Volunteering is proven to increase confidence and wellbeing but for many full-time office workers, it’s difficult to find the time.  Team volunteering days are one of the few occasions we can reap the benefits of giving back.  Feeling frustrated with my own lack of time to volunteer, I’ve come up with five micro-volunteering opportunities that can fit easily into your lunch break.

What is micro volunteering?

Micro volunteering are brief tasks that don’t require any ongoing commitment on the part of the individual. These quick projects are mostly done by individuals and contribute towards larger projects.  There’s also no screening process or lengthy training involved, and activities are easy to access.  Crucially, you still get the same feel-good buzz from doing short activities as you do from doing a full day’s volunteering.

Micro volunteering examples

There are many different micro-volunteering activities on offer.  When the weather’s bad, you can do a medical research survey at your desk but during sunnier times, why not pop outdoors for a 15-minute butterfly count.  There are endless possibilities to try meaning you will never get bored.   The below activities provide a small sample of a few of the things you could try. 

Write letters to cancer patients

For those who love journaling, writing letters to cancer patients is one of the most rewarding activities you can do.  Set up by the charity From Me to You, the letters provide vital contact for cancer patients undergoing treatment.  Many of these patients are immuno-suppressed and therefore socially isolated. The letters provide a vital link to the outside world without any pressure for them to respond.  You can send as many or as few letters as you like and the charity will respond to you with a thank you letter.

Contribute to medical research

If you’ve got half an hour to spare why not use the time to contribute to medical research?  There are many different causes to support.  One of the most well-known ones is Dementia Research where once you’ve registered, you’ll be matched to relevant studies.  Your participation could make a real difference to dementia diagnosis, care and treatment in the future. I recently took part in a 30-minute telephone interview and was invited to attend the research findings.  You can also find a host of other opportunities through the Medical Research Foundation or MQ Mental Health Research.

Do a pay day food bank shop

This is my new favourite micro-volunteering activity that I started earlier this year and takes no more than ten minutes in my lunchbreak.  Every pay day, I withdraw £10.00 and go on a food bank shop around my local supermarket.  It’s a great way of getting out of the house when I’m working from home.  If you’re not sure what to buy, there’s an app you can use to find out what items are in most need near you.  And if you’re new to food donation, check out the Trussell Trust website to find out the types of products that food banks can and can’t accept.

Give blood in your lunch break

I’ve always wanted to give blood but worried I was far too squeamish.   But as happens with many donors, a blood transfusion to a close family member pushed me into action.  Blood donation only takes half an hour.  The screening takes approximately ten minutes and the actual donation is only ten to fifteen minutes.  It’s also a simple and painless procedure. The squeamish can request a paper towel to be put over their arm while donating.  You get a drink and a biscuit and a follow up text to let you know where your donation has been sent to.  There’s currently a lack of black heritage and young blood donors. Of all the micro volunteering opportunities out there – this gig has the potential to save three lives! 

Count butterflies

The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey that aims to assess the health of our environment by counting the number of butterflies present.  The count begins on Friday 12 July and continues through the summer months to Sunday 4 August.  To get involved, you need to firstly download the app and then spend fifteen minutes in your local environment recording all the different butterflies you see.  This exercise can be done working from home or in the office.  Once you’ve recorded your data, you can then see your efforts recorded on the interactive map.

If you want to get involved in volunteering this year, check out my other posts below!

Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal
Volunteering Day at Stepney City Farm