Volunteering: a Step-By-Step Guide
To make a meaningful impact with Project Friendship, it’s essential to understand what we truly need and how that aligns with your personal goals. Here’s an updated volunteering guide to help you explore how you can contribute meaningfully to our community.
Step 1. Read Through This Guide.
Take the time to carefully read this guide to understand our mission, values, and current needs. It will help you see how your unique skills can benefit the community.
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Step 2. Become an Active Member of Our Community.
a) Attend Monthly Events: The first and most crucial way to support Project Friendship is by attending our events and actually living in the community. Because you can’t really help us grow if you don’t know or love it. Â
Why this matters: To support us effectively, it’s important to understand the essence of our events, the community we’re building, and the spirit of Project Friendship. It will help you gain insight into where your unique contribution could fit in.
b) Engage in Our Online Community: Our community extends beyond in-person events through our Facebook group. This is where members share plans for smaller meetups, stay connected, and build friendships. Engage in discussions, share resources, start conversations about relevant topics.
c) Attend a Mini Social or Host Your Own:Â a key way to support Project Friendship is by hosting a mini social. Hosting shows your commitment to building community, shows leadership and helps create opportunities for others to connect, fostering an inclusive environment.
Step 3. Understand Our Needs & Your Goals.Â
Now that you’re an active member of our community, it’s time to think about how you’d like to contribute. Do you have a fresh idea that could enhance Project Friendship, or would you prefer to help with one of our current needs? Choose what resonates most with your skills, passions, and goals.
a) Share Your Own Idea:
If you’ve been inspired by your time in the community and have a unique idea to enhance Project Friendship, we want to hear it! Whether it’s a big project or a small contribution, your perspective and skills could bring something truly special to our mission. Don’t hold back—your ideas matter.
b) Help With Our Ongoing Needs:
If you’d rather jump into an existing area of need, here are some impactful areas and ways you can contribute:
Content Creation.
- Street Interviews: Use your interviewing skills to connect with people and capture authentic stories about friendship, social life, and life abroad. These real stories help amplify our mission in a relatable way.
- Lo-fi Event Documentation: If you’ve got an eye for capturing moments, help document the magic of our events with photos and videos. Simple, authentic snapshots bring the spirit of our community to life for a wider audience.
- Video Editing: Refine our video podcast episodes with your editing skills, creating polished, engaging content that aligns with our vision.
Event Hosting
- Become a Get-Together Guide: Take the lead in hosting weekly or monthly mini socials (depending on your availability). As a guide, you’ll create a warm, welcoming space and help attendees build meaningful connections, following the PF framework.
Public Relations
- Media Outreach: Use your networking and communication skills to help Project Friendship connect with local media. By identifying relevant publications, crafting pitches, and building relationships, you can help expand our visibility and impact.
Each role is vital to growing and enriching our community, so take the time to find what aligns best with your talents and what excites you the most.
Step 4. Clarify Your Proposal.
When the time comes to pitch your idea, be specific, show impact, and outline your approach. Remember:
DOs:
- Be specific and clear about your idea.
- Focus on how it benefits the community.
- Highlight your relevant skills and flexibility.
DON’Ts:
- Avoid vague offers like, “How can I help?”
- Don’t overpromise or focus on self-promotion.
Step 5. Submit Your Application.
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We’re currently in an exciting phase of growth and restructuring with the addition of a new cofounder! While we’re not ready to take volunteer applications just yet, we’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in getting involved in the future. Simply send us an email at [email protected], and we’ll keep you in mind for when we’re ready to accept applications.
Thank you for your patience and enthusiasm as we work to grow Project Friendship into something even more impactful.