The Glorious Perks Of Volunteerism

Whether you are volunteering at the local food shelter, or for a non-profit organisation or at any day-long charity event perhaps hosted by your school, it is almost always about giving back to your community and helping those in need. In brief terms, being a good Samaritan means you’re doing this voluntary work for the betterment of society without really expecting anything in return. However you would be pleasantly surprised to know that with volunteering comes a bunch of rewarding perks.

First, knowing that you are spending your time and energy to help people, or animals, who are otherwise neglected and seeing the fruits of your labour when an underprivileged child gets to go to school for the first time, or poverty-stricken starving individuals are fed a hearty meal– because of your voluntary acts, will surely bring a smile to your face and you’re bound to feel valuable to your society. But let’s take a moment to consider how YOU specifically, can benefit from assuming the role of a volunteer.

Volunteering, whether it’s for a few hours, days or a longer period of your life, will enable you to meet new people, often just like yourself. These people are likely to be sharing your interests and through shared voluntary work it’s very possible you will stumble upon some lasting friendships. It’s not centred to merely making friends either, but the social skills and experience you develop is likely to make you less ‘socially awkward’, if you’re facing that sort of problem. If you’re a shy individual or you have a hard time expressing yourself in front of large groups of people, volunteering activities may just be what you need to get yourself out of your shell and develop some good communication skills.

Each individual possesses their own unique skill set or area of interest. Involving yourself in volunteering activities and programmes will give you an opportunity to enhance your existing skill set. If you enjoy graphic designing or writing, doing voluntary work that requires these skills will help you grow and improve in those areas. On the other hand, it is said that “A comfort zone is a great place, but nothing ever grows there.” If you want to take a brave step outside your own comfort zone and learn a new skill, such as photography, then choosing the right voluntary activity can be your ticket to learning and honing that new skill. 

 Speaking of developing skills and gaining experience, volunteering gives you the ability to come up with an impressive resume or CV, which is likely to be superior to that of your peers or colleagues, who may not have done as much voluntary work as yourself. For example if you aspire to be an illustrator or a creative director later in life, hours of experience gained doing designing work at a voluntary programme or organisation can give you an advantage over others fighting for the same occupation or job-vacancy.

Perfecting the college application is an arduous and well-known struggle for many of us. Chances are that your dream college or university will not be impressed merely by good academics. Most colleges look for individuals with vast experience in extra-curricular activities, often voluntary work which proves that you are a hard-working, compassionate person willing to improve society.  Often they seek leadership qualities, which you can easily acquire by engaging in voluntary work.

If any of the aforementioned benefits managed to grab your attention, then bear with me till the end because I have some good news! Durnibar Foundation is hosting a month long event whereby we will hire interns for all six departments – Creative, Public Relations, Human Resource, Event Management, Finance and Sponsorship Departments.