Because community service is done for free, almost any form of volunteerism can find a place within community service. From doctors who offer their services at free clinics to food pantry volunteers, community service is characterized by a passion for the betterment of the community and not by any particular skill set or educational background. However, if you want to donate your time and are looking for service areas that contain the most opportunities; Below we list and describe the four most common community services according to the 2008 University of California Civic Engagement Module.

community outreach

Community outreach refers to a service effort that “reaches out” to a community in need. In most cases, community outreach is targeted at a particular need and therefore involves helping a certain group of people. For example, a medical clinic that focuses on helping AIDS victims may be established in an impoverished country or in a particular area of ​​a city. In contrast, a community outreach effort may focus on providing a good and not a service, such as an outreach organization providing winter clothing for the homeless. If you want to help a community in a particular way, chances are you can find an outreach effort that focuses on your interest.

fundraising

Because community service opportunities depend as much on donated money as they do on donated time and goods, fundraising campaigns are constantly underway around the world. Three types of fundraising efforts that typically support community service fundraising are: door-to-door canvassing, business and corporate outreach, and, when a nonprofit organization is involved, grant writing. As with community outreach, fundraising opportunities can be found in every area of ​​service imaginable and welcome anyone willing to donate their time or money-raising skills.

Teach or Educate

Teaching and educational opportunities include, but are not limited to, traditional classroom situations. For example, teaching and education opportunities also focus on such things as: educating about communicable diseases, teaching a trade or skill, managing money, and educating to improve literacy. In many cases, pursuing a teaching or educational opportunity does not require a teaching certificate or training certification. However, when teaching or educational efforts focus on finances or health, certain credentials or experience may be required.

tutorships

Within the teaching and educational opportunities are tutoring opportunities, particularly when the focus is educating people in academic subjects that can improve their standard of living by creating greater job opportunities, such as English and mathematics. Mentoring can be done in connection with a particular community service project or on a long-term basis through a community improvement organization. In many cases, volunteers find tutoring more rewarding than teaching or educating because it gives them a closer look at a student’s progress.