"Helping others can truly be one of our most self-serving acts" says Allan Lucas who has spent over two decades researching the health benefits of helping others. He popularized the term "helper's high" to describe the physical health effects of volunteering. As he describes it, the first stage of "helper's high" is a physical high - a rush of good feelings caused by the sudden, powerful release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. Phase two is of calmness, which relieves tension from the body, thus allowing the immune system to restore itself.
In today's busy society, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering are enormous, both to you, and the community. Besides improving your mental and physical health, volunteering can help you find friends, reach out to the community, learn new skills and even advance your career.
Listed below are the many benefits of volunteering and some tips on getting started on volunteering.
#1: Volunteering connects you to others.
Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.
It also strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network; exposing you to people with common interests, neighbourhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.
Volunteering increases your social and relationship skills. While some people are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills, since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests.
#2: Volunteering is good for your mind and body.
Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health.
It increases your self-confidence. It can provide a healthy boost to your self-esteem and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity.And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.
Volunteering combats depression, it reduces the risk of depression. A key risk factor for depression is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps to develop a solid support system; which in turn protects you against stress and depression when you're going through challenging times.
It helps you stay physically healthy. It is good for your health at any age, but it's especially beneficial for older adults. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants. Volunteering has also been shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain or heart disease.
#3: Volunteering can advance your career.
Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important skills used in the workplace, such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, project planning, task management, and organization.
You are provided with a career experience, as it offers you the chance to try out a new career without making a long-term commitment. It is also a great way to gain experience in a new field. In some fields, you can volunteer directly at an organization that does the kind of work you're interested in. Your volunteer work might also expose you to professional organizations or internships that could be of benefit to your career.
Volunteering can teach you valuable job skills. Just because volunteer work is unpaid it does not mean the skills you learn are basic. Many volunteering opportunities provide extensive training. For example, you could become an experienced crisis counsellor while volunteering for a women's shelter or a knowledgeable art historian while donating your time at a museum, or city heritage walks.
It can also help you build upon skills you already have and use them to benefit the greater community. For instance, if you hold a successful sales position, you raise awareness for your favorite cause as a volunteer advocate, while further developing and improving your public speaking, communication, and marketing skills.
#4: Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life.
Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work you find meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing, energizing escape from your day-to-day routine of work, or family commitments. Volunteering also provides you with renewed creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into your personal and professional life.
Many people volunteer in order to make time for hobbies outside of work as well. For instance, if you have a desk job and long to spend time outdoors, you might consider volunteering to help plant a community garden, lead local heritage walks, or help at a Children's Home. When it comes to volunteering, passion and positivity are the only requirements.
What skills does one need for volunteering?
The most valuable skills you can bring to any volunteer effort are compassion, an open mind, a willingness to do whatever is needed, and a positive attitude.
Tips for getting started with volunteering.
There are numerous volunteer opportunities available. The key is to find a volunteer position that you would enjoy and are capable of doing. The following questions can help you narrow your options:
(Source: World Volunteer Web)
Where do I find volunteer opportunities?
Most importantly, make sure you're having fun! The best volunteer experiences benefit both the volunteer and the organization.
avanchas on 11 Sep 2015, 11:11 AM
nice information...capturedsangeetacts on 31 Mar 2015, 09:58 AM
Very useful Information shared.