Why You Should Consider Volunteering in Your Community

If you are considering whether or not you should start volunteering, there might be a lot of questions going through your mind. You may be doubtful whether or not you have the time for this commitment. Maybe you’re not sure how you would adapt to the role. You may want to give back, but at the same time wonder whether you’re up for the task.

Guest post by Sarah Kaminski

As someone who has volunteered with young children and the elderly for years, I can tell you the experience, no matter how anxious it may make you before you embark on it, is one of the best things you can do in life.

Here is why you should consider volunteering in your local community:

It Can Make a Tangible Difference

Volunteering can make a huge difference. Even if it seems to be a small task, something that won’t make any impact on the world as a whole, any volunteering act resonates in the community.

If you deliver just one meal to a senior citizen, you will make their day easier. If you help out at a local animal shelter, you can help an animal find a home. If you help clean your local beach, you will make it safer for everyone.

Don’t try to find an action that will make a huge difference. The smallest actions are actually the ones that change people’s lives the most, and often in the most surprising ways.

It Can Teach You a Lot

By becoming a volunteer, you can learn an incredible lot. You can enhance a skill you already have. For example, if you like to cook and you start making meals for the homeless, you can become a better cook.

It can also help you acquire new skills you never thought you’d need or enjoy. Volunteering often means handling tasks you never have, like taking inventory, organizing transportation, learning how to manage people or money, and so on.

All of these skills will be extremely useful later in life, and you can apply them at work too. Don’t shy away from trying something new, whether it’s carpeting or painting. Your fellow volunteers will almost always want to help you learn and be ready to show you the ropes, so all you have to do is ask.

It’s Good for Your Mental Health

Volunteering is great for your mental health. It will make you feel more confident over time, and you will learn how to deal with all kinds of different situations. It will expose you to people with completely different worldviews from your own, so you will expand your horizons and learn more about the human experience.

Volunteering is also great for combating anxiety and depression, reducing stress, and alleviating loneliness. It helps you connect with people on a very deep level, all of which will make you feel happier, lighter, and more fulfilled.

It Makes You Feel a Part of the World

Volunteering makes you feel more connected to the world as a whole and the people around you. It makes you more invested in your community, and it gives you a unique opportunity to do good.

In today’s lonely world, where the focus is more on the individual and their needs than on community and togetherness, volunteering helps you restore some of that balance we’ve lost. It makes you feel more human and, oddly enough, more alive.

It Can Expand Your Network

Volunteering is also a great way to meet new people and expand your network of friends and acquaintances. You will often discover that your fellow volunteers share a lot of your values and worldviews, but they often come from completely different backgrounds and experiences. Spending time with them can be a very fun and educational experience.

You can also learn a new language through volunteering, which can put you in touch with all kinds of new ideas and people. The more you expand your circle, the more vibrant and interesting your life will be.

It Looks Good on Your Resume

Employers also love to see candidates with volunteering experience. It shows that you care about your community, that you are an empathetic individual, and that you’re able to function in all kinds of situations. It also speaks to a commitment to making the world a better place and demonstrates your willingness to make an impact.

Most HRs will ask you about what you have learned while volunteering and how it has impacted your life. It’s a great opportunity to share a bit about yourself and talk about the issues that matter to you.

It Provides Amazing Opportunities

Becoming a volunteer can also help you find new opportunities both in your personal and your professional life. You will hear of projects and events you will have otherwise completely missed. Your fellow volunteers will introduce you to new people, recommend you for jobs, and perhaps even introduce you to your future spouse!

Volunteering will take you to new places all the time, and as long as you are open to the opportunity, who knows where you may end up!

Wrapping Up

Explore some local volunteering options in your area and take the first step. Look for causes you are truly passionate about, whether that’s taking care of animals, recycling, or helping children fall in love with reading. It’s daunting to start helping, but once you get going, there’s no feeling like it.