📢 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – SYNERGY ONE HEALTH EXPERT (SOHE)
And Why Doing the Job Right Matters
Volunteering is often seen as an act of generosity—giving your time, effort, and heart to a cause that matters. But behind every meaningful act of service is a set of vital skills that transform a kind gesture into a real, lasting impact. Whether you’re helping to pack food parcels, sort donations, tutor a child, or build shelters, volunteering is a skill-based contribution. And when it’s not done properly, the consequences can be frustrating and counterproductive for everyone involved.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what volunteering skills really are, why they matter, and how we can all be better volunteers—reliable, responsible, and ready to give our best.
Volunteering skills are the capabilities, behaviours, and attitudes you bring to a service task. They include both hard skills—like carpentry, writing, computer literacy, or cooking—and soft skills such as teamwork, time management, attention to detail, and communication.
Even simple tasks require skill. For example:
These skills are often developed over time, but every volunteer can start by practicing attentiveness, respect for instruction, and taking pride in their work.
Here are some of the core skills that make someone a great volunteer:
Many volunteer tasks come with clear guidelines to ensure safety, fairness, and efficiency. A major frustration for organisers is when volunteers ignore or skim over instructions. This results in work needing to be redone—costing time, resources, and sometimes compromising the dignity or safety of the recipient.
Tip: Listen carefully, ask questions if unsure, and double-check your work.
If you commit to a task or sign up for an event, your presence and participation matter. Non-attendance or poor follow-through disrupts the entire flow of the volunteering day and can affect the morale of the team.
Tip: Treat your volunteer work like a real job. Arrive on time, stay the full duration, and do what you agreed to.
Small mistakes can lead to big problems. For example, sealing a bag of food without checking for leaks can cause spillage and waste. Placing the wrong items in a donation pack can offend the recipient or make it unusable.
Tip: Slow down, follow the checklist, and take pride in precision.
Volunteering is often a group effort. Being able to work with others—respectfully and collaboratively—is crucial. Volunteers who want to “do it their own way” often create confusion and break down systems put in place by coordinators.
Tip: Be flexible. Share tasks, respect group dynamics, and support one another.
Sometimes things go wrong. Supplies run out, weather changes, or the space gets too crowded. Volunteers who stay calm, suggest solutions, or offer to help elsewhere are invaluable.
Tip: Keep a positive mindset and be willing to adapt when needed.
Whether you’re working with animals, children, or vulnerable adults, a kind and respectful attitude goes a long way. Even when your task is behind the scenes, the energy you bring matters.
Tip: Always remember the “why” behind what you’re doing. It’s not about you—it’s about the people or causes you’re serving.
While volunteering is meant to be a positive, rewarding experience, the reality is that sometimes the work has to be redone—often by the coordinators, or worse, by other volunteers.
This is not just inconvenient. It’s frustrating. It wastes precious resources, creates more work for already-overloaded staff, and reduces the effectiveness of the outreach. Most importantly, it diminishes the dignity of the people we’re trying to help.
Good intentions alone are not enough. Volunteering is a partnership—and with every opportunity comes responsibility.
Many young people volunteer to earn active service hours, and that’s a great thing. Platforms like Volunteer Now exist to provide structured, verified, and safe opportunities for this. But it’s not just about checking a box—it’s about building character and learning life skills.
When students rush through tasks, do the bare minimum, or don’t listen to instructions, they’re not truly gaining from the experience. They’re missing the opportunity to grow, contribute, and build their own credibility.
Volunteering teaches:
These are all things that will benefit students long after their service hours are completed.
It’s important for coordinators and organisations to create an environment where volunteers are set up for success. This includes:
When volunteers feel valued and informed, they are more likely to take the work seriously and do it well.
Volunteering is a privilege, not a chore. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful and to offer your best self to others. That means bringing your skills, your attention, and your respect to every task—no matter how small.
At Volunteer Now, we believe every act of service matters. But not all service is equal. Doing the job right—with care, skill, and heart—is what turns good intentions into real-world change.
So next time you sign up for a Volunteering Day, ask yourself:
Because ultimately, true volunteering isn’t just about showing up—it’s about stepping up.
Join us at www.volunteernow.co.za to find your next Volunteering Day. Let’s build a community of skilled, thoughtful, and impactful volunteers—together.