The Benefit of Volunteering
Volunteering has numerous benefits both for the individual and the wider community. There are social, economical, physical, and professional benefits. For the individual, it can give a sense of purpose, fulfillment and accomplishment. It helps make connections with the people and the society. Volunteers cultivate friendships, form communities and social network outside of their daily routine. Gratitude from volunteering makes the person feel good and helps increase their self-esteem. Students who exhibit a passion for volunteering can get into a great college or accept a fantastic job offer as a result of their community service. In fact, the 2018 Volunteering in America report found that 77.34 million adults (30.3 percent) volunteered through an organization last year. Altogether, Americans volunteered nearly 6.9 billion hours, worth an estimated $167 billion in economic value, based on the Independent Sector’s estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour for 2017.
Through volunteering an individual can bring change, make a positive impact on the society. Volunteering gives an opportunity to stretch beyond the comfort zone, deal with real-world situations, which can help form new skills and interests that one might not get to enjoy otherwise. It helps see the bigger picture, makes one more selfless and help the lesser fortunate. The social interaction allows forming new bonds and provides a different perspective on life. The network formed can have long lasting benefit on both the personal and professional life of the individual. For the community, it helps grow members who are more connected, collaborative and empathetic people who can bring a real change. On top of that, research shows that employers like candidates who demonstrate a commitment to community service work. CNCS determined that those who volunteer regularly have a [url=http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/upload/employment_research_report.pdf]27% better chance of gaining employment.[/url] And, a recent survey conducted by [url=http://careerbuilder.com/]CareerBuilder.com[/url] found that [url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/03/20/10-things-to-do-while-youre-unemployed/#f9fdb00299e0]60% of hiring managers see volunteerism as a valuable asset[/url], as it shows motivation, character, and integrity. Having volunteers improves the morale of the society and leads to more social justice. Today’s volunteers are tomorrow’s leaders who can promote peace, love, and make the world a better place to live.
Personally, by volunteering at amazing organizations like Givology and a local charity, I learned to be more outgoing and made communications skills. In Givology, by writing blogs and newsletters, I learnt how to communicate with others and how to write a piece that will be approved by others. Here, not only was I learning to meet expectations, my writing skills improved as well. By volunteering, one builds skills in fields which are not directly related to his or her job, showing how volunteering can help one grow in many unexpected ways. I helped my community and at the same time I was able to make skills, showing how volunteering can be a very beneficial activity to participate in as it results in a win-win situation for everyone involved.
06 FEB 2019