Sunday, June 4, 2017

The Benefits of Volunteering


There is a great need for volunteers to get involved as there are tremendous personal benefits to volunteering. I have compiled a list of the benefits of volunteering and the joys that anyone can share by donating their time.

1. Learn new skills. The non-profit world is very resourceful, as they tend to have a tight budget and this allows volunteers the opportunity to learn new skills.  Volunteering puts you in touch with professionals in various fields. A very ingenious person can take this opportunity to learn new skills

2. Make a difference
In everyday life, it is usually difficult to get the results of your work immediately, but in volunteering, one can see the immediate impact. Seeing the outcome of your work at the end of the day can be very satisfying. An example is a volunteer who spends all day weeding a garden to prepare for new crops to be planted. Such work is definitely not an easy task. However, at the end of the day, when the volunteer sees the transformation of that field into a beautiful garden, the feeling of satisfaction cannot be overemphasized.

3. Build trust.
Part of building trust means continual growth and learning in life. To do that, you must take on new challenges and learn how to maneuver through these challenges to overcome them. By doing this, you create a spirit of "I can do it!" From within, you learn to build your confidence and self-esteem.

4. Have new experiences. You never know, while volunteering you can discover something you truly love and develop a new passion or hobby. Volunteering is in itself that and more. You cannot know your abilities if you do not test outside your invisible limits.

5. Leave your comfort zone. Volunteering can offer you the opportunity to try to do something you've never done before. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to test the waters and see if you like something before you commit fully. For example, maybe you are thinking of a career change and want to go to teaching, you could volunteer in an after-school kids program to see if making this career change is the right move for you.


6. Feel good about yourself. Giving services, time, energy, love and compassion to the less fortunate can have their own special rewards. Volunteering increases your self-esteem and can fill the emptiness of an empty heart with the incredible sense of happiness and fulfillment found in the act of giving.

7. It's fun. What's not to love in making friends, building trust, and seeing an impact? It's fun to watch your work unite and bring smiles and laughter to people's faces.

8. Make new friends. I can not stress this benefit enough. Volunteering is a great way to meet friendly, kind-hearted people and make lasting friendships.

9. Connect with your community
If you are new to a community, one of the best ways to get involved is by volunteering. Your volunteer work can expose you to individuals, businesses and organizations throughout the community. It opens the network opportunity and is a great conversation starter while attending local events.

After reading all these benefits, don't you think it is a good idea to participate in volunteering? A good place to start is VolunteerMatch.org. The first thing you will need to do is create a volunteer profile, do a search based on location and cause, look at the options, and sort by date to fit your schedule.  It’s that easy - no more excuses!  You’ll notice how convenient this tool is for people of all ages.  This is the new way to volunteer. Make service work for you! Please share your volunteer stories with me by using #livingthespiritofservice #singinintherain


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