Give some of your time and become a volunteer.  There are many areas of volunteering so there really is something to suit everyone. 

Please post any information you have about volunteering here.

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http://www.do-it.org.uk/

Loads of volunteering ideas and what volunteer opportunities are available in your area (if you live in the UK).  Check it out!  (Even if you don't live in the UK you can still pick up some great ideas)

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http://www.mercycorps.org/getinvolved/volunteer/659

This link is for Mercy Corps which was one of the first groups into Pakistan following the earthquake.

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http://www.interaction.org/disaster/volunteering.html

Interaction has approximately 160 organisations connected to it and provides a wide assortment of volunter positions.

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• Research the causes or issues important to you.  Look for a group that works with issues about which you feel strongly. You might already be giving money to one of these organizations, and that might be a good place to begin your volunteer experience. If you can't find such an organization, here's a challenging and intriguing thought: Why not start one yourself? You can rally your neighbors to clean up that vacant lot on the corner, patrol the neighborhood, paint an elderly neighbor's house, take turns keeping an eye on the ailing person down the street, or form a group to advocate for a remedy to that dangerous intersection in your neighborhood. There is no end to the creative avenues for volunteering, just as there is no end to the need for volunteers. 
• Consider the skills you have to offer.  If you enjoy outdoor work, have a knack for teaching, or just enjoy interacting with people, you may want to look for volunteer work which would incorporate these aspects of your personality. Many positions require a volunteer who has previous familiarity with certain equipment, such as computers, or who possesses certain skills, such as ability in athletics or communications. For one of these positions, you might decide to do something comparable to what you do on the job during your work day, or something which you already enjoy as a hobby. This sort of position allows you to jump right into the work without having to take training to prepare for the assignment.
• Would you like to learn something new?  Perhaps you would like to learn a new skill or gain exposure to a new situation. Consider seeking a volunteer opportunity where you'll learn something new. For example, volunteering to work on the newsletter for the local animal shelter will improve your writing and editing abilities - skills that may help you in your career. Or, volunteering can simply offer a change from your daily routine. For example, if your full-time job is in an office, you may decide to take on a more active volunteer assignment, such as leading tours at an art museum or building a playground. Many nonprofits seek out people who are willing to learn. Realize beforehand, however, that such work might require a time commitment for training before the actual volunteer assignment begins.
• Combine your goals.  Look for volunteer opportunities that will also help you achieve your other goals for your life. For example, if you want to lose a few extra pounds, pick an active volunteer opportunity, such as cleaning a park or working with kids. Or, if you've been meaning to take a cooking class, try volunteering at a food bank that teaches cooking skills.
• Don't over-commit your schedule.  Make sure the volunteer hours you want to give fit into your hectic life so that you don't frustrate your family, exhaust yourself, shortchange the organization you're trying to help, or neglect your job. Do you want a long-term assignment or something temporary? If you are unsure about your availability, or want to see how the work suits you before making an extensive commitment, see whether the organization will start you out on a limited number of hours until you get the feel of things. Better to start out slowly than to commit yourself to a schedule you can't - or don't want to - fulfill.
• Nonprofits may have questions, too.  While most nonprofits are eager to find volunteer help, they have to be careful when accepting the services you offer. If you contact an organization with an offer to donate your time, you may be asked to come in for an interview, fill out a volunteer application, describe your qualifications and your background - just as you would at an interview for a paying job. It is in the organization's interest, and more beneficial to the people it serves, to make certain you have the skills needed, that you are truly committed to doing the work, and that your interests match those of the nonprofit. Furthermore, in volunteer work involving children or other at-risk populations, there are legal ramifications for the organization to consider.
• Consider volunteering as a family.  Think about looking for a volunteer opportunity suitable for parents and children to do together, or for a husband and wife to take on as a team. When a family volunteers to work together at a nonprofit organization, the experience can bring them closer together, teach young children the value of giving their time and effort, introduce everyone in the family to skills and experiences never before encountered, and give the entire family a shared experience as a wonderful family memory.

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• Virtual volunteering.  Yes, there is such a thing! If you have computer access and the necessary skills, some organizations now offer the opportunity to do volunteer work over the computer. This might take the form of giving free legal advice, typing a college term paper for a person with a disability, or simply keeping in contact with a shut-in who has e-mail. This sort of volunteering might be well suited to you if you have limited time, no transportation, or a physical disability which precludes you from getting about freely. Virtual volunteering can also be a way for you to give time if you simply enjoy computers and want to employ your computer skills in your volunteer work.
• I never thought of that!  Many community groups are looking for volunteers, and some may not have occurred to you. Most of us know that hospitals, libraries, and churches use volunteers for a great deal of their work, but here are some volunteer opportunities that may not have crossed your mind:
• Day-care centers
• Neighborhood watch
• Public schools and colleges
• Halfway houses
• Community theaters
• Drug rehabilitation centers
• Fraternal organizations and civic clubs
• Retirement centers and homes for the elderly
• Meals on Wheels
• Church or community-sponsored soup kitchens or food pantries
• Museums, art galleries, and monuments
• Community choirs, bands, and orchestras
• Prisons
• Neighborhood parks
• Youth organizations, sports teams, and after-school programs
• Shelters for battered women and children
• Historical restorations, battlefields, and national parks
• Give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering.  Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with your enthusiastic spirit, which in itself is a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!

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to you both for doing your bit to make a difference.  Although I owe you one Fran.... You cannot currently send a star to Fran because you have done so within the last week.

Tangwystyl helping out at the musem is fabulous!  I bet you learn a lot as well as educating others.  Well done you.

Fran sounds like you're doing an amazing job!  Thank goodness for people like you in this world.  And you're right - it does do your heart good to help others.  Thank you. - please feel free to promote your organisation here...am off to check out your website as soon as I get back online later (have to break to sort out the dinner now).

 both of you. 

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www.tenngreen.org

Volunteer to clean up or help preserve greenways and parks.

Charles

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I volunteered at a place in Leicester called Worklink and i got so much out of it, you give but you certainly recieve as well! Even a couple of hours a week can change somebody's life, and probably yours too!

Iain..

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Thanks for the link Charles!  Looks like a very worthwhile project - absoloutely beautiful scenery!  Do you live in the area?  If so it must be wonderful to have that on your doorstep.

Thanks for your comments Iain.  Volunteering is certainly a very worthwhile project.  It certainly gives you the feel good factor.  If more people would take the time to help others this world would be a better place.

to you both!

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Oh wow dolphin and whale watching...that's certainly the way to go volunteering wise...that's fantastic.  Wish I could join you on that one.  Enjoy!

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I live in the western part of Middle Tennessee, and I am very greatful to be able to help them preserve our land and parks.

Thanks.

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Great job you're doing Darin!  Must be emotionally very hard at times I'm sure.  But I know that these teens really appreciate you being there for them...and I bet you have some crazy times too!!

Another very worthwhile organisation Mystic!  I'm sure they really appreciated your help.  I can only guess that the prescence of a woman they could talk to freely must have helped the healing a great deal.

I fully understand the problems with your fibromyalgia as my father suffers from the same thing.  I myself have BIH which has incapicitated me to a certain extent for the last year so at the moment I'm not getting out into the real world to do my volunteering bit.  I am looking after myself at the moment and building up my strength so that I can hopefully do more again sometime soon.

Before I moved to Ireland I used to work as a volunteer in a British Heart Foundation shop and was pleasantly surprised how rewarding I found it to be.  It's crazy though how some charities react when you offer them voluntary help.  We got our two cats from our local Animal Foundation.  So last year I volunteered to work a few hours a week in their shop (I was unable to work any more due to my ill health and hospital appointments etc) and they weren't interested!  I couldn't believe that.  If I was them I would have taken all the voluntary help I was offered.

Well done the both of you!  Green stars!!

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Thanks 4 this link i found it very useful.

http://www.do-it.org.uk/

I will be forwarding it to my Youth Council

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