsindia.in/ 

4. Animal Welfare:

If you love animals, becoming a part of animal welfare efforts should be right up your alley. Animal welfare is aimed at improving the lives of animals through hands-on action and spreading awareness. Opportunities for volunteers with NGOs could range from simply feeding strays and taking care of unadopted pups in shelters to creating content promoting animal welfare projects on social media platforms. Here are a few organisations that you might consider working with:

1. Animal Volunteers of India: https://www.animalvolunteersofindia.in/ 
2. STRAW: https://www.strawindia.org/join-us-as-a-volunteer-or-intern.aspx 
3. PAWS India: https://www.pawsindia.org/volunteer.html 
4. Blue Cross of India: http://bluecrossofindia.org/Volunteer.html 

5. Social Entrepreneurship:

If you’re passionate about any specific social issue that you’ve witnessed around you, you might even consider starting up an organisation of your own to work towards it. This may sound like a big task, but is simply a matter of spreading the word and getting others involved. If you’ve noticed a lack of sustainability in the way e-waste is taken care of in your community, for instance, you could try coming up with alternative solutions to be implemented. Get a few friends and other interested individuals on board to help you brainstorm, make a plan of action to tackle the issue, spread the word to your local community to get more hands on board and garner financial support, and carry out your project.

Alternatively,  you may be more inclined towards conducting research locally and spreading awareness about issues you feel strongly about. You may choose to start a blog, vlog, podcast, Instagram page or YouTube channel—any sort of social platform—to share your research insights, bring up concerns, and brainstorm ideas and social solutions. If you choose to work with friends or peers, you could collectively expand your platform and begin working towards implementing your ideas in your local community. 

You are now a social entrepreneur!

Volunteer work comes in a multitude of different forms, and is a deeply meaningful way to give back to society while also building your own skills and connections. There are ample opportunities to contribute in various capacities as a student volunteer, and you are now supplied with all the information you need to start off your volunteering journey this summer!