9 Great benefits of volunteering
Are you thinking about volunteering abroad or at home, but aren't 100 % sure it's right for you? That's normal - the idea of joining a new group and trying out new things can be daunting. But the benefits of volunteering outweigh these ideas massively. Besides the huge contribution to society that volunteering provides, it is also incredibly rewarding for the individuals themselves who volunteer.
There have been multiple studies done on the benefits, both physical and psychological, of voluntary work, and they all come to one conclusion - volunteering is good for you!
Do you want to know how volunteering can benefit you and your life? Keep reading. This post is perfect for you.
1. It offers the opportunity to try out new skills.
Volunteering provides the opportunity to try out new skills. Maybe there's something you've always been interested in trying but were afraid to? Volunteering offers you the opportunity to try out your skills, and learn new ones, in a welcoming and non-judgemental environment.
2. Gain Work Experience.
Volunteering can give you the opportunity to gain some real life work experience in your field of interest or study, which will look great on your C.V. and may help you move up the career ladder in the future.
3. Sense of accomplishment & sense of purpose.
Dedicating your time to helping others can be very rewarding. If you are feeling a bit lost in life, voluntary work can provide you with a sense of purpose - a reason to get up every day. And each day that you complete a volunteering task, it can provide you with a sense of achievement which in turn helps boost your confidence!
4. Meeting new people.
Giving your time to others affords you the opportunity to meet people from different walks of life, people you may never have had the opportunity to meet under other circumstances, which is a great way to broaden your mind! It has also been proven to help increase your trust in other people.
5. Improves your empathy.
When you volunteer, you are in a position to foster empathy within yourself. This is an incredibly important life skill to have and will help you develop deeper, more meaningful relationships.
6. Have fun.
Helping others can be great fun! People on volunteering programmes really want to be there - this creates a great atmosphere & energy, and means there are plenty of opportunities for laughs!
7. Exploring new environments.
Whether you choose to volunteer at home or abroad, you have the opportunity to explore a brand new environment. It could be a part of your home town that you have never explored before, or it could be a completely new country.
8. Learning.
The opportunities for learning from volunteering are endless. Besides learning new skills, volunteering offers the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of government agencies and non-profits. It gives you the chance to learn about different communities and you also have the opportunity to learn a lot about yourself!
9. Stress Reduction.
Experts report that volunteering can extend the length of your life. When you focus your energy on someone else, it breaks-up the usual stress producing patterns, so volunteering acts as a buffer to stress, and paired with the other benefits listed in this article, contributes to your overall well-being. Positive social psychological factors are correlated with better physical health and a stronger immune system!
What about you? Have you experienced any other benefits from volunteering?
