Why is volunteering important? Volunteering

Volunteering in any capacity is a fantastic opportunity for a number of reasons. If you are considering volunteering, you may be wondering what sort of benefits it has for you or why it is important. If that is the case, this article will explore the reasons why volunteering is a great way for everyone to get involved with something new while supporting a worthwhile cause.

What is volunteering?

First of all, what is volunteering? Put simply, volunteering means giving your time and skills for free to support an organisation such as a not for profit charity. Volunteering can be done in a number of ways, depending on the organisation, their needs, your skills, and your experience.

Volunteering activities can range from helping to raise funds for a charity to helping children learn how to read, or working in a shop (like a charity shop). Many organisations rely on volunteers to continue to serve their communities. That is one reason why volunteering is important. Without individuals giving up their time to volunteer, many not-for-profit organisations would struggle to operate and provide support to their communities.

What are the benefits of volunteering?

Volunteering comes with many benefits – both for the organisations themselves and for an individual. Here we’ll give just a few examples of how volunteering can benefit you.

Volunteering Builds Your Confidence

If you struggle with low confidence and self-esteem, volunteering can be a great way to build these up. If you have been out of work for a while, or you’ve never had a job, you may feel that it is impossible to start on that journey. However, volunteering can provide a very clear path that supports you in doing just that.

Volunteering can also provide a sense of purpose, and give you a real confidence boost. In pouring your energy into something that does good, and connecting with others, you’ll naturally feel more confident in your abilities and better about yourself. In short, volunteering can provide you with a sense of accomplishment, identity and pride that you may not have currently. It can also inspire you for the future and give you an idea of the kinds of goals you would like to achieve.

Volunteering Widens Your Social Circle

Meeting new people and building relationships is incredibly fulfilling. And volunteering gives you the opportunity to do that. If you want to make new friends, volunteering is a fantastic way to meet new people where you live and get to know the community you live in even better.

In turn, if you struggle to make new friends, volunteering will support you in developing social skills. This may give you the confidence to use these skills in your everyday life to build stronger relationships, too!

Volunteering Teaches You New Things

No matter what you volunteer to do, getting involved with a charity or organisation can help you strengthen key qualities and skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving. All of these things are invaluable in the world of work and can help you in the future.

If you already have a job but take up volunteering as something to do in your spare time, you may learn new skills that you can apply in work. Or even just gain the confidence to put yourself forward for new tasks and responsibilities.

If you’re out of work, volunteering can give you an insight into a line of work without having to make a long-term commitment. You may even decide to pursue this if you like the look and feel of a certain role and open doors to a brighter, exciting new future.

Volunteering Is Fun

Finally, volunteering can be lots of fun! As well as giving you the opportunity to explore new interests and learn new skills, it can also give you something to look forward to and something meaningful to do with your spare time.

From making new friends to learning something new, volunteering is a wonderful way of spreading your wings while contributing to a worthwhile cause.

How To Get Started With Volunteering

If you are interested in volunteering, then contact Building Better Opportunities today. We work with a number of partners, charities and organisations across the region who are regularly in need of volunteers and we can put you in touch with them.

If you are considering volunteering but aren’t sure what you would like to do, then we can help with that too!

Our main aim is to support individuals in Stafford and South Staffordshire to live a balanced and happy life. With that in mind, we work with you to understand your goals  and support you in creating a personal development plan that works towards them. To find out more, contact us today or drop into one of our Work Clubs across the region.