Volunteering and giving back to our community are ways that parents who are transitioning between jobs or industries can maintain skills and develop new ones. For people who are not currently working in full-time positions, being able to contribute time and valuable talents not only help the organization they are given to, but also keep the person involved in our community.
There are many locations throughout Phoenix that can use the skills that job search candidates may have mastered in the workplace. Look for organizations with a focus in an area that is of interest to you. If you are passionate about helping animals, then check out local animal shelters or rescue foundations - perhaps you have skills in construction that could be used to help improve the shelter's facility, or if you are skilled in accountancy or finance you could assist in managing or developing budgets for projects.
Some parents may be using transition time to help out at their children's school. Parent Teacher Organizations, lunchtime or playground monitoring, even library assistance are usually volunteer positions that can always use extra manpower. Some school districts are also looking for volunteers in tutoring afterschool hours - this is a great opportunity to use academic skills and also gain valuable teaching and mentoring skills.
Another way Phoenix parents can help high school teens in some school districts is to support programs like the Kohl's Scholarship America and Pepsi Refresh Project. For the month of October, Jobs for Arizona's Graduates (JAG) is in the running for a Pepsi Refresh Project. This organization provides a class to high school students in several AZ school districts.
Parents interested in helping high school teens can find out more about this organization at
http://www.refresheverything.com/jagarizona
Transitioning workers should try to use volunteering opportunities to build their skills and continue adding relevant content to their resume about the qualifications they can bring to the employer.
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