Volunteering refers to a person willingly offering services to the society without expecting in return. Volunteering can be as simple as giving a helping hand to a person to lift up a heavy bag to rendering time and services in activities organised by any non-profit organisation. Having volunteering experience on one’s records has become increasingly important in today’s corporate world. As companies are more inclined towards CSR (corporate social responsibility) to standout in this competitive market, they are also looking for employees that have contributed and are willing to contribute towards society.
Benefits of volunteering in active job search
Builds your resume
If you are starting a career in a new place or a different country, volunteering helps you gain experience in this new field. It helps to better depict your resume in between all the other. It shows that even if you are an outsider you have the potential to deal with new situations and circumstances. Along with the qualities and educational skills you possess it shows that you also know how to use them and contribute to the society. Having a volunteering experience has never been a bad impression on some, instead has made the person look smarter.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Opportunity to meet new people
Volunteering has always been proven the best medium of connecting with people, rather than attending high status networking events. Here the environment is friendly and welcoming. You don’t feel like you are pushing yourself on someone to like you, instead they like you because you share the same interest as to the person you meet. And they are willing to accept you in their culture because you are contributing your energy in return
Refining your skills or learn new skills.
Volunteering helps you develop your soft skills. As you constantly meet people it helps you improve your vocabulary, improve the pitch of your voice, boost confidence in communicating with new people. It might also help you learn new language. It helps you to learn qualities like team work, punctuality, adapt to the changes in the working environment. How to dress according to the events or any kind of job that you are looking for. To sum it up volunteering helps you become a better, presentable person.
Determining career goals
If you are confused in “Which career path should I select?” or “Which job opportunity should I seek, so as to bring out the best in me?” the only solution to these questions is volunteering. Volunteering gives you an opportunity to know yourself and analyse where you fit in the best. Hence making easier for you at the time of job search as you already know which field you want to apply and nurture yourself.
Real work experience
Volunteering helps you gain practical knowledge of working in real life, especially if you have newly graduated and don’t know what to do next. It helps you prepare for interviews as you learn about your likes and dislikes and can easily answer the question “Tell me about yourself” asked by the interviewer. It also provides a strong reference while applying for a job.
Enrich your life
It'll offer new life experiences and insights into social and developmental issues, also because the inner workings of non-governmental and community organizations. it'd provide you with the chance to travel abroad and knowledge diverse cultures, assisting local communities or environmental projects while seeing the globe at the identical time.
Reasons why people choose volunteering
1. It's a safe way to bridge the gap between you and others who might think you're 'different.'
Volunteering with these groups allows for the opportunity to broaden your horizons and explore other religions and cultures. Examples of volunteer opportunities are teaching abroad or working with refugees which encourage people from different backgrounds to come together as one.
2. Volunteering sets good example for other
Volunteers can encourage others to get active by participating to make a positive difference in the world. It set a great example for young children too. Great examples of how to create a love for service in others include serving food in a local soup kitchen, heading a business team to collect funds for a charity run, or partnering with at-risk youth on an after-school program.
3. It's important to do well
We’re flooded with discouraging news stories each day. Community service presents a diligent way of doing something to create a better place for the world. Even the slightest movements are making a huge difference. And if we're all banding around each other, those little movements can contribute to a massive change. For instance, when we contribute to the Salvation Army clothes and toys, we are supporting our community by donating, creating jobs in thrift stores, and offering a source for others to buy the things they need at a reasonable price.
4. Volunteering gives greater self-awareness and insight
It is likely that people may face to face with some very heart-wrenching scenarios, depending on the source. As a volunteer they are expected to remain a relaxed and positive mentality. Dealing with these situations can cause them to challenge their perspective of the world and their personal life choices.
5. Volunteering is good for society
Many businesses, and almost all mission-driven organizations, are successful only if they maintain a strong volunteer workforce. In fact, places like museums, social service organizations, and faith-based organizations often rely on more volunteers than paid workers to meet their goals and fulfill their mission. These businesses are committed to doing good things for society. They pick up the pieces where government programs leave off, and by volunteering for these organizations, you participate in helping society meet the needs of people from all walks of life.
6. Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose
A key factor is assumed to be that volunteering serves to express and facilitate opportunities to carry out one’s sense of purpose. The very nature of volunteering means choosing to work without being paid for it. As a result, people choose to spend their time on issues they feel strongly about. If you are greatly concerned about the treatment and well-being of animals, for example, volunteering at an animal shelter will help you address a social problem that is meaningful to you.
Why do people not want to volunteer?
Research has mainly focused on why people do volunteer rather than why they do not want to volunteer. It has been shown that 90% population want to volunteer but there are some common reasons which prevent them to do so and these reasons are briefly explained below:
1. Less Availability of Time
Owing to the hectic lifestyle, people do not have enough time to do a lot of jobs because volunteer schedules are too inflexible. Mostly the young population does volunteer but these aged group people are involved in full- time jobs which become the biggest barrier to go for this good work. Apart from this, people have to spend time with their families which leads to a lack of time for volunteering. Due to this people nowadays want to do volunteering from their households such as doing some online work, perform some short-activities with their families.
2. Less Interesting
People always want those type of jobs mostly in which they find some entertainment but as we know the volunteering roles are not for entertainment purpose instead of a social cause. So, people want to spend their leisure time for some recreational activities not for volunteering. To overcome this issue experienced volunteers should motivate people to get involved in volunteering by explaining their personal experience that if they do it by heart, they can find it interesting and they can improve their skills and knowledge.
3. Lack of Information
As discussed, earlier people are not interested in volunteering, therefore they do not have much information about it. In contrast, some people want to volunteer but do not have enough information about what, how and where to do. Added to this, sometimes their skills do not match with the provided roles. So, it the duty of non- profit organizations to provide proper information about the work they are doing for a social cause as well as clearly mention the skills needed to do a particular job during volunteering.
4. Lack of Appreciation
Because people want something for something that is why they do not want to do any job without rewards. Volunteering helps in improving intellectual skills such as empathy, motivation, and social skills but does not provide incentives therefore people do not want to go for volunteering. So, it is the responsibility of volunteering organizations to give some rewards for the time invested by volunteers and they can appreciate them by sending handwritten thank you notes and can show that they are valuable for them.
5. Previous Bad Experience
Due to bad experience in volunteering people had faced, they do not want to involve in volunteering because sometimes people do volunteer which is not worthy for them such as it does not increase their skills and some times they have a mismatch in their role and skills. Additionally, people do not find a welcoming environment due to poor organization like they have denied for assigning jobs on a timely basis. Sometimes, experienced volunteers do not behave friendly with new entrants instead of this give them orders to do jobs but volunteering as we know do not base on the superior-subordinate scenario it is all about sharing hands for social benefit.
6. Lack of Confidence
People become less confident when they go out of their comfort zone, this mostly happens in volunteering. Volunteers mostly have to do jobs that are not related to their regular work, so they do not feel comfortable while doing volunteering. People also have fear of getting blamed for the failure of a particular volunteer event which can spoil their confidence. Moreover, people feel less confident to work with more knowledgeable and experienced people who had done work before as a volunteer.
Conclusion
These are some volunteer programs I would like to do in the near future. These non-profit organization’s programs give us an opportunity to volunteer our community in different ways.
World Wildlife Fund Canada is the country’s largest international conservation organization, with the active support of hundreds of thousands of Canadians. For half a century, WWF-Canada has worked to protect the future of nature. They connect the power of a strong global network to on-the-ground conservation efforts across the nation. Their mission is to reverse the decline of wildlife and maintain healthy marine ecosystems on coasts in Canada. Another compliance starts with the transition to 100 percent habitat-friendly renewable energy and climate-smart land use. Moreover, they give more emphasis on vibrant and ecologically sound future for the Arctic.
WoodGreen Community Services is one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto. Their community mainly seeking caring and compassionate individuals who can provide companionship and social support to socially isolated seniors. Our time will help to reduce their loneliness and improve their quality of life. Volunteer’s time, talent and energy is crucial to the success of this program. They need volunteers are committed to doing one or two hours per week for a 3-month minimum period. Being consistently reliable is a key attribute of this position
Roots of Empathy is a program for elementary school children. Its aim is to increase empathy; the ability to understand how another person feels and to feel with them. The program is proven to reduce aggression and increase caring, sharing kindness. Roots of Empathy is in multiple countries and has reached almost one million children. Volunteer Instructors are trained to deliver all aspects of the Roots of Empathy program to children in the classroom.
The Central Ontario Developmental Riding Program (CODRP) / Pride Stables offers therapeutic horseback riding lessons to people with disabilities. Lessons are held during the autumn, winter, spring and summer. Over 340 riders from Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and surrounding areas use the ability weekly, assisted by quite 400 incredible volunteers. During 8 weeks within the summer months, Camp Pride, a totally integrated camp, is fully operation with near 200 children attending. During each lesson, riders learn the fundamentals of riding a horse, reckoning on their abilities. the advantages of horseback riding are multidimensional. The instruction of lessons relies on sequencing, which enables each rider to find out at their own pace. Participating in weekly lessons also builds special friendships between the rider, their horse, volunteers and staff members. Therapeutic horseback riding uses the horse as a medium of therapy.
Habitat for Humanity Prince Edward -Hastings is supported through the retail sales of The ReStore. A business establishment surpass the affiliate and stocked generous donations of latest and gently used home improvement materials, furniture, home décor, and more. Retail Personnel provide assistance to The ReStore by preparing merchandise purchasable (cleaning and straightforward repairs), creating floor displays, customer service, housekeeping duties, loading and unloading donations, and preparing some items for scrap recycling or disposal. Retail Personnel will mostly work indoors but are going to be exposed to the outside when loading/unloading vehicles or working within the recycling/waste area.
Reference
- https://www.randstad.ca/job-seeker/career-resources/workplace-culture/volunteering-isnt-just-socially-responsible-its-good-for-your-career/
- https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-careerboosting-reasons-you-should-volunteer-in-addition-to-the-fact-that-it-makes-you-a-good-person
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-third-age/201403/5-reasons-why-you-should-volunteer
- https://buildabroad.org/2017/10/13/why-is-volunteering-important/
- www.theconversation.com www.longevity.stanford.edu www.donordirect.com
- https://www.sparkontario.ca/
Stuck on your essay?
