DAVID ADAMS finds a website that all about making a difference…
Looking for a way to put those good intentions to practical work helping others somewhere in the world? Idealist – with its aim of connecting people who want to do good with tangible opportunities to take action – may the perfect place for you to spend some time.
The site, which was founded back in 1995 (initially as ideaLIST – a list of ideas for idealists), initially began as a place for people to connect with job and volunteer opportunities in the non-profit sector in the US alone; it’s since expanded to a global site in three different languages – English, Spanish and French – and when we looked there were more than 115,000 organisations using the site around the world (including 247 Australian organisations).
While you don’t have to join the site, membership is free and does allow you to receive email alerts with new opportunities that match what you’re looking for as well as allowing you to save searches, create a personal page and a page for your organisation, among other things.
It’s simple enough to use through entering keywords and locations to find an opportunity that suits you whether it’s a job, internship or a volunteer opportunity (in the US, the organisation also holds “grad fairs” to conect newly minted graduates with organisations).
There’s plenty of information available to help would-be opportunity seekers with everything from how to write a good resume through to how to find and follow your passion – as well as on volunteering both at home and overseas (the careers-focused information pages are hosted on a sister site – www.idealistcareers.org).
If you’re looking to step into something that has a positive social impact, Idealist is a great place to get started.
