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V o l u n t e e r i n g



VOLUNTEERS   ARE  BEAUTIFUL  PEOPLE

WHAT IS VOLUNTEERING?
Volunteering is the most fundamental act of citizenship and
philanthropy in our society. It is offering time, energy and skills of
one’s own free will. It is an extension of being a good neighbour,
transforming a collection of houses into a community, as people
become involved in the improvement of their surroundings and choose
to help others. By caring and contributing to change, volunteers
decrease suffering and disparity, while they gain skills, self-esteem,
and change their lives. People work to improve the lives of their
neighbours and, in return, enhance their own.
(Making a Case for Volunteer Centres, Volunteer Ontario, 1996.)

Volunteering is a great way to contribute to the global community and gain experience, and also fosters personal growth. Whether you would like to take a short volunteer vacation or a prolonged gap year,
Spanda Foundation provides challenging and affordable volunteer opportunities in international programmes. Indeed, volunteers are beautiful people. Bringing good people and good causes together is part of our mission. Let us help you find a cause that needs your help, because it's good to be beautiful.
Some of us, when considering careers, seek fame or fortune. Others seek rewards of a different type – the reward of helping those less fortunate than us. For those so inclined, there are a variety of volunteer options ranging from short-term commitments to a full-fledged career in the non-profit sector.

    Why volunteer?     People volunteer for a variety of reasons, you may be motivated by altruistic values, seek social justice, see service as a way to enable a democratic political system, or you may want to update your skills, be active, or improve your job prospects. Volunteering provides the opportunity to explore career fields that you might never have thought of and provides an opportunity
to give something to those in need, as well. Whatever your reason, we believe volunteering can transform you and the world around you.

15 Great Reasons to Volunteer

• Help others  • Make a difference  • Find purpose
• Enjoy a meaningful conversation  • Connect with your community
• Feel involved  • Contribute to a cause that you care about
• Use your skills in a productive way  • Develop new skills  
• Meet new people  • Explore new areas of interest
• Expand your horizons  • Make new friends
• Strengthen your resume
• Feel better about yourself

Part of being a volunteer is loving what you are doing. Find something that you are passionate about or something that inspires you, and then find a need in your community. There are dozens of reasons why you should volunteer – you just need to find the one that feels right. Helping others and making a difference are just two. Once you've figured out why to volunteer, we can help you find a great opportunity.

    What will I do? What type of work might I be doing?    Volunteers are involved in every area of Spanda's work, from general administration through to campaigning and research. We aim to give volunteers specific roles and projects that support the work of the Foundation and help volunteers develop their skills and experience. We recognise that people have many different reasons for wanting to volunteer and, where possible, we try to meet individual needs. There is no typical volunteer, but it helps if you are interested in cultural and global issues and can work effectively as part of a team.

    What will I gain from volunteering?     As a volunteer at Spanda you will develop new skills and gain valuable work experience, you will learn about culture, peacebuilding processes, conservation, environment, intercultural and interfaith issues, you will make new friends and meet like-minded people, and play an important part in the success of leading international programmes.

    What can I do after?    Volunteering can be the job of a lifetime or it can be part of your every day life. In fact, most people who volunteer do it in their spare time. That's not to say that a volunteer position can't become a full-time job. Many volunteers go on to find paid work in cultural and or non-profit organizations.

    Volunteer work     Even though you can be considered a volunteer, your position is still considered work and you may receive a paycheck, even though it might not be a big one. It depends on the position and the budgeting. At the least, you will have provided an immeasurable amount of support to those in need and will have gained a wealth of experience that will benefit your career. Spanda Foundation has a growing variety of volunteer opportunities in a wide range of areas. Volunteers are needed in our offices, at special events, in our cultural and education programmes, and in our 'garden’.
We provide orientation and training. In an effort to offer a broad spectrum of creative learning opportunities, Spanda continually seeks creative and innovative individuals to join our instructional team.

L O O K I N G   F O R   A N   O P P O R T U N I T Y ?

We have a number of ongoing opportunities:

C L I C K   H E R E !

    Internship opportunities    Spanda Foundation has a number of internships available throughout the year:

•  Marketing/Public-Relations Interns: Responsibilities include writing press releases; design and distribution of fliers and other materials;
market research; general administrative duties.
Please us a resume and cover letter.

•  Ongoing - Intern Positions. We often need help with specific projects or longer-term assistance. Positions include data entry, clerical tasks, programme support and a variety of writing, editing, research and library support functions. Submit your volunteer application, or us a resume and cover letter.

    Apply now!     We are very pleased that you are interested in being a vital part of Spanda Foundation. Our volunteers donate many hours each year and contribute to every aspect of the Foundation’s mission. The success of Spanda depends on the paid and unpaid staff who offer their talents and skills. We value highly the individuals like you who will make possible the Spanda's internationally respected contributions to culture, education, health, environment and research for the advancement of peace, knowledge and understanding. In order to volunteer you need to be within reasonable traveling distance to The Hague, Netherlands. Sometimes we might be able to pay lunch and travel expenses but we are not able to fund accommodation or relocation costs.

    Don't live near The Hague but would still like to volunteer?    Be a Virtual Volunteer! We will appreciate your contribution as:

•   Virtual translator – for documents such as newsletters, surveys, proposals, etc.

•   Virtual writing – editing, technical consulting, etc.

•   Virtual technical support – fundraising, strategic planning, marketing, web design, online research, etc.

Thank you for wanting to volunteer at Spanda Foundation.
If there was ever a time when you could help shape
the future of our Planet, the time is now.

Download our writable Volunteer application (PDF 440KB)and submit/return it to the email/address/fax provided.
This PDF file can be downloaded to your desktop, completed, and printed using the free version of Acrobat Reader. To fill out the form fields and save or email the completed form, you will need Adobe Approval 5.0 or the full version of Acrobat 5.0 or higher. 
We will then be able contact you directly when Spanda's needs match your skills and interests. Please keep in mind that supply of qualified volunteers sometimes exceeds demand for volunteers, meaning you may not receive an immediate placement.

    Don't have time?    You can still support volunteerism with a donation to Spanda Foundation. Donors are beautiful, too! Let your inner beauty shine by becoming a Spanda donor today!

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Spanda is a resource for innovative people.



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