Whatever you do, I would strongly recommend you avoid volunteering for a
local nonprofit, especially if you have a formal background in science.
I have been in same situation as you, and over the past few years I’ve
tried volunteering for several small-scale environmental nonprofits.
Unfortunately, in every case my experience was the same: volunteers were
treated as disposable labor, interchangeable and easily replaced, with the
result that no one ever listened to what we had to say. In some cases this led
to a great deal of extra work for the nonprofits when our observations and
concerns were ignored.
This was especially frustrating for someone with several degrees in
wildlife and environmental science, because in every case I had more field
experience, training and foundational coursework than the people who were
organizing the nonprofit events. I did not mention my education per se, but I
tried to present suggestions and concerns from a scientific perspective, and in
every case I was brushed off or ignored. Science, logic and basic common sense
all go by the board when agendas are at stake.
Depending on where you are, it may be more productive and satisfying for
you to volunteer with a local museum, or with a state or local chapter of a
national group such as those already mentioned. But I would strongly urge you
skip the local NGOs, because you may end up feeling ignored and underutilized.
- J. A.
