Opportunities to help?

[fetus]

I feel like I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I'm not sure, so I'm starting a thread here.

I want opportunities to heal the world, but I don't have many right now. Most of the opportunities lie in the future. I'm going to go into elementary education and hopefully spend some time teaching in the poor parts of the inner city. I'd also like to join the Peace Corps and help overseas. But that's all in the future. Because I'm not able to do most things yet, I've had to come up with some unconventional solutions, such as holding up inspirational signs at subway stations. I can't do those month-long overseas teen things because I spend summers volunteering at camps. It seems like there isn't much for me to do. I don't want to be a slacktivist. I don't want to just take up space in this world, just breathe in oxygen and never offer any of myself. You know?

Does anyone have any ideas for inspiration that I can do? All suggestions are welcome. I do not want to leave this world empty.

 

[Yama]

Are there any community gardens in your area? I went to one last week and helped out. We worked in the fields and then they [the people who organize it] offered free locally-grown food for anyone who wanted to take it. It's a nice community- and environment-related possibility.

 

[Hawthorne]

Look into whether your school has a Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Essentially mentoring younger (usually middle school?) students and acting as a role model for them. Sometimes elementary schools have extended day reading programs. Food banks and the Red Cross will often take day volunteers. Usually simple sorting/packaging or secretarial work at first but the more you do it the more involved you can become. Public libraries sometimes take volunteers in the afternoons where you could read to a group of younger (elementary aged?) or monitor them in a computer lab.

If you live near a college campus, they usually have clubs and various advocacy groups. Shoot some of them an email saying that you're a high school student but would like to get more involved in your community and if they have any meetings or events you could attend. I distinctly remember there being some high schoolers who helped us clean up some local parks and springs. Some also helped with escorting or supporting women who attended one of the two "planned parenthood" esque clinics still left in the state at that time. They often liked when people made supportive posters to drown out the negativity of some of the protesters.

One of my favorites was dog walking. I really love dogs. Animal shelters and humane societies are just good places to look in general.

Just some things that have worked for me in the past.

oh. don't most schools have Kiwanis Key Clubs? never got into that but i heard decent things about them.

edit: Yes, community gardens are another good one. never did it myself but i knew several who did and found the work very satisfying.

 

[somesmallhistory]

If you are part of a faith organization, that's usually a good place to find opportunities. There's child care, playing an instrument, doing tech for services(PowerPoint), or homeless outreach a lot at faith based places.

Also a lot of these things at schools and college campuses. After school programs for kids. I used to go to one in the inner city that fed kids in a poor neighborhood supper and there was kind of a play and interaction hour before the meal. People were happy just to see me there, and I didn't really even do much technically great stuff. I was just kind of there interacting and getting kids games to play and etc. I found out about this opportunity online through a college job search board.

Tutoring and mentoring at a community college. Sometimes this is paid job, other times, it's a volunteer type thing.