changing volunteer stuff

[snugglekitty]

So, I'm going to transition out of my current volunteer work for a while (teaching English to adults). The headaches are starting to outweigh the benefits by a lot.

Tell me about the place (in Boston) that you love to volunteer. Or where you used to love to volunteer. Or where you desperately wish you could volunteer, if you had the time.

Right now, for different reasons, I'm thinking of doing more volunteering with ALACE, the group that trained me as a doula, or the Cambridge Women's Center. But I'm very open to possibilities.

I'm good with books and people. I don't fundraise and I have a black thumb.

Comments

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

maybe talk to yagagriswold about volunteering at the st james food pantry?

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

What do you love about volunteering there? Or why do you wish you could?

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

i have done very little there, but the dark one's been doing it for years, and handing out food to people who need it is just one of the most basically important good works i can think of.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can see why you would think that. Thanks for sharing.

[ragingamazon.livejournal.com]

I desperately wish I had time to volunteer with Cambridge Cares About AIDS, but school has eaten me alive. I know someone who works there though, and it seems like a pretty awesome place.

[amberite2112.livejournal.com]

try Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic- they're down near the Lechmere T stop and the cambridge courthouse. i forget the exact address. they do recordings of all kinds of books. no fundraising involved, just reading, or listening, if you're operating the tape deck for the reader.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Can you say more about the sort of work you'd like to do and what you want to get out of it?

The only book-related place I've worked is the Prison Book Program, and I had a great time. Inmates write in and the PBP collects book donations to send them. My work involved reading and replying to letters from inmates and sending along books.

Given the number of people currently incarcerated for crimes that I do not even believe should be crimes, I am a big support of prisoner rights' groups.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Wow, that does look awesome! Thanks for the pointer, I will check them out.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Good suggestion! I love reading aloud. I'll check them out. I think it's maybe time to take a break from working DIRECTLY with the people I'm trying to help. :)

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Can you say more about the sort of work you'd like to do and what you want to get out of it?

Sure. My goal is to do work that I am qualified for. Not just, you know, ladling soup. I mean, I don't think it's beneath me or anything. But I want to give the community the most value I can, which means using some of my actual skills, rather than just providing a body, if that makes sense.
My preference is to work with women, whether they're the ones getting the benefit (the people I'm volunteering for) or the ones that I'm working with (other volunteers).

What I want to get out of it? A feeling of satisfaction, I guess, and also appreciation. A little bit of structure and daytime social contact in weeks when I'm not working.

We donate books to the PBP. They love us because we have books they want. Lots of sci fi and witchy stuff. I think they're awesome.

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

I know this is an older entry, but it suddenly ocurred to me: where do you teach English? I had a semi-disappointing experience tutoring at Concilio Hispano in Central, and decided not to continue there. I haven't found another place to volunteer yet, and as I'm planning on going away for a few months, I think it will wait until I get back. I'd love to hear the results of your search!
Also ::waves::

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I was teaching through the group English at Large. I don't know that I'd work for them again. They have a great training program, but they don't do much in the way of tutor support once you get going. I had a lot of issues that they weren't able to help me with.

I decided to work for a while helping update a database for the Labyrinth Society. I'm thinking of also reading some books for the blind, there's a Cambridge location for that.

I'm looking forward to meeting you. :)