It’s interesting to know that getting a volunteering position isn’t as easy as it may seem – volunteers also deal with competition. Don’t be surprised, some people feel the urge to give more to the world than to take from it.
For instance, according to the 2022 UN World’s Volunteerism Report, there are 862 million working-age people who volunteer around the globe. According to AmeriCorps research, US volunteers spent more than 4.1 billion hours on formal volunteering service in 2021, with an economic value of $122.9 billion.
If you’ve decided to go for a volunteer opportunity for the first time, or you just want to stand out from the talent pool and get selected faster, our article is here to help you. The same as with a paid position, volunteer positions require your application. It usually consists of your resume and cover letter. How to write an effective one? You’ll find out below!
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A volunteer cover letter is a part of your application where you provide a more comprehensive explanation of why you are a good fit for a particular volunteer work. It has to include:
People have various motives to be willing to volunteer, but the most common ones are either gaining experience or making the world a bit better. Even though volunteering doesn’t imply any remuneration, people seek opportunities to participate as it gives something more valuable than money – experience. Furthermore, volunteering is incredibly rewarding, and this is the feeling people crave in our highly commercialized world.
Given these reasons and the fierce competition in the field, you should do your best to make yourself stand out to the organization you’d like to join. Writing a tailor-made cover letter can become a game-changer. If you want to win the hearts of your desired organization’s hiring manager, pour your heart and soul into your volunteer cover letter.
As with any other document, a volunteer cover letter has to be well-organized and structured, laconic but informative, and easy to read. Hiring managers in non-profit organizations are oftentimes as tied up as in other companies, and a volunteer cover letter of poor quality may be a red flag for them. If an applicant didn’t consider it necessary to pour their time into creating a professional cover letter, why would hiring managers be generous with their time to read it?
Remember to showcase your readiness to work hard. Avoid focusing on your gains and writing “Helping animals makes me feel so good!” or “I feel happy when I help others!”. The brutal truth is that volunteering isn’t a walk in the park, it’s mentally and physically demanding. If a company representative gets a feeling that you don’t fully understand the point of volunteering, you can kiss the opportunity goodbye.
We’ve already figured out that an interview-winning cover letter has to be well-organized and well-structured. It ensures readability and helps your cover letter get noticed and read till the end:
A volunteering cover letter header and headline have two key purposes. First, it’s visual structure, and second, they serve an informative function by giving the reader the understanding of who the letter comes from and why.
Being placed in the top left corner or top center, a header includes:
Your Name
Address
Phone Number
Email, Social MediaDate [MMDD, YY]
Recipient’s Name
Recipient’s Role
Organization Name
AddressZip Code
The cover letter headline’s mission is to catch the reader’s attention and set your letter apart from hundreds of other volunteer applications. It’s up to you whether to include it or not. When included, a headline has to be personalized and demonstrate your interest and dedication, for instance: “3 Ways of How My Skills Can Contribute to [Organization Name].”
Personalization throughout the letter makes a difference. When opening your letter with a greeting, don’t be lazy to go to the company’s website and find out the name of their hiring manager or volunteer organizer. They will definitely appreciate your effort.
In the introduction, bring the value of your candidacy straightaway. Mentioning your qualifications or skills relevant to the position and how you can apply them for the good of their organization. If you are applying by referral or you know somebody from their organization in person, you may include it in the introduction too.
Remember that your text has to be reader-friendly, so if you have a lot to include, divide it into smaller paragraphs. In body paragraphs, you describe your education, background experience, your skills, and previous volunteer experience (if you have it).
For instance, you are a student who has no hands-on experience but wants to volunteer. Include your degree(s), majors, and the name of the institution(s). Educational achievements serve as an alternative to working experience, so don’t bother to mention all of them. It’s also important to mention if you’ve had any leadership experience or participated in extracurricular activities or classroom projects that are connected with the company you’re applying to.
When describing your previous experience or skills, mention only those that are relevant to the role. Also, provide examples of how exactly they will come in handy in the volunteer position you want to obtain. Each skill you mention in the letter has to be accompanied by an example of how you used them at work or volunteering before and what results you achieved.
Including a call to action in the closing paragraph is a must. You can encourage the hiring manager to contact you via the contact detail that you mention one more time and discuss further details of your cooperation. For their convenience, specify when you are reachable. Add some appreciation words for their time and attention and emphasize that you are looking forward to hearing from them as soon as possible. Finalize your letter with a respectful sign-off.
Finally, let’s have a look at some cover letter samples that can serve as a writing guide for creating your own volunteering cover letter.
Dear Mr Jackson,
As soon as I found out about the volunteer role at Four Paws Kindergarten, I immediately decided to apply. I graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020 and have been working as a vet’s assistant for about 2 years now. Besides that, I have been volunteering at various dog institutions for 1,5 years. I am sure that my decent store of both theoretical knowledge and practical experience with a focus on dogs will contribute to Four Paws Kindergarten’s main mission – enhancing dogs’ lives.
Working at Animedic gave me two things. Firstly, it’s valuable hands-on experience in the art of treatment. Secondly, it made me face the brutal reality of how many animals (mostly dogs) are mistreated on a regular basis. We cooperate with animal shelters and regularly accept their animals as our patients. Having seen numerous situations of animal mistreatment, I decided to make my own contribution to their well-being outside of my work. This is how I started volunteering 1,5 years ago.
I regularly participate in dog training sessions, often for dogs with severe behavioral issues: anxiety, fear-related aggression, possessive aggression, and hyperactivity. I have learned to effectively interact with dogs of various sizes, temperaments, and backgrounds. I can achieve it by ensuring their safety, thus letting them understand that they can trust me. Such skills as patience, stress resilience, and emotional intelligence help me make progress as a dog trainer. My well-developed communication skills help me find approaches to dog owners and change their perspectives on dog training for the better. I have managed to dissuade 10 people from abandoning their dogs because of behavioral issues and start building meaningful relations with their dogs. All stories have happy endings.
I truly believe that both my veterinary experience at a clinic and the fundamental knowledge of dog psychology I obtained while volunteering will be useful for Four Paw Kindergarten. And I will be happy to continue making a difference and sharing my love with these wonderful creatures.
I will appreciate the opportunity to discuss the details of our future cooperation at Four Paws Kindergarten via my phone (555) 555-1234 or via video call anytime. Feel free to contact me via my email nickolasdwt@gmail.com or my LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nickolasdwt.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.
Regards,
Nick Dewton
Volunteering and Civic Life in America
What is not counted does not count: Global volunteering estimates
