The Ultimate Guide to Volunteering: Benefits and How to Get Started

Have you ever wondered why volunteer? Being a volunteer is not a decision that should be taken lightly, many people believe that applying to do some work that requires time, effort, and dedication is a careless thing to do.

Unfortunately, volunteering is sometimes seen as a task isolated from a person’s chores and lifestyle. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Being a volunteer implies making a personal decision and carrying out a learning and teaching process. Therefore, as in any process, the values of both the company and the individual must be taken into account, as well as the concerns, aptitudes, needs, and capabilities of both parties involved (volunteer/organization).

I want to volunteer, what should I do?

Being a volunteer requires more than just the desire to be one, it requires responsibility, a lot of dedication and above all, security. This beautiful work must be seen as a labor of love, and as such it must be constant and carried out in a good way.

If you want to help others with your skills and time, first consider these aspects:

• Think about what motivates you to volunteer.
• Ask yourself what are the problems or needs you want to solve?
• Assess your skills and knowledge and consider what you can do.
• Check out the organizations that offer volunteering and see if they match your values and beliefs.
• Actively participate in your chosen organization
• Commit yourself and work on your chosen project.
• Educate yourself. If you want to volunteer in a field that you have no knowledge of, it is good to learn other skills.

Who can participate, and what are the requirements?

Everyone can volunteer; individuals, companies, communities, or students can do social work or internships.

In general, some basic requirements must be met, such as:

• Self-initiative
• Be of legal age
• Have time to carry out the social work
• Have a desire to help others
• Be aligned with the mission and values of the volunteer organization or company.

It should be noted that the requirements vary depending on the institution where you want to volunteer, so we recommend asking and researching the parameters of each organization.

Volunteering: 5 benefits you need to know

Volunteering is an opportunity to actively participate and collaborate with society, contributing to the benefits and welfare of others, however, volunteering is also enriching for those who do it.

The benefits of volunteering are many, but for now we will only mention 5 advantages of this work:

1. You feel useful, when you dedicate your efforts and time in something that is for others, your self-esteem grows.
2. You develop ties with the community: meeting people or helping others, even if you have not seen them even once, allows you to create bonds of kinship and closeness with other people.
3. You learn about yourself and other people: learning about the society around you and what you are doing helps you to be empathetic and value yourself and others.
4. 4.Your career or skills grow: by volunteering, you gain experience in your area or in another unknown area.
5. 5. It makes you healthier: according to scientists, volunteering allows you to stay fit and improve your mental health.

Do you want to do volunteer work, but still have doubts? Don’t worry, in the next articles we will provide a detailed definition of each of these great benefits so that you will be encouraged to contribute to society.

The possibilities of being a volunteer are many, there are many volunteer programs in which your skills, profession, and time are well valued, for example, here in OaxSport you can be one of us. Leave us a comment for more information.

Originally written by Geraldine María Trujillo Cordova