Thinking about a volunteer position in psychology? Here's some information that can help!

Volunteering provides an opportunity for psychology majors to apply the knowledge they are acquiring in the classroom to the real world environment. Volunteering can also help to enhance one's employment marketability or make a student a more appealing graduate school candidate. But how do you know if a volunteer position is the right fit for you? What are some typical volunteer settings for psychology majors? And where can you find out more about volunteer opportunities related to the field of psychology?

There are several factors to consider before committing yourself to a volunteer position or experience.

First, since volunteer positions are unpaid you will not receive any monetary compensation however the intrinsic rewards will be abundant. You will be serving an organization and its clientele while benefiting from knowing that you are "making a difference" and helping others.

Second, prior to saying yes to a volunteer opportunity be sure to inquire about the time commitment required. Will you be required to put in a a certain number of hours per week? Is the volunteer position a long-term commitment or more short term? Once the "time commitment" question is answered assess the number of hours you have available each week and whether you are able to meet this commitment based on your obligations and scheduling needs.

Third, find out what you'll be doing in the volunteer position. This will help to ensure that at least some of the duties of the volunteer experience correlate with the learning outcomes you are hoping to achieve through the position.

A diverse range of organizational settings exist for psychology majors who are looking to pursue a volunteer position. If you are thinking about a career in a specific sub-field of psychology you can try to secure a volunteer position that relates to this specialization. For example, if you're interested in Industrial/Organizational Psychology may wish to volunteer with a company's human resources office. Or if you're thinking about a career in Clinical Psychology perhaps volunteering in a mental health clinic would be a good fit. Below is a list of possible volunteer psychology settings you may want to consider:

• Eating Disorder Treatment Centers
• Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
• Gerontology facilities
• Senior centers
• Hospitals
• Mental Health Clinics
• Teen and Youth Centers
• Teen Hot Lines
• Psychologist/Psychiatrist Offices
• Non-profit agencies serving individuals with mental health issues
• Business and Industry Human Resources departments
• Rehabilitation Centers
• College or University Counseling Centers
• Research Laboratories
• Shelters for women or children in distress
• Social Service agencies

Some websites to search for volunteer opportunities that match your goals, interests, and geographic preference are:

Cool Works Volunteerism  http://www.coolworks.com.volunteer
Global Volunteers  http://globalvolunteers.org
Smart Volunteer  http://smartvolunteer.org
U.S. Government National Volunteer  http://volunteer.gov/gov
Volunteer Match http://www.volunteermatch.org

Adapted from Wegenek and Buskist."The Insider's Guide to the Psychology Major" 2010. 

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