
Can’t find practical volunteer work? This quiz suggests what kind of volunteer work you should do based on your passion and skill.
How to Find the Perfect Volunteer Opportunity
To find a fitting volunteer work, consider five important aspects: your passion, occupation, skill, time, and the cause that you wish to contribute to.
- Passion. The best volunteer work for you is the one that you’re passionate about.
- Occupation. Choose your social contribution in accordance with your job. If, for example, you’re a high school student, go with part-time activities that wouldn’t interfere with your school.
- Cause. Contributing to the community with a goal in mind is the perfect way of giving back. To find your perfect volunteer work, determine the cause in advance.
- Skills. Create a list of things you can do for charities in advance and choose your volunteering organization accordingly.
- Time. Dedicate a decided amount of time to your charity work and choose tasks that fit your schedule.
What Are the Top Volunteering Causes in the US
According to the Team Stage stats, the top five volunteer works in the US are hunger and homelessness, health and wellness, faith and spirituality, animal and wildfires, and children and youth.
Volunteer Work | Popularity |
Hunger and Homelessness | 15% |
Health and Wellness | 13% |
Faith and Spirituality | 12% |
Animals and Wildfires | 10% |
Children and Youth | 9% |
Environmental and Conservation | 7% |
Human and social services | 7% |
The 4 Types of Volunteer Work
While community services encompass a wide range of activities, they can be divided into four main categories: Direct Service, Advocacy and Outreach, Environmental and Conservation, Remote or Virtual. By familiarizing yourself with each type, you increase your chances of discovering volunteer work that aligns with your preferences and abilities.
Direct Service
Charity works that involve direct communication with people in need are called “direct services.” Examples of direct service charity include assisting at a local food bank, working at a homeless shelter, and even tutoring local students for free.
Advocacy and Outreach
Any community service involving raising awareness, promoting social change, and addressing systemic issues falls into the advocacy and outreach category. Examples of this type of volunteer work include advocating for the rights of marginalized communities, working as a hotline operator for a crisis center, and becoming a community organizer.
Environmental and Conservation
Preserving, protecting, and restoring the natural environment, along with animal protection activities, are considered environmental and conservation charity work. Examples of this volunteer work include beach or park clean-up events, working at wildlife rehabilitation centers, and planting trees.
Remote or Virtual
Any online volunteerism is considered remote or virtual charity. Examples of this include remote tutoring, online marketing or social media management for charities, and transcribing audio recordings for disabled people.
Benefits of Volunteerism
The following are the prominent advantages of humanitarian activities:
- Creating positive social impact. The most beneficial aspect of volunteer work is improving living standards for the entire community.
- Networking and making friends. Charity activities also help you meet new people and make like-minded friends.
- Improving personal resume. Having a list of nonprofit activities on your CV will put you ahead of most other employees.
- Free travel. Lots of nonprofit organizations cover your expenses when traveling for a good cause, which is an excellent perk for philanthropist adventurers.
Discover Your Next Volunteer Work with a Test
For those overthinking, “What kind of volunteer work should I do?” this volunteering quiz identifies the best-fitting community service for you based on your expectations, skills, time, and budget. Discover the best nonprofit activity you can start today and get expert pieces of advice along the way. All there’s to do is press the start button!
How to Play?
Playing personality quizzes is straightforward: Choose the option that’s true about you—or you relate to—and select “Next.” Unlike trivia quizzes, personality tests have no right or wrong answers. But the questions are in forced-choice format. The point is to push you to choose an option that makes the most sense, not the one that’s 100% true. For the most accurate results, don’t overthink your responses. Go with options that you “feel” are the best.
Questions of the quiz
- 1How much free time will you dedicate to your volunteer work?
An hour a day (or less than that)
Two hours a day sounds good
I could treat it as my part-time job
I’m ready to dedicate most of my time to it
- 2What kind of causes do you relate to?
Kids-related stuff
Social justice and things like that
I love charity work that involves animals or nature
I love all sorts of charity work
- 3Which topic sounds like something you’d be passionate about?
Teaching
Organizing
Traveling
Cooking
- 4What do you think would be the most important benefit of volunteering?
Making the most of my free time
Changing society for the better
Traveling or gaining new life experiences
Connecting to people in need and soothing them
- 5Would you be interested in group experiences or solo journeys?
I prefer solo activities
It depends on the group that I’m working with
I usually prefer group activities over solo ones
I can deal with both as long as it helps others
- 6Will you include your volunteerism experience on your resume?
Yes, that’s the point
Only if I have to
I don’t know
No, I’m doing it for the sake of helping others
- 7What’s the moral goal of your volunteerism?
Making the most of my skills or expertise
Fight against discriminations
Help make the world a better place
Just to be there when people need me
- 8What kind of skill set do you have that’ll help with your volunteer work?
Tech stuff or academic knowledge
Communication and people skills
Practical skills such as working with animals
All of them
- 9Can you travel for charity work?
No, I can’t travel at all
I would prefer not to
Yes, I’m always ready to go
It depends. But I’m usually fine with that
- 10Do you prefer working with an established organization or volunteering independently?
I’d rather do something on my own
I’d like to create my own organization or group
I’m fine with both
I prefer working with organizations
- 11Do you have a budget to cover your volunteerism expenses?
No, I don’t want to spend money on my volunteer work
No, but I could afford reasonable costs
Yes, I have a planned budget
I’ve already paid for that
- 12What type of charity would suit your preferences?
Public
Private
Operating (self-governed)
Community
- 13What age group would you want to work with?
18 or younger
19-29
30 or older
Age doesn’t matter
- 14Which category of volunteerism matches your community’s needs?
Education
Crime
Animal rights
Homelessness
- 15Do you want volunteer work that requires expertise?
Yes, I do
Not really
It depends
No, I don’t want that
- 16How many years of volunteer work experience do you have?
0
1
2
3 or more
- 17Which one is your best soft skill?
Creativity
Networking
Decision-making
Conflict resolution
- 18What kind of job do you have?
Student
9-to-5
Freelancer
I run my own business
- 19What’s your training time expectation?
1-2 hours
1 day or so
A week or so
Whatever it takes, I’m ready
- 20Final question: How old are you?
18 or younger
19-23
24-29
30 or older