Become a volunteer by asking these 5 questions

April is National Volunteer Month and is the perfect time to extend a big thank you to the roughly 63 million Americans who cumulatively spend 7.8 billion hours a year volunteering. Are you interested in joining the ranks of this awesome volunteer workforce yourself?

If you’d like to be a volunteer but don’t know where to start, try using the five W’s — who, what, where, when and why — to discover the opportunity that’s right for you.

Who?
Ask yourself who you’d like to help. It could be homeless people, refugees, children, animals, senior citizens or those who have a disability.

Alternatively, you can ask yourself who you are and how your unique skillset could be of service to your community. If you’re an accountant, you could volunteer to help a local charity balance their books. If you’re a chef, you might contribute your skills at a soup kitchen.

What?
Figure out what volunteer opportunities are available. Ask friends, family members, neighbors and colleagues if they’re aware of volunteer opportunities that would be suited to your talents. Or, you could look online to find out what volunteer opportunities are available.

One excellent online resource is Points of Light (pointsoflight.org), where you can search for local volunteer opportunities and connect with 250 volunteer action centers nationwide. A couple of other great sites — each teeming with volunteer opportunities — are serve.gov and volunteermatch.org.

When?
Determine when you’re available to do volunteer work. If you have a busy schedule, set reasonable expectations — an hour a week might be doable for some whereas others might only have a few days a year they can set aside for volunteering. Start with a small commitment and increase your contribution when and if you can.

Where?
Volunteering close to home usually makes the most sense. Plus, volunteering in your neighborhood allows you to strengthen your connection with your community.

Why?
Why should you volunteer? That’s easy! Volunteering is personally rewarding and has a positive impact on your community. You’re sure to find this out first-hand once you get started.