Any Volunteer Opportunities over the Holidays?

Daily Life, Swiss News and General Topics
1
Just wondering if there are any opportunities for people who want to volunteer their time over the holidays (soup kitchens, etc)? Thanks!

2

EF search function is your friend.

Where to volunteer on Christmas day?

3
New Years Eve there is the Neujahrsmarathon in Zurich. They are also always looking for people. If you want to go to the mountains (and can ski), there are some opportunities on Swiss volunteers 26-28.12. and beginning of Jan.

4
Don't forget that homeless people aren't just for christmas.

5
The Pfuusbus is a project from Stiftung Sozialwerke Pfarrer Ernst Sieber that offers homeless folks in Zürich an emergency place to sleep, warm food, as well as community support.

(The 'bus' part is exactly that - a truck rigged out with sleeping places and al kitchen. During the winter they encourage folks sleeping rough to come in from the cold.)

Help is needed in several capacities:

http://www.pfuusbus.ch/spenden-und-h...willigenarbeit

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You can read more about the the Pfuusbus and their aims here:

http://www.swsieber.ch/bereiche/pfuu...tellt-sich-vor

And Stiftung Sozialwerke Pfarrer Ernst Sieber (SWS) here:

http://www.swsieber.ch/informationen...k-und-leitbild

Note that this organization has a religious orientation. (Reformierte Kirche I think.)

6
Also, Nez Rouge Zürich:

http://nezrougezuerich.ch/portal/freiwillige.html

7
That's info from 2010, with posts like: "You might want to call this person - they are organising a Christmas Eve function and need all the help they can get: ........."

I'm sure they just luv getting a call six years later ...

8
The Red Cross Zürich needs help with the following:

https://www.srk-zuerich.ch/srk/Ich-m...fw_gesucht.php

And Pro Senectute Zürich: (An organization focused on senior citizen issues.)

http://pszh.ch/ihr-engagement/freiwillig-engagiert/

A group I just stumbled upon as I was looking for another address, Nachbarschaftshilfe Zürich. It seems to be organized by Kreis, the idea is you connect with folks nearby who need a hand. I don't really know much more about this group, but perhaps worth investigating.

http://www.nachbarschaftshilfe.ch

If you are so inclined, the various Zürich Tierheim might be in need of extra help, especially as regular dog walkers might be out of town during the holidays. Tierheim Surber (the good folks from whom my Heffalump came) comes to mind, but ask others as well. Silvesternacht is an especially stressful time for animals in shelters due to the fireworks, perhaps there might be need for extra hands that night.

9
I might see if I can post this automatically at this time every year.

10
I understand, Mirfield. Volunteering should be driven by a true desire to help, by a passion for the mission of the group you are helping. It shouldn't be about ego, nor, doG help us, a check box on a CV.

However... we all have to start somewhere.

Many folks find themselves at loose ends over the holidays, especially those of us who have no families in Switzerland. And of course it's a reflective time of year, giving us the impetus to come out of our nose-to-the-grindstone shells, count our blessings, and re-engage with the wider world.

Volunteering over the holidays is something of a natural - and organizations whose workload increases during that time are often glad of extra hands.

Hopefully that holiday volunteer stint will plant a seed and lead to more committed engagement.

I couldn't sleep one Advent night, aimlessly googled * searched for dog rescues thinking I might do 'something vaguely helpful' that Christmas...

That was 20-some years and many many dogs ago.

* Can't remember if google had even been invented back then...

11

Hadn’t heard of this bus idea before and then lo and behold what comes up on the BBC news tonight? Someone on the Isle of Wight has come up with the idea of a sleeping/accommodation bus for the homeless. He’s bought and equipped a double decker with his own savings and crowdfunding.