Christopher Sahliyeh’s Tips on Getting Started with Volunteering

A true humanitarian, Christopher Sahliyeh has a long history of volunteer experience. He has volunteered with a variety of local agencies around his hometown of Dallas, Texas. Some of Christopher Sahliyeh’s recent volunteer commitments include the Dallas chapter of Big Brother Big Sister and the Genesis Women’s Shelter.

Christopher Sahliyeh understands the importance of giving back to your community. He finds volunteer work to be rewarding when he can see the direct impact of his work, and knows that he is truly making a difference in his community.

When searching for a new volunteer opportunity, Christopher Sahliyeh recommends being flexible in your interests. Don’t be afraid to try volunteering in a variety of fields, even if some of them are outside of your comfort zone. Christopher Sahliyeh knows that you can be pleasantly surprised by an opportunity that you might have initially not been interested in. Some of Christopher Sahliyeh’s most enjoyable volunteer experiences came from situations that he was hesitant to explore. However, after working in those fields, Christopher Sahliyeh discovered several new interests. Christopher Sahliyeh also reminds potential volunteers that they are free to leave the position at any time if they feel that it is not the right fit. The beauty to volunteer work is that there are no contracts involved, so volunteers are able to come and go as they please.

Christopher Sahliyeh also recommends volunteering with a friend. Volunteering with someone else helps both of you to stay motivated, especially if you have fun in your position. Working with a friend also provides a great social outlet, and assists in creating relationships with other volunteers. As people tend to be more social in groups, volunteering with a friend can increase your social network with other volunteers. Even if you choose to work alone, the nature of volunteering is based in sociality. Volunteering enables you to find like-minded people, who share your passion for giving back. Christopher Sahliyeh has made many acquaintances and friendships during his time as a volunteer, and feels that his social network has significantly expanded since starting his volunteer work.

Additionally, Christopher Sahliyeh reminds you to persevere with your new volunteer position. There might be some unpleasant experiences along the way, but that does not mean that your whole experience will be negative. When you do encounter difficulties, try to reframe the situation in a more positive light and learn from it.

Resources:

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

http://www.volunteerguide.org/