Volunteering

[happyfilmluvguy]

Volunteering can get interesting. Not just for you but for everyone around you. For the past few months I have been volunteering for a film making workshop for kids with autism. The workshop is ran by Joey Travolta, the older brother of John Travolta. From February to this month I have been on a course of teaching and learning various aspects of film making as well as lending my time probably more than I should be. But you know what? I don't care. I have been given a few paying jobs along the way, and I know I work hard on everything I do.

I've worked along side people who are in a difficult position and some of them don't really notice. In the class many of the students are older than me, but have down sydrome, cerebral palsy, among other things, but they are good people. They look up to me and I enjoy that. For anyone familiar with video cameras, I've probably used over 30 tapes in the months I've been there, capturing behind the scenes, almost every minute of this workshop.

This past weekend was the near end of the line. For the last month we've been working on getting together a script, a schedule, a cast, among other things and were about to actually make the film that has been longed to be done. The students seemed ready, and when Friday came, we were to start in the late morning. It was pretty rough having to shoot a film in three days. I used 3 tapes a day on one camera and probably 2 for another. I wanted to get everything. I wanted to make sure that when someone saw this, they would see what a good program it is.

The students worked various small jobs, running erons, saying action, holding cords, loading and unloading equipment. Everything they did, I was there filming it. Joey told me he wanted a little short video about the program to show before the final film. I wanted to get all of these tapes on my computer as soon as possible. I just bought a very large hard drive to fit it all on. I'm pushing 2 other jobs and have a meeting on Wednesday for another. I've been told that it isn't worth it. Paying jobs first, volunteer second. But is it that much to take time to basically give your skills away for no fee?

Well, even if I'm not being paid for this, that's not going to stop me from doing a good job. I'll do more than I need to just to make sure that they get something worth while, and it's really the same with making a movie. Why use a lot of money to make a bad movie and use little for a good one? I don't think I'm commiting a crime working hard for no pay. I'm only 22 and I have time to make my first million. That isn't to say I will always work for no money. If I feel I am being taken advantage of, I'll back out instantly. I won't work hard for someone who doesn't work hard themselves, and I've been in that situation. I like being paid for doing what I love and I am already at that point. I'll stand my ground if I'm not being given what is deserved. There is a time and place and I felt here was an opportunity worth taking advantage of. If it doesn't get me anywhere, I won't do it again. It's as simple as that. So as far as volunteering goes, I'm working, not volunteering, money or no money.

 

[Twitch]

Lemme be the first to say "good for you" Filmguy.

 

[HungaryTom]

Filmluvguy

You seem to practice and thus understand the deeper meaning of Arts AND Humanities...

 

[PADDY]

It's very rewarding.

I do a lot of work helping people with long term illnesses and moderate to severe mental health conditions. It's very rewarding to be able to put your own skills and experience to good use in helping others who need a helping hand. As it could be any of us who one day need the help and assistance of others.

And it develops your own skills and experience. So TRY IT..

 

[katiemakeup]

How admirable. When I was in high school, I volunteered for a bit to work with the homeless. It can be tough, but usually rewarding.

 

[Paisley]

The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

I've been in a couple of positions where I was voluteering but didn't feel as though I was appreciated. I was president of a couple of clubs where a few of us did everything, and nobody else wanted to pull any weight. I also tutored a girl whose family, it turned out, could have easily hired a tutor and might have taken it more seriously if they'd have had some skin in the game.

I do get satisfaction of out donating blood. Nobody wants it if they don't need it! I also volunteered at a nursing home last weekend. I brought my dog, Molly, and we saw a frail lady who never had visitors. The look on her face when she petted Molly nearly brought tears to my eyes!

 

[Ben]

Volunteering is always tough, but always worth it. If nothing else, it can teach you to set boundaries and learn when you must say no even if you don't want to, as Paisley pointed out.

But it sounds like you have found a great opportunity, HappyFilm. You get to develop skills, as Paddy pointed out, and even add to your portfolio of work. I think that is probably a great example of good karma.

But, it seems to me that the best part about volunteering, especially for the right tasks, is that we all get the reward of living in a better world.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Thank you . I'm glad to see others have volunteered as well.

Anyone else volunteer?

Another thing it's taught me is timing. I've been bad with timing. In some cases I had only a few minutes to interview people. On Sunday we were filming at a high school and some of the film students there were helping out by being background students in a classroom scene. 5 minutes before they needed to be on set, I gathered them all, lined them up, short in front, tall in back, asked four questions, and a minute later they were on set. I felt proud (without the ego) after that. lol

It was tough but I planned out everything I could, and finished in no time. Sometimes it's fun to challenge yourself. Volunteering can be a challenge, not just for the work that you are given but to accept the fact you aren't being paid to do it. The good thing is that I have 3 weeks to finish that short video. In one of the paying jobs I have only one week. But that one requires a bit less creativity.

 

[Diamondback]

I donate a lot of time at an elementary school on one of the local military bases (my aunt works there), and I've also been known to take on research projects free of charge during the long, slow stretches between paying contracts. (Although, the latter could be seen as "taking them to make sure I keep my skills honed"...)

I also work on the local Special Olympics.

 

[Brooksie]

I have volunteered off and on through out my life: When I was in high school I belonged to Sea Scouts we always were volunteering, one year we went out an delivered food baskets to homes of the needy on Thanksgiving.

I used to work at a salon and everybody that worked there would all get together once a month on our day off and go to the care facility for the elderly and give them hand massages.

Also a while back I volunteered (for 6 months, one day a week) at the International Refugee Center of Oregon and I tutored refugees how to read, write and speak English.

Hmmmm...... this thread reminds me it is time to start volunteering again.

Brooksie

 

[Cobden]

I used to do some volunteer work, before I moved to another country (I have since moved back, but to a different county), but alas, nothing quite as worthwhile. One little job was teaching an elderly residents to use computers, another was as a Porter on one of Britain's many preserved steam railways. There are other things I want to get involved with in the future

 

[Riposte3]

10+ years on Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad (and still at it)! Eight hours a week minimum, plus the classroom hours to maintain my certification. It varies from "you called 9-1-1 at 3am for a sunburn!?" (yes, that call actually happened to me) to "oh, wow, I think we actually saved his life!" (unfortunately rare).

-Jake

 

[Josephine]

I donate blood, I've "manned" the infant room at church, and I'm a Junior Girl Scout Leader. Trying to give girls the confidence to stand on their own and not rely on cliques.

 

[Ecuador Jim]

Kudos to all

No matter how thankless volunteering may seem, the people who receive the value from it are enriched, and those who participate are enriched beyond measure.

I used to get angry when only a few did the real work and others took the credit. It's never about the credit. A few years ago I was officiating at a local Special Olympics event. A young boy came up behind me and tugged on my elbow. I turned and he said "Thank you for doing this for us."

I think I floated for the rest of the day.

 

[Bebop]

Very nice, Happyfilmluvguy. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

I have done a lot of volunteering. I started when I was a kid volunteering at the animal shelters in my area. Later in life, when AIDS hit so many people I knew, I volunteered without even thinking that I was volunteering. I took in pets, became a driver for those too sick to get to Dr. appts., fed people, dealt with legal issues, angry parents, funeral sevices for people I did not even know. I always feel that I recieve much more from volunteering than I can possibly give.
This makes me feel like I'm patting myself on the back and that does not feel right. Volunteering should be like donating. It should be done anonymously.

 

[Vintage Betty]

Happyfilmluvguy: good for you! And how lucky they are to have you!

They joy and satisfaction you get from this project will carry over to your other projects, don't ya think?

I've volunteered from a young age with my family, so it's something I grew up doing. I've pretty much always volunteered.

At my peak I've had 17 volunteer webmaster positions for non-profits at the same time. I created and donated about 35 websites total.

Probably some of the most interesting was giving free in-home massages to AIDs patients right after AIDs started. I was trained in massage and no one wanted to volunteer for massage, due to the imagined health risk of touching someone with AIDs during that era.

I also was on the board of a free community-wide health fair for 5000 low-income people. We gave 15 free health screenings to each person, free toothbrushes, first aid kits, bicycle helmets etc.

I've also spent the last 4 years trying to bring free healthcare to California's children.

I do what I can when I can, and I really enjoy it.

And Bebop, if we can discuss volunteering, maybe it will incent someone to volunteer themselves! Go to www.volunteermatch.org to fin out how your community needs YOU!

Vintage Betty

 

[Bebop]

And Bebop, if we can discuss volunteering, maybe it will incent someone to volunteer themselves! Go to www.volunteermatch.org to fin out how your community needs YOU!

Vintage Betty

I agree with you. I was speaking too much on a personal level. I thank you for pointing it out.

The greatest satisfaction I have ever recieved from "work" has been by giving without expecting anything in return. If you have not volunteered, you are missing out on a euphoria unlike any other.

 

[PeeWee]

I have some elderly neighbors on my street, and enjoy lending a hand whenever I can. I find it very rewarding.

 

[gluegungeisha]

Ooh, great thread! Good for you, everyone!

Lessee...I started getting into the helping-people thing when I was in fifth grade. My elementary school had an absolutely horrible program for the really young kids who were mentally disabled -- pretty much no staff at all. I used to help them out. I got training on what to do if one of the girls had a seizure (she had to wear a helmet at all times during school) at age 10.

In late middle school, I joined a little organization called Angel's Acts of Kindness. It was basically centered around random acts of kindness. Once we figured out a bunch of disabled seniors in the city who needed food bags from the food bank. We delivered their food...with flowers and our company. They really appreciated that.

My advisory class in high school decided that it would be a good idea to start volunteering at a local soup kitchen, serving food.

Now I'm a member of the Sustainable Global Leadership Alliance. I'm the baby of the group. In the spring, we all took a trip to India to do some volunteer work in the slums. We also visited schools from a few poorer villages, and worked in an orphan village for Tibetan refugees. That was probably the most interesting, educational and rewarding experience I've had.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I thought I would share with everyone a 14 minute video that sums up the 6 months I was a part of the workshop. Please take the time to view it. It feels like 5 minutes.

Inclusion Films Featurette

Enjoy.

Anyone else volunteering or have?

I don't know how long it has been a requirement but when I was in high school and that was only 4 years ago, as a senior you had to do a certain amount of hours volunteering.