Why Volunteerism Is Important for Individuals
Volunteering and serving often get squeezed out when we have so many other obligations and responsibilities, but they should rival the importance of homework and practices. The IEB school curriculum is trying to recognise this by implementing a 20-hour volunteering requirement.
Mostly as parents and learners we see this volunteering requirement as a huge pain that must be done rather than something we ‘get to do’ with all the benefits associated with volunteering.
Did you know that science has a lot to say about why volunteerism is important?
Once you know the facts it’s hard to ignore its value in your life and the life of your family.
The list below comes from the Harvard Business Review, the Mayo Clinic, Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Corporation for National and Community Service and Forbes.
Volunteering and serving can:
- Make you feel like you have more time
- Develop leadership skills (sometimes more effectively than academic programs about leadership)
- Increase self confidence
- Improve communication skills
- Help you be a better team member
- Teach you how to adapt and solve problems
- Give you a sense of purpose
- Help you live longer
- Help you learn new skills
- Decrease rates of depression and anxiety
- Increase happiness and make you smile more often
- Lower your stress levels
- Help you explore your interests
- Introduce you to different cultures
- Introduce you to people with different backgrounds and beliefs
- Build job-related experience and make you more marketable
- Build empathy
- Reduce isolation and loneliness
- Strengthen social bonds
- Help you meet others and develop new relationships
- Help you feel healthier and stronger
The scientific benefits of volunteerism can lead to improved physical, mental and social lives. Volunteering has also become increasingly important for your social CV and have become part of the University admissions process.
At Volunteer Now we understand that it is difficult to find volunteering opportunities with screened causes and how hard it is to manage volunteers.
The Volunteer Now Platform matches the needs of causes with volunteer preferences.
Booking and hours are managed online. Try it out now.