# Volunteer Guide & Best Practices on Goodae Everything you need to get the most out of volunteering on Goodae — how to find work that fits, apply well, show up reliably, and build a record you're proud of. **How to use this:** if you're brand new, read top to bottom once. Otherwise, jump to the stage you're at, or skim the [60-second checklist](#the-60-second-checklist) at the end. Each tip says what to **do**, **why** it helps, and — where the app supports it — how to do it **in Goodae**. > The one idea behind all of it: **your reliability is the gift.** Organisations > plan real events around the people who say yes. Showing up when you commit — or > pulling out early when you can't — is what makes you a volunteer they'll welcome > back. --- ## 1. Set up your profile A few minutes here means better matches and a smoother experience later. - **Do:** Add the causes and interests you care about. **Why:** Goodae uses them to recommend opportunities that actually fit you, so you spend less time scrolling. **In Goodae:** Set your interests on your profile; recommendations key off them. - **Do:** Set your general availability honestly. **Why:** It steers you toward shifts you can realistically make — the single biggest predictor of whether volunteering sticks for you. **In Goodae:** Add your availability in your profile. - **Do:** Record any accessibility needs. **Why:** So you can see which opportunities accommodate you _before_ you apply, and organizers know how to support you on the day. **In Goodae:** Set your accessibility preferences — they're respected across browsing and applying. - **Do (optional but useful):** Install Goodae to your phone. **Why:** Reminders, confirming a session, and checking in on the day all live on your phone — an installed app makes them one tap away. **In Goodae:** Use "Add to Home Screen" / the install prompt (it's a PWA). --- ## 2. Find the right opportunity The best volunteering is the kind you'll actually return to. Choose for fit, not guilt. - **Do:** Filter by how much you can commit — one-off vs. recurring — before anything else. **Why:** Time is the #1 reason people stop volunteering. Leading with commitment type keeps you from overreaching. **In Goodae:** Use the filters on Browse to narrow by cause and commitment. - **Do:** Read the full opportunity before applying — the actual task, the time, the place. **Why:** Most volunteer disappointment comes from a gap between what was expected and what the day was really like. Reading closely closes that gap. - **Do:** Ask questions if anything's unclear. **Why:** An answered question upfront beats a surprise on the day. **In Goodae:** Each opportunity has an assistant that answers common questions (and passes the rest to the organisation). - **Do:** Save the ones you're considering instead of applying to everything at once. **Why:** A shortlist lets you commit deliberately rather than over-signing-up and then dropping out. **In Goodae:** Use the save/bookmark button; your saved list is there when you're ready to decide. --- ## 3. Apply well - **Do:** Apply to opportunities you can genuinely make — don't treat applying as "maybe." **Why:** An accepted spot you can't fill is a spot a committed volunteer didn't get, and it counts against your reliability (see the no-show gate below). - **Do:** Keep an eye out for the organisation's response. **Why:** They may accept, decline, or invite you to a specific session — and each changes what you need to do next. **In Goodae:** You're notified in-app (and by email) when your status changes. Track all your applications and their status on the **Applications** page. --- ## 4. Once you're accepted Being accepted is a yes to _you_; being on a session is a yes to a _specific time and place_. - **Do:** Confirm the session you've been rostered onto. **Why:** Confirming tells the organizer they can count on you, and it's what locks in your reminders. **In Goodae:** Confirm from your dashboard's to-do list (or straight from the reminder — see below). Your upcoming sessions live on your **Schedule**. - **Do:** Note the logistics — where to go, what to bring, who to find. **Why:** First-shift nerves and "where do I even go?" are the most common reasons good volunteers don't turn up. Sorting it in advance removes the excuse. --- ## 5. Before the event - **Do:** Watch for your reminders and act on them. **Why:** They're your cue to confirm you're still coming — and your chance to bow out early if you can't, while the organizer still has time to backfill. **In Goodae:** You automatically get email + push reminders **24 hours and 2 hours before** each session. The reminder lets you **confirm or cancel** in one tap — use it. - **Do:** If you can't make it, cancel from the reminder as early as you can — don't wait and simply not show. **Why:** An early cancel is completely fine and keeps your standing clean. A silent no-show leaves the event short-staffed and triggers the fairness gate. --- ## 6. On the day — show up and check in - **Do:** Arrive on time and check in. **Why:** Check-in gives the organizer an accurate headcount and is what records your hours — no check-in, no verified hours. **In Goodae:** Check in by scanning the event QR code or opening your check-in link — no extra app, right from your phone. - **Do:** Do the task you signed up for, and ask if you're unsure. **Why:** Competence and a good first experience are what turn a one-off into a habit. --- ## 7. If your plans change — communicate, don't ghost Life happens. What matters is _how_ you handle it. This is the single biggest thing that protects your standing. - **Do:** Withdraw or cancel ahead of time if you can no longer make it. **Why:** Early notice lets the organisation fill your place. It's the considerate move and it keeps your record clean. **In Goodae:** Withdraw an application, or cancel an upcoming session from the reminder. (Note: you can't undo a session you've already attended — that's your verified record.) - **Understand the fairness gate — and why it's fair:** - If you no-show, Goodae will ask you to **give a reason** (illness, family emergency, transport, a mix-up, etc.) before you can sign up for anything new. It's quick, and it clears the block. - A **recent** no-show can also pause you from **urgent** opportunities for up to **14 days** — regular opportunities aren't time-locked. **Why it exists:** organisations rely on the people who commit. The gate is light and self-clearing — it just asks you to be accountable, so the whole community stays dependable. --- ## 8. Build your record Your volunteering adds up to something you can show. - **Do:** Let your hours accrue by checking in and completing your shifts. **Why:** Verified hours are proof of what you did — useful for school requirements, résumés, or your own sense of progress. **In Goodae:** Your **verified-hours transcript** collects every attended shift and the hours credited to it. - **Do:** Treat the record as yours — it's a personal credential, not a score. **Why:** Goodae deliberately has **no points, streaks, or leaderboards**. The value is the honest record of real work, not a game. (If you ever feel nudged to volunteer "for the streak," that's not us.) --- ## 9. Keep going The second time is where volunteering really takes hold. - **Do:** Go back to organisations you enjoyed. **Why:** Returning to a place you know is easier and more rewarding than starting cold each time — and organizers love a familiar face. **In Goodae:** Your Applications and Schedule history make it easy to re-apply to an org you've worked with; orgs can also invite you back directly. - **Do:** Keep your profile current as your interests and availability shift. **Why:** Better inputs, better matches — your recommendations stay relevant. - **Do:** Tune your notifications so the useful ones reach you. **Why:** You want the reminders and status updates; you can quiet the rest. **In Goodae:** Adjust channels in **Settings → Notifications**. You can also export your own data anytime from Settings. --- ## Anti-patterns to avoid Habits that quietly hurt you and the people relying on you. - **Applying to everything "just in case."** Over-signing-up leads to drop-outs. Shortlist, then commit. - **Going silent instead of cancelling.** A no-show helps no one and triggers the fairness gate; an early cancel costs you nothing. - **Skipping check-in.** No check-in means your hours don't count, even if you were there. - **Over-promising your availability.** Signing up for shifts you can't realistically make sets everyone up to be let down. - **Chasing a number.** There's no leaderboard here on purpose — volunteer for the work and the people, and the record takes care of itself. --- ## The 60-second checklist **Setup** - [ ] Interests/causes added - [ ] Availability set honestly - [ ] Accessibility needs recorded (if any) - [ ] (Optional) Goodae installed on your phone **Choosing** - [ ] Filtered by commitment type before applying - [ ] Read the full opportunity; asked any questions - [ ] Shortlisted with save, not mass-applied **Applying** - [ ] Only applied to shifts I can genuinely make - [ ] Watched for the org's response on Applications **Once accepted** - [ ] Confirmed my session - [ ] Noted where to go / what to bring **Before the event** - [ ] Acted on the 24h / 2h reminders - [ ] Cancelled early if I couldn't make it — never a silent no-show **On the day** - [ ] Arrived on time and checked in **Ongoing** - [ ] Hours accruing on my transcript - [ ] Went back to orgs I liked; kept my profile current --- _This guide distills the volunteer-psychology research in `docs/research/2026-06-01-0300-rooted-volunteer-matching/psychology/` (motivation, identity, self-determination, Singapore-specific findings) into volunteer-facing practice, grounded in the features Goodae ships today. Product references were verified against the codebase at the time of writing; re-check the "In Goodae" pointers when features change._