INTRODUCTION
Why do this?
Making a well-thought and educated decision about your volunteering can prevent you from spending many hours creating little impact, and instead allow you to use your time effectively.
The following graph demonstrates how some efforts can be substantially more effective than others. The same 1000$, spent in the context of different HIV/AIDS projects, can save variable numbers of DALY (Disability Adjusted Life Years). It’s clear that using the same resource in a more effective project can dramatically improve the number of saved life-years.
This shows that choosing your cause and action carefully can substantially optimize your impact.
More information and examples of extremely impactful organizations can be found in GiveWell and in 80,000 hours.
How much time should I invest in this process?
There isn’t one clear answer, but the time you spend on this process can greatly influence your decisions and their impact.
We believe that even skimming through this guide can help improve your impact, and that if you dedicate a few hours to it, you could create exceptionally effective volunteer opportunities.
A fresh perspective on volunteering
When thinking of volunteering, we often imagine ourselves working for an NGO, maybe in some specific place or time. But it doesn't have to be that way - you can volunteer impactfully in a small social venture, play a significant role in an advocacy movement, or even create a new social venture. Volunteering doesn't have to be part of an organized activity, or a pre-existing one. Keep an open mind, and prepare to explore a variety of options.
Your career path plays a role
When planning both volunteering and career paths, a main question is “how can I best use my time”. Considering the impact when choosing a career is similar to the process described in this guide.
Some considerations in this guide can also assist in prioritizing career opportunities.
Volunteering can be an excellent way to explore possible career paths before committing to a specific profession.
Opportunities that can potentially boost your career should be prioritized, especially when you plan your career to be impactful.
For more information, check out 80,000 Hours and Probably good, which provide high-quality research and tools for pursuing impactful careers.
How this works
We’ll guide you in the following steps:
Ideate and generate several volunteering options.
Assess different opportunities based on well-defined criteria.
Prioritize the opportunities and make a well-thought decision.