For many people who choose a life of service, helping others can be its own reward. However, it doesn’t have to be the only one. Although there are many opportunities to volunteer and give back, those who want to make a life of serving their community can do so while getting a salary. Several roles can have a positive impact as well as a steady income for your efforts. Here are 5 ways to build a career and earn extra money while helping your community.
Jobs Helping Your Community
Every job and every person plays an important role in creating and sustaining the community they live in. While most are content to be a part of it, others look for ways to make it better. If you want to find a way to make a living while helping your community, you must first decide how you want to help your community and then determine what skills or services you can offer.
Below are some of the most common ways people do well while doing good.
Public Service Jobs
Many young adults choose careers in public service because they can have a direct impact on the lives of those in the community. Oftentimes, these jobs involve working with the people they serve. In addition to the satisfaction these roles provide, they often include decent pay, education assistance, and benefits as well. Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some of the most common and important public service jobs:
- an employee of the state or a federal agency
- local government administrator or city council member
- protective services such as a police officer, firefighter, or military personnel
- doctor, nurse, or other medical professional
- teacher or professor
- social worker
- child care professional
- construction and maintenance worker
- cleaning and waste management service worker
Community Coordinators
Community Coordinator positions are another great way to earn extra cash while helping your community. Several organizations are dedicated to community development, especially in underserved and underrepresented neighborhoods. Although many private citizens volunteer their time to these organizations, they also have paid positions as well.
And, they are a variety of non-profit social service organizations to choose from. Depending on your skill set and desired position, you can narrow your search and look for a job that is dedicated to specific community needs. In most mid-sized to large cities, you should find paid positions for the following services:
-
- assistance with job search and interview skills
- financial and legal advice
- help to feed and collect clothes for the homeless
- assistance with housing and bills
- help to submit applications to receive community subsidies and tax or medical benefits
- local community and rec centers that work with children and adolescents
- assistance for small businesses owners and new entrepreneurs
If you don’t know where to start looking, sites like Work for Good will give you an idea of the available job postings near you. If you find a position as a community service manager for one of these organizations, it pays a median salary of $74,000 according to the U.S. Bureau and Labor Statistics from 2021. However, this figure is expected to increase in the coming years.
Corporate Involvement in the Community
If you already have a steady career in the corporate world, there are still opportunities for you to affect change within your community. Many large companies and corporations find ways to give back through monetary donations, partnerships, and volunteering. Sometimes this is done through a specific membership or affiliation with community clubs, or civic and environmental projects. Businesses also partner with non-profit organizations for special events or causes, particularly around the holidays, to bring in more donations. When manpower is needed, companies may offer their employees incentives for their participation.
However, there are also dedicated positions as social responsibility coordinators within corporations that oversee their involvement in the community. Their entire job is to ensure the company follows ethical and environmental standards for their employees, customers, local communities, and partners. It often includes the development of programs based on your community’s specific needs. If you want to encourage philanthropy and volunteering, this could be the perfect position for you.
Ways to Support Businesses in Your Community
Another way you can find work that impacts your community is by assisting small, local businesses. These establishments are the lifeblood of the community and an important source of employment. So, why not find ways to help small businesses increase revenue and become more successful?
If you have strong communication, writing, marketing, graphic, or web design skills, this could be a very lucrative opportunity for everyone involved. There is a huge demand for these skill sets, especially as more new business ventures enter the market. As more businesses move online, there are tons of new employment opportunities related to e-commerce. For example:
-
- Web design and maintenance
- Graphic design
- Social media management and outreach
- Setting up e-commerce services
- Marketing and ad campaigns
- SEO services
- Virtual administrative assistant
- Content and copywriter
- Translation services
Not only do these jobs boost your local economy, but they are usually remote as well. They are also typically done on contract and pay well. So, you can choose to keep your day job and take on additional work to earn some extra cash, or you could turn it into a full-time position. Either way, it helps you earn extra money while helping your community.
Become an Entrepreneur to Earn Extra Money While Helping Your Community
If you know that you can provide a service that fills a need within the community, it may be time to consider starting your own business. When you can offer your neighborhood access to important services or provide a closer, more convenient option for people, it makes life better for everyone. So if you are looking to earn a living while simultaneously helping your community, perhaps it’s something to seriously consider. And, starting your own business gives you more flexibility to tailor your product or services to better serve your community.
Read More
- 10 Ways To Live A Sustainable & Frugal Life
- How to Donate Items to Goodwill Online Auction
- 10 Charities to Donate to This Holiday Season
Come back to what you love! Dollardig.com is the most reliable cash-back site on the web. Just sign up, click, shop, and get full cashback!