Hey 👋
My name is Andrew Stetsenko and I live in Ukraine. Before February 24th, I used to invest my time and effort into growing Relocate.me, a niche job board for techies looking to relocate. Now, I’m busy helping my fellow citizens affected by Russia’s invasion.
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To be an effective volunteer, understand what your ‘superpowers’ are and maximize them.
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It’s better to have an area of specialization. It may be helping children flee Russian invaders, evacuating residents, supplying the resistance, assisting animal shelters, or …
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Sometimes you have to say ‘no’ or ‘a bit later’, as your resources are limited and you cannot help everyone.
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Keep track of your own energy level while helping others, otherwise you will burn out very quickly. (It’s basically like running a startup 24/7.)
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You will be pleasantly surprised by some people you never expected anything from, and you will be disappointed by folks with perfect reputations and glowing social media profiles.
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There are no clear KPI’s to measure your performance as a volunteer. You’re the only one who decides when you’ve done enough.
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Volunteering broadens your world; you will meet many interesting people.
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Do not expect gratitude or appreciation from the people you help.
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Choose some personal reward to celebrate small victories. For instance, every time I send out a large number of humanitarian aid boxes, I order a cup of coffee and spend a while savoring the moment.
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Money raised through donations soon runs out. Each month, it will become harder and harder to collect money for your foundation. You must be creative in fundraising and transparent on how you spend the money collected. It’s also important to foster a community around your initiative/foundation.
Volunteering is rarely easy, especially over the long term. There is no ‘golden medal’ as a reward for your efforts. You have to believe that you’re doing the right thing and find satisfaction in what you’re doing. I found my own ‘why’ volunteering in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and it motivates me to keep doing what I’m doing.
I stand with Ukraine!
PS: If you want to make a donation to support the people in Ukraine, follow this link.