Campaigns Blog

Why should I volunteer? By Asma Younes

How often do you think of contributing something to your community without expecting anything in return? Doing something simple may mean a lot someone else. Do we ever actually think that although volunteering may just seem like ‘working for free’, it is in reality, a rewarding way of passing time?

We are growing up in a society where unemployment is growing at a ridiculous rate due to a financial recession that is hindering the potential of many graduates. We may as well think that planning to go into higher education will secure a career in the future, and that unemployment does not affect people who actually study at university. However, according to a study carried out by the Office for National Statistics in early 2011, 20% of new graduates were out of work. This highlights the difficulty of finding a job in this recession.
 
Volunteering not only provides experience it shows the commitment to your community. It helps to develop non-academic skills, such as organisation, communication and time management which are all vital qualities to have.

Being a volunteer helps to bring back a sense of community because it is based on the passion and willingness to help others. There is always something that you would enjoy doing, whether it is helping out at a hospital, supporting fundraising events, being a mentee, or just volunteering at the nearest charity shop! Anything counts and it will give you the chance to meet new people. This is an excellent way of developing your inter-personal skills and sharing your own knowledge and culture with others. You will also learn new things on the way. Volunteering will also give you something to do in your free time and ensure that your time is spent doing valuable things. Some volunteering agencies even provide awards in recognition for your time spent volunteering, such as the V10, V50 and V100 awards.

There will always be someone to help and you will not fail to find something which suits you. At the end of the day, I can guarantee that you will feel good about yourself, knowing that you helped someone and possibly, lifted a burden off their back and brought a smile to their face!

There are many opportunities to volunteer and these include www.vinspired.com, Kings College Hospital, www.do-it.org.uk and Age Concern Westminster. Have a look and get volunteering!