Throughout history, volunteering has evolved into a cultural connection; a common characteristic of humans on a local, national, and global level is the desire to help one another. Although this statement is not necessarily true for every individual, most people feel an urgency to assist friends, family members, coworkers, and/or strangers in need or in crisis. Why should we volunteer? Many people donate their time for varying reasons whether it’s fundraising for disaster relief or collecting, preparing, and serving food for a food bank (Moore). Maybe it’s the warm sensation in your heart after you play a game of chess with a bedridden cancer patient, or the contagious smiles shared between servers and recipients at a soup kitchen that attracts a person to volunteering; in any case, volunteers tend to find the imperfections in the world and work towards improving these flaws through acts of kindness, dedication, and selflessness (Benefits). Helping others without receiving anything in return aids community members, benefits your mind and soul, and, most importantly, “...brings fulfillment and fun to your life,” (Volunteering and Civics). Volunteering is described as the “...glue that keeps the community together,” (Volunteering and Civics). How can one act of kindness keep a town together? Typically, it doesn’t…or, should I say, not solely by one person. A community needs assistance by a multitude of people: young or old, male or female, Jewish or Muslim… a call for help in the community is for everybody and anyone who feels a desire to contribute to society. For instance, five years ago, as a gruesomely cold winter turned into an upcoming sweltering hot summer, the seven-foot-high snow banks melted into pools of water; the Iowa R... ... middle of paper ... ...can help others in need, strengthen our role in life, and give back to the wonderful world we’ve been given. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the world’s most prominent activists, states, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Works Cited "Become a Volunteer Mentor for a Child | Kinship of Greater Minneapolis." Kinship of Greater Minneapolis Volunteer Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. "The Benefits of Volunteering." Idealist.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. Moore, Bob. "Why DO People Volunteer?" From the Field. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. Smith, Melinda, M.A. "Volunteering and Its Surprising Benefits." : Helping Yourself While Helping Others. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014. "Volunteering and Civic Life in America." Volunteering and Civic Life in America. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. "What Volunteering Means to You." Personal interview. 10 Mar. 2014.
. Motivations to volunteer: The role of altruism. International Review on Public and Non-profit Marketing2006;3(2):79-91
Volunteering is productive. It also gives a satisfying feeling, knowing that one is helping people in need. Last year, in the process of getting confirmed in the Catholic Church, this writer preformed charity work such as serving food to homeless people at the Dorothy Day House. At first it seemed that doing charity work would be boring, but it was actually fun, helped people, and made a difference in their lives.
Careers in the Nonprofit Sector: Doing Well By Doing Good. Washington: The Taft Group. Wilson, A. and Pimm, G. (1996). The tyranny of the volunteer: the care and feeding of voluntary workforces.
Growing up, my parents and other influential figures around me modelled the importance of community service through their continual volunteer work and dedication to improving the world around them. Whether it be participation in a well-attended project or persistent contribution to a helpful organization, those aforementioned individuals were formative in guiding me towards a path filled with opportunities for having an impact on my community.
volunteering is a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. In this report i will talk about the different types of volunteering in the:
Meyer, Jennifer. "Learning to Give, Philanthropy Education Resources That Teach Giving and Civic Engagement." Learning to Give. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
Kim, in the United States, grades are not the only factor in evaluating school applicants and job candidates. From Rhodes Scholar selections to college applications, excellence in other areas such as leadership, volunteer activities, sports and arts is equally important (p82-90). In American schools, students are encouraged to do volunteer work. So much so that many schools have guidelines for how much time students are expected to spend serving in the community. Children learn the value of giving from an early age. Volunteer activities is one way Americans feel a part of things and share the goal of serving and contributing to build their communities. From neighborhood watch programs to environmental issues, Americans do not wait for the government to initiate action: they take action to bring about the changes they desire. Therefore, Americans view volunteer work as a way to teach children and young adults values such as cooperation and teamwork, dedication and work ethics, equality and social justice, leadership, generosity and compassion for
The relationship between young people and nonprofits can be the start of a significant change in our community, and should be a reciprocal and powerful educational experience. An open-minded and encouraging flow of communication between organizations and community members can be the launchpad for the social and environmental change organizations talk about and try for every day. Together, we can make change – not just a semblance of idealism, but reality, as well.
• Joanna Saisan, M. M. (2013, Sept). Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from help guide: http://www.helpguide.org/life/volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm
If we open our lives and give service to those less fortunate than ourselves, we allow our hearts to receive immeasurable happiness. When we sacrifice our time to help someone in need, whether it is a great or small need, we become a part of their life and can help alleviate heavy burdens. Making time to help people in need creates opportunities for us to develop new and lasting relationships. Serving our fellowmen allows the best in each of us to shine through and we can become examples to our children.
Volunteering enables an individual to make a positive impact on his or her community, while empowering the individual to better his or her life. This summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at many diverse locations. From the hospital to the local library, I truly value my experience and treasure everything it has thought me. Volunteering lets us experience and learn things that we otherwise would not have learned; volunteering opens doors for us that we may not have been able to open before. Volunteering provides us with guidance and tolerance which we may use in the future to aid us in our decisions. At first glance, volunteering may seem to only benefit those who are helped, but on a deeper level, one can realize that volunteering benefits the volunteer as much as, if not more than, those who are helped. Not only does volunteering make a difference in one’s community, but it also helps the volunteer become a smarter, happier, friendlier and more caring individual.
Volunteering benefits a person by building connections with peers, improving family life, expanding career skills, overcoming self doubt, having lasting life impressions, and creating new opportunities. Just a small act can make a huge difference in someone’s life. The future is dependent on the individual person and the people they surround themselves with. Just a few hours will change both the volunteer’s life and the one that is in need.
The amazing thing is, the people that volunteer to help are making a lot of differences. Our society has benefited from the generosity of volunteers of all ages. More than one and a half million non-profit organizations and charities benefiting as a result. The estimated economic value on the volunteering sector is in the area of billions of dollars annually. It has always been, a very important aspect of our society.
A reflection of my volunteering experience can be summarized in two words: Life-changing. It is hard to explain the feelings that occur when you involve yourself in selfless acts for your community, such as volunteering. There is a feeling in your heart that you cannot ignore, maybe it is the happiness you feel or the overflow of emotions in helping others. In other words, it is a feeling in which you want to share with others. Maybe with a friend, maybe a classmate, maybe a family member, or maybe even a stranger. Either way, spreading how life-changing volunteering can be is a great start to making a positive change in your community by simply by involving others.
Specifically, volunteering brings in revenue from nonprofits and “free” work. In fact, in 2009 an estimated value of $169 billion dollars was contributed to America in volunteer participation (Corporation for National and Community Service). Volunteers bring an unexpected abundance of revenue that appears in unpaid work. In addition, it enhances communication within a society. Significantly, volunteering provides insight from first hand experiences for the community’s wants and needs and if these wants and needs are being met by volunteers communicating their volunteer experiences (Young). When there is better communication within a community it is easier to understand what the wants and needs are for a society to better function. Finally, it provides services in many different forms. For instance, in a local sense volunteers can benefit many sectors such as public works and transportation; public safety, health, and human services; parks and recreation; and support functions (Young). Like stated above, it is evident that there are many different types of volunteer jobs that can be done and anyone can help by using their personal strengths to better the community. Overall, there are many economic benefits that are brought to a community that essentially leads to a safer