Charities and Volunteer Work: Is It Worth It?

Around the world, nearly one-fifth of the population volunteers, with 23.5% of men and 29.9% of women volunteering. Among these, services provided amount to an astonishing $169,000,000,000 and 8,150,000,000 hours were donated by volunteers. This all contributed to making the world a better place. There are many other reasons to volunteer, other than to help others, including benefits for yourself and benefits for the community.

When you volunteer, you feel like you have more time. A major reason that people skip volunteer work is because they are too busy or they feel like they don’t have enough time. Surprisingly, a study published in the Harvard Business Review shows that people who volunteer actually feel like they have more time. This is because giving your time to others makes you feel ‘time affluent’. Being able to give your time to others is more satisfying than watching your favorite TV show or otherwise spending it on yourself. Check out AssignmentGeek for the best assignment help.

Volunteering also reduces stress, for two reasons. First, when you turn your attention to the needs of someone other than yourself, you interrupt tension-producing patterns in the brain. This helps you relax for a while. Second, volunteering often brings feelings of joy and optimism, which reduce stress and strengthen the immune system.

If you need another reason to volunteer, consider how it is going to look on future job applications and resumes. It is not uncommon for potential employers to choose an employee with some experience over someone who has no experience at all. This makes it hard to get your first job, especially if you wait until after you have graduated. Fortunately, you do not have to be qualified for volunteer work- just willing to help. This means that by doing charity work, especially in an area that you may seek future employment in, can help you find a job.

Finally, when you volunteer, you are improving the community that you live in. First, volunteering saves valuable community resources. Most communities want to take care of their citizens. But, what do they do when the budget runs short? They often cut money for local improvements and allocate it to community services like providing food to the needy and after-school programs. When individuals volunteer, they take financial weight off their community, allowing money to be spent on local improvements instead. Volunteering also improves the community you live in. Volunteering activities like eldercare and daycare support families, while tutoring and literacy programs improve schools. Additionally, activities like after-school programs and mentoring support the youth of the community and beach, park, or roadside trash clean-ups make the community you live in a better place.

So, are you ready to join the large percentage of the world that is already volunteering? You can check out community centers, local churches, or even world-wide organizations willing to accept anyone who will donate their time. Volunteering has many benefits, including those that benefit you, your community, and the people you are helping. Volunteering improves your mental health, looks great on future job applications, and makes your community a better place. What other reasons do you need?