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Tag: benefits of volunteering

  • Getting the Most out of Volunteering

    Getting the Most out of Volunteering

    At a younger age, volunteering can have some major benefits. If you have approached a teacher, guidance counselor, a parent, or a volunteer organization seeking different ways to volunteer, you’re not the only one. More and more young people are finding ways to connect with others through volunteer work and it can be very rewarding. If you want to get the most out of volunteering, just take a spin through some of the benefits:

    #1 – It’s Actually a Lot of Fun

    Most young people who volunteer end up enjoying the people they work with and also achieve a sense of satisfaction from it all. For example, volunteering at a hospital can be a fun way to get to know an entire group of people that you wouldn’t otherwise come into contact with. Coaching a sport or helping out as a referee can be a fun way to develop leadership skills. Volunteering at events also gets you into that event for free. So all in all, not bad!

    #2 – The People you Meet Can actually Turn out to be Very Special

    Volunteering for young people gives you the chance to connect with people in a different way. To these people, you’re not just a student or a young person. You’re there to help. That’s a different dynamic. Students who volunteer often form strong relationships with the people they meet. Volunteering at a children’s centre, a homeless shelter, or even being a youth representative on a committee of some kind all puts you in front of different people. When you get to know them, friendship comes quickly.

    #3 – It Gets you out of your Comfort Zone

    Try something new. If you are scared about getting up in front of people or are looking to be a little more confident in yourself, volunteering puts you in the position to do that. Especially if it’s volunteering around something you genuinely enjoy, getting you to open up a bit in a role that you’ve never had to be in before can be challenging but fun.

    #4 – Make a Difference in People’s Lives

    Not only are you getting benefits out of helping in a volunteer role but one of the most powerful things that many young people feel from volunteering is knowing that they’ve made a difference. Just think about it. Every day, you’re putting a little more positivity and love into the world that was not there before. No matter where or to whom you’re volunteering, you’re helping people in your community and that’s not something that everybody does. At the end of your term as a volunteer, that’s something to really be proud of.

    Try Volunteering

    It can be intimidating trying to find the right volunteer opportunity for you. Speak with your parents about the kind of volunteer work you are looking for and get them to help you find an organization who needs the help. Sometimes, your school might also have different volunteer positions open for students to apply for.

  • The Benefits of Volunteering

    The Benefits of Volunteering

    When it comes to our busy schedules, most people can’t even find the time to squeeze in a meal let alone find the time to volunteer. And much like the difficulties associated with deciding between which clubs to join in school it’s difficult to know which organization or charity to volunteer with. But, even if finding the time to volunteer seems daunting, there are plenty of places to volunteer and the benefits gained are something that could very potentially add to your life for the better.

    When I was in high school, getting in my community service hours seemed more like a chore than anything else. I remember volunteering with my friend at her church and going to help serve food to the homeless in the winter. I felt like I needed to be there because I was pretty much forced into getting my hours in order to score my diploma. I’m not sure how it was with other high school students but that was definitely not the attitude to have walking into volunteer work.

    Then university hit. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do but in my third year I decided to become a volunteer note-taker for any students who were associated with the Accessibility Centre. It never once felt like a chore because I had decided on my own terms to do it. I knew that I was being relied on, which made me feel good, and I also knew that I was making a difference for the students who wanted to work with me. This feeling of helping and knowing I was making a difference eventually blossomed into me furthering my volunteer experience to becoming a study partner. Before she graduated, one of the women I was helping told me that I was the most wonderful, and dedicated person she had ever worked with. It was an incredible feeling and at the end of the year I knew that I had made a new friend. I was also even granted a certificate upon completing a year of volunteer work.

    Volunteer work has lots to offer you. Not only will you make several connections with people but you’ll also be able to add something to your resume; the great feeling that comes with helping people benefits them but also you. You need to make sure that you do it for you though and not just because you have to, otherwise it’ll feel like work. There are lots of places you can go to volunteer, though some do require a commitment from you, which is another reason why you need to make sure you want to do it. But you have tons of options for where to volunteer. And by volunteering at one place, you open the door to more facilities and charities you can work with as well as enriching your experience in the workforce and in life.

  • Getting Your Volunteer Hours the Fun Way

    Getting Your Volunteer Hours the Fun Way

    “40 hours of community service!?” – It does sound like a lot, especially when just entering high school and finding out that it’s absolutely mandatory. The most frequently asked question is: What benefit do I receive from performing community service and volunteering? To be honest, I just discovered the answer last week during a job interview. When I was asked, “Why do you want this job?” I replied that I did a lot of community service that related to customer service and public relations. It all clicked right there – yes, about five years later, it clicked that I really appreciate the fact that I did those community hours and there are so many reasons why you should start sooner than later!

    Testing The Waters
    Until you are legally able to work, it is a good idea to test the waters and see what works for you. By volunteering you get a chance to test many fields of work; there are so many opportunities out there for you. By searching and trying new things not only do you find out what works for you, but you gain experience to add to your growing resume. Employers love seeing what you have gotten your hands on, and it helps when you have relevant experience. For example: If you are volunteering for a customer service position in the future, it really helps to have relevant experience working and interacting with different people.

    Networking
    The places you volunteer at and the people you make connections with become your networks and references. Networks are important in the future as they can greatly help you find a job placement when you are ready. You can go back to them when you are legally able to work, and ask to be placed as an employee or ask for their contact information as a reference.

    Finding Your Niche and Finding Some Fun
    You are bound to meet a lot of fun and awesome people who may share similar interests. Another part of networking is making new friends outside of school, and in making these friendships you can help each other find and share new opportunities to work again in the future. Alongside that, when you find a place you find enjoyable, you will definitely want to stay for longer. This means that you will get a lot more than 40 hours.

    YOU WILL GRADUATE!
    Last but not least, you would have successfully completed your 40 hours of community service! Without even realising it, when I graduated high school I had more than 100 hours of community service, all because I found an array of positions I really enjoyed and wanted to do for fun. Volunteering with friends is also a big bonus!

    How is completing 40 hours of community service relevant? High School helps shape you as a person and helps you experience life – without the “being an adult” part. You can shape your career path, you can find what you’re good at, and you can network with experienced professionals. It’s completely beneficial for you to complete those community service hours – so start now!

  • The Importance of Volunteering

    The Importance of Volunteering

    Here are some good reasons to get involved and volunteer!

    “Why would I bother to volunteer?”, you might think. “Isn’t it better to get a job and be paid for my time?” If you are like most teenagers, the word volunteer may make you cringe as your mind races back to so many occasions of being told what to do by your parents, otherwise known as being “voluntold”. If this describes you, then read on.

    One of the first and foremost reasons to volunteer is out of necessity: you may need to have 30-40 volunteer hours by the end of grade 12 in order to graduate. These hours (also referred to as community service) can change from province to province, so if you are already in high school and have not heard of them, you should probably ask a teacher.

    Another good reason to volunteer in high school is that, by offering to volunteer, you may have access to opportunities you otherwise would not. For example, a local newspaper is unlikely to hire a high school student as a journalist, but they would probably be happy to have you as a volunteer and, although you will not be writing headlines, at least you will be getting involved in a field you may be interested in.

    Speaking of getting involved in a field you are interested in, by volunteering you can also gain valuable work experience, connections, and references. You may not think it, but employers value volunteer experience almost as much as real work experience and even education. Think about it: you are a lot more likely to be hired as a mechanic if you volunteered at Bob’s Oil Change, even if it was for 40 hours three years ago. Failing that, it never hurts to have multiple references ready: if you have an interview with a reputable law firm, they are still more likely to hire you with Bob as your reference (assuming he had good things to say about you) then another equally qualified candidate with no references at all!

    You probably hear this reason all the time, but right now you have all the time in the world – so why not volunteer? Speaking as someone only in their mid-twenties, I can attest to the fact that free time is now an elusive thing. If I am not working, I am cleaning or fixing things around the house. Oh, and I have to go to that wedding next weekend, and visit the folks, and so on. You get the idea? Life has a habit of swallowing up every spare moment pretty much as soon as you walk out of school for the last time. Because of that, you should do anything and everything you can now while you still have the flexibility to do it!

    Finally, and most importantly, volunteering can offer you the kind of fulfillment that sitting around on the computer, watching Netflix, or texting all day cannot. Imagine the satisfaction of seeing an elementary school student you have helped tutor passing that big test they did not think they could? Or the day your humanitarian group finishes building a house for disaster victims? Or even something as small as raking the leaves for an elderly neighbour? So get out there and try it and you may find yourself addicted!

  • Volunteering with Work in Mind

    Volunteering with Work in Mind

    Volunteering thoughtfully is the way to break free from the “no work experience” trap. In high school, students do community service hours and they learn that volunteering is something we have to do selflessly to help contribute to the community we call home.

    While I think it is important to give back to your community, there are many ways to give back outside of the strict volunteer setting – some ways you don’t even intend as giving but your actions simply benefit others as a by-product (look up Adam Smith’s concept of “invisible hand” if this interests you). Formal volunteering, then, you should frame as an exchange. Your time and skills are valuable – try to match them to a job where you will be appreciated and where you can truly give a lot. In other words, chose a volunteering position that works with your schedule and lines up with your skills. Remember, it’s an exchange.

    When choosing a volunteer position, consider how you will grow, learn and gain experience in each position, not just how the company or organization will benefit. This is not selfish and it doesn’t contradict the meaning of volunteering. Think of the actions you want to take in your life and your career: most likely you want to do something that will benefit others and you. Anything else is not sustaining; you would burn out from a lack of fulfilment or a lack of caring for yourself. So, volunteering is giving back to your community and planet in a regenerative way for both you and the receiver.

    Here are some often overlooked ways that volunteering can benefit you: First, think about this position and its impact on potential job interviews. A surprising piece of information is that most job interviews now are example-based. In an interview, you can say that you are “reliable and punctual” but this will mean little to your interviewer until you pull out an example of your previous volunteer position in which you arrived at the fair-trade shop at 7am every Sunday morning to assist your supervisor in opening the shop.

    Next, get a letter of recommendation from your volunteering supervisor. One or two of these and all of a sudden you’re not the only one rooting for your great work habits and abilities in an interview. Letters of recommendation make an employer much more likely to believe all the positive things you say about yourself, because they have a second or third opinion. If you are volunteering for a set duration, ask for a letter near the end of the term. Give your supervisor at least a week’s notice before you need the letter, and she or he will likely be glad to write it for you. If you’ve already completed a volunteering term you can certainly still contact your supervisor now and ask for a letter of recommendation.

    Finally, don’t feel obliged to stay in one volunteer position if it isn’t working for you. The main asset of volunteering is that you get to explore many different career routes without the commitment and stress of a paid job. If your position isn’t giving you anything back – joy or experience or knowledge — give a fair week’s notice of your departure and leave politely, thanking them very much for the opportunity.

    Volunteering is practice for your career, so go out and get the best combination of helping others and benefiting you that is possible!