Welcome @Ronda Carter @Timothy Idowu @Melissa O connell @Linda Ogundipe @Sara Aly @Muralitharan Dinushkanth @Princess Mina to this community! I am so happy you are here. Please introduce yourselves at the 📌 Pinned Welcome Post 📌 and follow along as this community is growing. New resources are added regularly, and please let me know if there is anything that I, or members of this community, can help you with.

Hi everybody, Many younger volunteers follow Facebook or Instagram groups to find volunteering ideas and opportunities. They share ideas, post questions, and let volunteer seekers know that they are available for short-term volunteering or longer-term volunteering. I do follow many of those groups. Just to keep track of what is happening in the 'international volunteering/gapyear' world. But I also see many 'not so good' things. Voluntourism, shiny Instagram short-term volunteering aka photo shoots, helping orphanages/vulnerable children without awareness of the effects on the children and community, and so on. I am sure we will have many talks about this in this community. 💬 But what I need your help with is reaching out to volunteers on other social media platforms like TikTok. I am not good at social media in general; I am trying to keep up with my kids (17 & 15), and I know that many volunteers aged 17-25 are not on Facebook, Instagram, or maybe even Skool. Please share the About Page link wherever you see fit, or if you know a suitable platform in your respective countries 🙏 https://www.skool.com/the-volunteer-lounge/about All help is greatly appreciated!

Over the years, I helped raise funds for projects in Flores, Indonesia. The organizations work with local communities on education, healthcare, disability inclusion, clean water access, and creating opportunities for people living in remote villages. These projects are very close to my heart. Seeing the impact of even small fundraising efforts taught me something important: 💡 Fundraising isn't just about money. It's about connecting people. It's about creating opportunities. It's about giving communities the resources they need to build a better future themselves. One of the things I loved most was seeing how people from different countries, backgrounds, and cultures came together around a shared goal: making a positive difference. Those experiences shaped how I view volunteering today. They showed me that meaningful impact doesn't always come from huge organizations or massive budgets. Sometimes it starts with one conversation, one fundraiser, one donor, or one volunteer who decides to take action. I'd love to hear from you: 👉 Have you ever raised funds for a volunteer project, charity, school, community initiative, or nonprofit?👉 What was the biggest lesson you learned from the experience? Share your story below. I'd love to learn about the causes that matter to you.

This community is for you, and I want to make it as valuable, supportive, and helpful as possible. I'd love to hear: ✨ What do you hope to get from this group? ✨ What challenges are you facing right now? ✨ What topics would you like us to discuss? ✨ What resources, trainings, checklists, or events would help you? ✨ What would make this community feel like a place you want to keep coming back to? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. No idea is too small. If there's something you'd like to see here, ask for it! And here's the best part: even if I can't personally provide what you're looking for, someone else in this community may have experience, resources, advice, or connections that can help. This post will stay pinned so we can collect everyone's ideas, wishes, and suggestions in one place and make sure every voice is heard. "Whether you're preparing for a volunteer adventure, currently abroad, recently returned, or supporting someone who is, your perspective matters here." 👇 Drop your thoughts below!