Thou Shalt Know the difference between Designing for Free and Volunteering!
“Eh? Both are the same man”. Hold your horses. Let’s talk about it.
It is a very hot topic among the designer community whether a graphic designer, UI designer, or any kind of designer should spend their valuable time doing projects that will not pay the individual for his/her contribution. Some people say it’s okay to work for free to build up your portfolio and experience, while others say the very act of doing design work for free is harmful to the entire professional design community because it devalues the work you do. I mean if you are not getting something back for what you are doing, what’s even the point doing that? Hmm...
Working for Free and Volunteering are not the same!
Let that sink in for a minute.
Yes, Those are not the same. I have been working as a volunteer graphic designer for years at the Sustainable Education Foundation and I know what I’m saying. In the age of “exposure as payment”, it is super important for people to understand the difference between what volunteering is and what it is not. The main difference between a free-worker and a volunteer is that volunteers always work for a goal and they believe in the mission of the organization which they are supporting.
As I said during the past 2 years I have done a lot of volunteer work. I’ve designed new logos, posters, websites, and many many more. I’m happy to do this because in my case I’ve always been very passionate about improving the Sri Lankan Education. There are never enough designers to do all the work which is required to do in a month.
In Sri Lanka, I see a very low amount of people volunteering in designing. According to them, it’s because they don’t like to work for free!
Volunteers do receive something in return (That might not be money)
Yeah! Professional recommendations, networking, and personal growth are some of the things volunteers get in exchange for their work and especially a nice portfolio for people like you. For the past 2 years, I’ve seen how these things make people feel valued and compensated, even though it wasn’t a check.
Meh! I need to volunteer for Google or something, I can’t be bothered to volunteer in a place that people don’t even know
I often hear this too and it is not a good mindset at all (At least in my opinion). It can be Apple or your local Volunteer Healthcare Clinic. It doesn’t matter. When I started volunteering for SEF, most people didn’t even know what ‘SEF’ stands for, and now it is one of the biggest non-profit organizations in Sri Lanka. So do not be picky about what organization you are going to work and why.
Ah, It’s just volunteering…
It’s important that you value the work, take it seriously. In other words, don’t slack off just because you’re working for free, and don’t think you can design whatever you want. The design should still align with the branding and needs of the organization. So join in and learn.
I hope this clears up any doubts you may have between volunteering and designing for free. Peace out!
Designer Pro Tip: Ditch the Freemium
“Dude I have this restaurant thing coming up, Can you make me a poster? But make it free and I’ll introduce you to my friends so that they will give you some work okay?”
Don’t even think about it. Delete the message and stay like you didn’t hear it.
