Volunteer to become a part of something larger than yourself.
Voluntary work holds an important place in modern society. Not-for-profit organizations often depend on it, and those the organizations help are shown its value daily. Volunteers themselves also greatly benefit from the time they contribute, from developing social connections, expanding their resume and even improving their physical and mental health.
Non-profits Gain Credibility
Organizations with a strong volunteer force benefit not only from the volunteers' labor but from the credibility the volunteers give them. Such organizations can point to that community involvement and outreach work when looking for donations and other sources of funding to demonstrate that they are dedicated, organized and passionate. Those looking to give money or who depend on the organization for services may hesitate if the volunteer workforce is unstable or underutilized, as this may be a red flag that the organization is ineffective.
Volunteers Gain Marketable Job Skills
Volunteer work is an excellent way for young job-seekers or newly unemployed individuals to enhance their skill set. Volunteer opportunities exist in a wide array of organizations at all levels of responsibility, including customer service, administration, blue-collar labor and corporate board work. This makes it an excellent way to fill resume gaps. It can also help to streamline your career by providing you with exposure to different kinds of work and industries. If you ultimately decide a certain industry is for you, the contacts you've made while volunteering will be invaluable.
Volunteers Meet New People
Volunteering often has a strong social aspect. It 's a great way to connect with other people in your community and to expand your personal and professional circle of friends and acquaintances. It's also a great way to learn about other sectors of society that you may not usually interact with and to develop a better understanding of issues facing people of different economic classes and cultural groups. You may find your interests, hobbies, and scope of community involvement will expand as a result.
Volunteers Gain Physical and Mental Health Benefits
Volunteering has concrete physical and mental health benefits. As they get older, those who give their time have a lower mortality rate and less depression than those who don't. In 2002, a study demonstrated that those with chronic pain saw that pain and its accompanying depression decreased after they had begun to work as peer volunteers with others with chronic pain; a similar result was found in 1997 among post-heart-attack patients when they engaged in any volunteer activity. Volunteering has also been shown to contribute positively to the sense of purpose of older adults as they move out of the workforce.
