Giving to others genuinely and regularly means giving them your time, skills and resources. For example, they might receive meaning of life or just a good conversation with someone who knows what they’re going through. Previous research has indicated that volunteering is linked to increased feelings of engagement, of hope for the future and decreased feelings of depression. Other reports have also shown volunteering can improve physical health.
We all have a desire to help others. This doesn’t go away even in the face of war, natural disasters and disease. Caring for each other allows us to thrive in spite of these things. Children can differentiate between good and evil even at a young age and may be drawn to those who show kindness, according to Daniel Goleman, a leading expert in the field of human behavior
There is very little awareness at the moment as to who volunteers are, what they do, what it will take for a person to become a volunteer, and how much time will need to be devoted to this.
Here are a few steps to reaching this goal
1. It is necessary to evaluate your capabilities.
To volunteer, you’ll need to be able to meet certain responsibilities. If you’re willing to give your all and are confident in yourself and your abilities, then volunteering might be the perfect opportunity for you. It is impossible to volunteer without feeling tired or experiencing some negative emotions at times, but with sincerity and a sensible assessment of one’s own self, people can make smart decisions when it comes to conserving energy and organizing their resources well. Volunteers usually experience higher levels of satisfaction than the general population on average.
2. Find your real inner motives.
General ideas to change the world for the better are usually a waste of time. Find out why you really want this, so that we can work together towards a common goal. The main question is not “Why?”, but “Why? That is, not what happened to cause this problem, but what do you hope to get from it?”
Why does the interest for volunteering stay high?
The reasons for joining these kinds of websites are usually altruistic and social, such as wanting to help others, or build new connections. There’s also the potential for career benefits since you get to meet like-minded people and take parts in workshops that could improve your skills. However, psychologists emphasize that the motives for volunteering are heterogeneous and depend on the nature of the activity itself, the age of volunteers, and the period of their participation in a project, etc.
In the past, a lot of sports volunteers liked hanging out with new people, achieving their goals and feeling like they matter. People often volunteer for the environment but soon find that the opportunity to relax and take a break from their busy lives is one of the biggest motivating factors.
People of all ages can benefit from volunteering experience. For young people, it’s often a way to gain connections and be exposed to different career paths. Older people can turn volunteering into a lifelong commitment.
3. Why would you want to help the fund you decide?
Here is how you can find organizations that solve social problems and get volunteers:
– on the recommendations of friends who are already employed in the area you need (many volunteers come just for the company, and then get seriously interested in participating in projects)
– You can find information about volunteer opportunities on organizations’ social media pages or on their websites.
– through volunteer-run development centers
You may send requests to any projects of your liking. Just be sure to ask about working and living conditions, if you will need to bring anything (not all project organizers are ready to provide these items). If you didn’t get a response within 10 days, please resend your request. You can also contact the organisers on Facebook, Skype or through the dedicated form on the site. When a project has not responded in over three weeks or one month, it means they probably do not have any interest in it. It’s definitely not the end of the world! Instead, look for other opportunities that may be a great match for you.
Evaluate reviews of other volunteers to get a feel for what you might be getting into. Look for information about the project organisers on the internet and never transfer funds without specifying payment terms in the terms of volunteering.
4. What can I expect from volunteer work?
If you are not the only volunteer on the project, get ready to communicate a lot – with a variety of people. In ecovillages, for example, you can meet people with work experience in large corporations who have traded office work and management of subordinates for cheese production in the village, pensioners who don’t want to spend their days within four walls in a noisy city, students looking for alternative ways of life, single mothers who want to raise their children in harmony with nature, and just eternal travelers wandering from one project to another. You will find many ways to live life out on this planet.
Volunteering can be a great way to gain experience of working outside the office and living in new places. You could become a farmer, conservationist, baker, lumberjack, guide or restaurant owner/manager. It’s also possible to volunteer as a doctor or teacher. You will have the chance to live on the ocean, in the jungle, in permafrost or in the steppes. You can settle in a tent, yurt, house with a story or a bungalow and even sleep outside. It feels like a children’s camp for adults.
5. The difficulties of volunteer work
Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity is a rewarding experience, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. You’ll never know what to expect & stability isn’t guaranteed. There are often times when you won’t like the living conditions (you might experience discomfort), or the food you eat (you might not enjoy some of it).
Conflicts in the project can happen between volunteers after a long duration of project participation. Such conflicts are caused by feelings of routine, fatigue and difference in goals. When working on a team, it is impossible and not necessary to avoid any conflicts: with different people, every experience of communication will still be fruitful.
Volunteering can be difficult and frustrating, but if you lower your expectations it’s easier to manage. There will always be challenges, but there will be some great moments too.
6. Be kind to yourself.
Helping professionals can often find burnout to be a common, natural thing that they face while performing their duties. Most will experience the initial stages of burnout before it can become too bad. Volunteers are less likely to face these stages as they normally don’t work constantly for long periods of time. Don’t ignore your feelings. If indifference or even rejection appears, it’s worth taking a break and considering what you want to do.
Volunteering is a commitment that doesn’t require you to do anything unusual or special. You can help out by picking up trash, planting trees, or doing other activities with friends and family. However, many types of volunteering that require special skills and the combined efforts of many people. These may include helping children with disabilities, saving homeless animals, organising large-scale events.
As you can see, volunteering is available to everyone. Regardless of what profession or social status you hold, all volunteers share the same desire to do good and provide light.
Sociologists, psychologists and economists agree that volunteerism is slowly becoming a major social institution. This can allow society to implement new projects from below. Volunteering has been proven to be a good way for people to create change in their communities, following the saying by Mahatma Gandhi.
According to Viktor Frankl, the creator of logotherapy, only those who go beyond their own personality and “discover meaning in the outside world” can live a full life. When we dedicate our time and energy to something bigger than ourselves, we reap the benefits. Not only does this tend to make us happier, but it also provides a sense of purpose and a way to live with new memories that are always sparking new discoveries. This is where personal growth can come from.
