Benefits of Volunteering

volunteersBenefits of Volunteering

‘Volunteering’ – for some it is a way of life. Volunteering to conduct the office picnic or boss’ birthday party, volunteering at the community meeting to help with charity, volunteering to take care of sister’s kids for the weekend; you need help and there they are – voluntarily. But for some others, volunteering is an alien land where they have never dared venture. Whatever your attitude, knowing its benefits could encourage you to continue or start volunteering.

Social bonding:

“No man is an island‒, neither is a woman. Volunteering is one of the best ways to stay connected with your family, friends, associates, and community. Volunteering is ultimately about helping others and the best way to say “I care‒ to those around you. It makes your family, friends, and associates to feel connected with you and pave the way for building a community that cares and loves.

Social skills:

Some people volunteer at every opportunity, others shy away from every opportunity. For the latter volunteering is the best way to break their barricades and start associating with people of common or varied interests. For the former, volunteering is the easier way to branch and make more friends while involving in activities that interest them. Thus, volunteering is the best way to practice social skills and develop new relationships.

Learn new skills:

Volunteering for a fund-raising event helps you learn to set goals, plan, budget, and manage finances. Volunteering to help at a kid’s summer camp helps to gain supervisory and training skills. The list goes on. Thus, volunteering not only benefits others, but also the volunteer by helping to learn new skills.

Inspired life:

Volunteering is not only about committing your time, energy, and skills; it is also the decision to help others of your own accord. Involvement in activities without work or peer pressure results in motivation and a sense of achievement and this leads us to contribute more towards the society.

Personal growth:

Volunteering is not just about gaining skills or achieving goals; it is also about developing self-confidence and self-esteem. Helping others instills a sense of pride and identity that transforms into a positive attitude in your own life.

Healthy life:

Volunteering is also the remedy for social isolation, one of the major reasons for depression. Volunteering helps develop a social support system that acts as a stress buster and anti-depressant during tough times. Volunteering is also good for health, especially in older adults. Studies have shown that volunteering lessens symptoms of chronic pain, heart disease, etc and lowers mortality rate.

Career advancement:

Volunteering not only benefits your personal life but also your career. It allows you to:

  • Meet people with similar interest or from same area of expertise
  • Hone valuable work-place skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, project planning, task management, budgeting, etc
  • Try a new career and gain experience without the risk of a long-term commitment

Explore new hobbies:

Volunteering is a great way to explore new interests and hobbies and acts as break from everyday routine. It provides a balance to life by:

  • Helping to engage in relaxing and energizing activities
  • Transferring the sense of fulfillment in these activities to the work place and relieving stress
  • Helping us gain a new perspective to old situations

Gain new experience:

“Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently, or effectively.‒ – R.D. Clyde.
These words aptly describe volunteering. In volunteering it is not always about getting things done, it is the attitude of wanting to do things for others and the satisfaction you gain from it. All this adds to the varied experiences that volunteers gain from involving in different activities.

Networking:

This is one of the major benefits of volunteering. It allows you to meet people with varied or similar interests and from different social or cultural backgrounds. It helps develop new personal and professional relationships and multiplies your network.

Better ‘you’:

Last but not the least; volunteering speaks about you to your community, school, employer, and family. Volunteering speaks about your commitment, dedication, and interests to your employer. It speaks about your extra-curricular activities to your school. Thus, it helps add value to your character or personality and shows a better ‘you’ to those connected with you.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow‒. Get inspired, volunteer, and inspire those around you.

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