Volunteering has more benefits than you think!
Are you still on the fence about whether to volunteer or not? Here are 10 benefits of volunteering to help you make your decision:
1. It's good for you.
Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards.
- Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment.
- Volunteering is good for your health at any age, but it's especially beneficial in older adults. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants.
2. It saves resources.
Volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be put back into the community and local improvements.
- The estimated value of a volunteer's time is just under $30 an hour.
3. Volunteers gain professional experience.
If you're considering a new career, volunteering can help you get experience in your area of interest and meet people in the field. Even if you're not planning on changing careers, volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important skills used in the workplace, such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, project planning, task management, and organization.
- Volunteering offers you the chance to try out a new career without making a long-term commitment. It is also a great way to gain experience in a new field.
- Just because volunteer work is unpaid does not mean the skills you learn are basic. Many volunteering opportunities provide extensive training.
- Volunteering can also help you build upon skills you already have and use them to benefit the greater community.
4. It brings people together.
As a volunteer you help to:
- unite people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal
- Building camaraderie and teamwork
- help connect those in need to the services that will help them
5. It promotes personal growth and self-esteem.
Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.
- Volunteering helps you understand the issues in your community and will help you be more empathetic to others.
6. Volunteering strengthens your community.
As a volunteer you help:
- Support families (daycare and eldercare)
- Improve schools (tutoring, literacy)
- Support youth (mentoring and after-school programs)
- Beautify the community (beach and park cleanups)
7. You learn a lot.
Volunteers learn things like these:
- Self: Volunteers discover hidden talents that may change your view on your self worth.
- Government: Through working with local non-profit agencies, volunteers learn about the functions and operation of our government.
- Community: Volunteers gain knowledge of local resources available to solve community needs.
8. You get a chance to give back.
People like to support community resources that they use themselves or that benefit people they care about.
- Everyone has or has known someone who has needed help at some point in their life.
- Volunteering gives you the opportunity to give back and provide that same help to someone else.
9. Volunteering encourages civic responsibility.
Community service and volunteerism are an investment in our community and the people who live in it.
- More people volunteering will lead to the community becoming a better place.
10. You make a difference.
Every person counts! It takes many people to make a difference in the community. Even if you don't see any changes the first time you volunteer, over time you will notice the improvements you are making in the organizations you are volunteering for and the people you are working to help.
Get Started on your Volunteer Journey!!
Click here to view Volunteer Opportunities currently available on Volunteer Connect.
For another interesting article on the benefits of volunteering, click here.
Click here to view our last blog post on how to log your volunteer hours!
