Are you interested in volunteering? Find the right place here

Do you have some time to spare? would you like to meet new people and learn a few new skills? Have you considered volunteering? Many of us will easily donate to charities or support them financially, but becoming an active member of an organisation's committee or freely volunteering our time and energy is a different thing, and one less common. One of the main struggles associations face, is to find volunteers. From my experience the issue is not so much that people are not ready to volunteer, it's that it can be complicated to find where to do so. There is of course an added complication linked to the fact that if you don't speak French at all, it can make it harder still. So for those of you interested in lending a helping hand, or even also in creating a network in a specific field as well as learning some new skills, it's a fantastic option. Here are some ideas to get you started:

benevoljobs.ch is website is the go-to website to see what opportunities are out there, simply select your region. Associations put the help they need on the site for free and you can apply to the ones you feel interested in. You can select English as the language but some posts will still appear in French as they have not been translated. Cartons du coeur is a wonderful Swiss-wide initiative that requires no specific language, simply your help. They deliver meals to those in need and always need more hands on deck, there is more than enough work to do. Find out all about them here, their website is clear, user-friendly and fully in English as well as many other languages. The commune of Nyon has an impressive list of associations that exist in the area and that you can access here. Most will probably be happy with extra hands people, it's always worth asking if you find one or two in your field of interest. The downside is that you see the name of the association but not much more. You will need to do some extra research to increase your knowledge of your selected options. Benevolat Vaud is an organisation that supports associations and facilitates the finding of volunteers for them amongst many other services. Have a look at their French website here. If you are unsure where your skills are best put to use, simply give them a call on 021 313 24 00 and ask for a meeting to discuss volunteering opportunities for yourself. Several of their staff speak English and they will meet you in order to discuss your specific context, and connect you with the most relevant associations directly. Wishing you all a wonderful start to the winter season heading our way!