Photo courtesy of Humans of Volunteering
Humans of Volunteering is an organization based in India that aims to promote the power of volunteering and its impact on communities by publicly sharing stories that highlight volunteer journeys. The organization was created in the wake of the growing need for more humane societies and a desire to bring about positive change through volunteerism.
Humans of Volunteering works cooperatively with Good Deeds Day, a peak event of year-round doing good activities, initiated by businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison. On this special day, millions of people take part in 109 countries across the globe. Gearing up for Good Deeds Day 2023, Humans of Volunteering plans to run Meals for Good, an initiative where volunteers will bring home cooked meals to people with limited resources across India.
The power of personal stories
One of the unique aspects of Humans of Volunteering is their emphasis on personal stories. When people share their own individual real life stories and let others understand why they made the choice to volunteer and how it has positively impacted their lives, they serve as inspirations to others. Volunteers talk openly about their experiences and challenges during live events and via social media.
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While there is a lot of this kind of storytelling going on around the world, in India no group had been spreading volunteer journey stories. Launched in 2020, Humans of Volunteering has since shared close to 200 volunteer stories.
“The stories help demonstrate the belief that volunteering has the power to bring people together and create a more empathetic, kind and supportive world. There is no set criteria to be featured as a volunteer on Humans of Volunteering, anyone can send us their stories and be featured. Sometimes an inspiring story describing just one hour of a volunteer journey can be as inspiring as someone who has volunteered for 1,000 hours,” Ashutosh Sharma, Storyteller at Humans of Volunteering told Goodnet. Sharma has been associated with Good Deeds Day since 2016, through his work with IVolunteer and he has personally been volunteering for over a decade.
Working together for change
In addition to providing a platform for volunteers to share their stories, Humans of Volunteering also collaborates with a variety of organizations in India including Robin Hood Army, Dhanak Paathshala Bansa Community Library, SADRAG, Teedhi Lakeer, Aangan for All, SADAY, Jeevan Stambh, Revolution Minds, Sunday Classes, Achal Foundation and Let's Spread Love.
By working together, they amplify the impact of their efforts and achieve bigger goals. They also seek to promote the idea of volunteering by participating in events and workshops, and engaging with local communities. To do this, they focus on providing space and structure for volunteers to align around a shared goal and work together. They also provide links within the volunteer community and between different organizations, which helps volunteers achieve their goals and share information and ideas.
Humans of Volunteering is a unique endeavor that is growing the power of volunteering. Volunteers who talk openly about their volunteer journeys are inspirational and lead the way to true change.
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Good Deeds Day, an annual global day of doing good, is the pinnacle of doing good year-round. Initiated in 2007 by business woman and philanthropist Shari Arison, Good Deeds Day has grown to 110 countries with millions of participants. Good Deeds Day 2023 is on April 16.
