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Thinking About Becoming
a Volunteer or Activist?

Most of the programs that you participate in at your AIDS Service Organization and the services that you receive from community organizations and church-based groups wouldn't exist without volunteers.

The vast amounts of money needed for research to make HIV a manageable disease and then more money made available for individual treatment options through ADAP and other sources wouldn't have been possible without activists.

What's the difference between the two? They are actually very similar. By the definition of activism, it's "The practice of vigorous action or involvement toward achieving a goal." Volunteering in some capacity in the fight against HIV would fit that definition, don't you think?

So whether you choose to call yourself a volunteer or activist, the result is that you'll be helping people and maybe a lot of people. But...did you know that there is almost always another result?

It's helping yourself. And in a very selfless way!

It's obvious that you feel better about yourself when you help somebody, but volunteering to help or counsel others with HIV can help you in other ways too:

- Volunteering Can Educate You

When you're involved with others who are HIV positive, you can't help but learn more about HIV and learn from their experiences.

- It Decreases Feelings Of Isolation

For many people with HIV, the feeling of being alone with nobody to talk to is one of the worst aspects. Being a volunteer puts you in contact with people who share a common thread.

- You Can Make New Friends

Most people that volunteer are positive and energetic. These are the types of people that you can benefit from associating with - especially if you are trying to get a new set of friends in an effort to get clean or sober.

- You Can Make A Difference

Finding an area that you really feel passionate about so much so that you learn all about it and become, yes...an advocate for it. Teaching others and mentoring others gives you great personal growth and satisfaction.

So where can you get started?

First think of an area that interests you, that you'd like and you feel that you could be of service to people with HIV.

If you're pretty open to doing anything, next look at a particular skill-set that might really benefit the organization where you would like to volunteer. For instance, do you have great typing skills or are you really good with people?

If you come up with an idea - great! If not, that's OK too. Go to whichever organization you have chosen and look for what volunteer positions are available or ask for a volunteer coordinator (usually at bigger ASOs and CBOs). See if they have something that fits your skills and timeframe or ask them to point you in the right direction.

Volunteering and activism can be a great launching pad to so many things that will help you grow and be a better person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Copyright 2018, Positive Health Publications, Inc.

This magazine is intended to enhance your relationship with your doctor - not replace it! Medical treatments and products should always be discussed with a licensed physician who has experience treating HIV and AIDS!