While many think of volunteering as a nice way to get involved and give back to the community, others think of it as an escape.
For Kristie Thibodeaux, volunteering means beating the almost impossible job market.
Thibodeaux is an AmeriCorps*VISTA and the volunteer coordinator at the Greater Baton Rouge Habitat for Humanity.
AmeriCorps is a network of programs that, among other things, assigns Volunteers In Service To America, or VISTAs, to work full-time for one year at a non-profit organization.
“I originally got involved because the job market was kind of tough,” Thibodeaux said.
As an AmeriCorps*VISTA, Thibodeaux receives training, a living allowance, health insurance and relocation expenses if she is moved.
“It’s a good way to make contacts and start networking,” Thibodeaux said. “It looks good on a resume and may give you the edge on an interview.”
Megan Davis, a general studies freshman said she enjoys volunteering for other reasons.
“It becomes fun to watch the reactions of the people that you are helping,” Davis said. “You don’t really look at it as work.”
Davis has been involved in several volunteer efforts that have included working with abused and battered children, feeding the homeless and assisting the elderly.
Davis said one of her experiences changed the way she thought about the homeless entirely.
“I didn’t used to have much compassion for the homeless,” said Davis. “But after talking to one man who had lost his whole family, my position totally changed.” Davis said she has sharpened old skills and acquired new ones through volunteering.
The zoo may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about volunteering, but it has plenty to offer, said Marc Duhe, Volunteer Coordinator at BREC Baton Rouge Zoo.
“The zoo provides students with two different volunteering opportunities,” Duhe said.
One program allows volunteers to help the zoo staff by assisting with daily operations but not actually interacting with the animals.
The second program is more extensive and involves a fifteen-week training period.
These volunteers, called docents, learn how to handle animals used for public education such as owls and snakes.
The docents speak to the general public, school groups and church organizations about wildlife and conservation.
Duhe said there are currently LSU pre-veterinar veterinary, animal science and education students working as docents at the zoo.
The zoo also offers some training that many students may not have associated with animals. The volunteers get a lesson in marketing, fundraising and communication while volunteering at the zoo.
“They have to work with all age groups and all walks of life. They develop a lot of communication and organization skills,” Duhe said.