Premium Essay

Volunteering for Change

In:

Submitted By PiersonnosreiP
Words 778
Pages 4
Volunteering for Change

We sometimes hear people talk about the benefits of volunteering; the perfect way to reach out and touch the lives of others in a positive way. However, I didn’t fully understand the impact of this until I started volunteering myself. In middle school I volunteered at my local senior center, singing and reading to the elders. Today I have moved on to bigger projects, like hosting bone marrow drives and blood drives. Helping others is the greatest gift you can give and it will change your outlook on life, forever. Volunteering is such a fulfilling experience and today more than 60 million people offer their services in some way.(1) However, there are still some people that choose not to be involved. In fact, for most people, their reason is simple: it is just too time-consuming. Why should we spend free time doing things for someone else? Why should we involve ourselves in work that has no financial value? The answer is clear: We should volunteer to support the general welfare of our communities and the world. Volunteering is not just a fulfilling experience - it is a chance for an individual to make a positive difference within their community and within themselves. Research has shown that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. Plus, community involvement also looks great on a resume and volunteer positions can be a great form of page 2

on-the-job training. Many skills can be obtained with the diverse volunteer opportunities available to everyone. Another positive incentive of volunteering is the chance to learn about the diverse communities within our societies. Acceptance is bred through understanding. If you‘re not subjected to different cultures and ways of life, you can’t understand and

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Ecolife Vietnam - Overview

...first-hand experience at a variety of coastal villages, national parks, and marine reserves in Vietnam. Local community participation is apparent in all endeavors as local residents are willing to share their views and take part in all activities, projects, decision–making processes, profit-sharing plans and other issues related to the eco-tourism development process. The tours’ lengths and contents are highly adjustable – ranging from “Countryside sightseeing”, to “One day as a fisherman”, and “Ramsar discovery” etc. – in order to best meet customer’ wants and needs. - Eco-volunteering: ECOLIFE is one of the earliest enterprises in Vietnam to offer eco-volunteering services with many different coastal community development programs that environmental volunteers can participate in, such as cleaning up wildlife habitats, running workshops in climate change, teaching foreign languages etc. Volunteering in either a short-term project (4 to 10 days) or a long-term one (over 10 days), customers can work side-by-side with locals while immersing in the local culture. - LifeSkills Training Program: The program enhances the...

Words: 906 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Ethical Responsibility Of Engaging In Community Service In Public Schools

...Inter-Lakes High School is dedicated to volunteering. Having been born into voluntary work, volunteering comes naturally, and when she engages in community service, she finds that “people's random acts of kindness and doing...

Words: 848 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Volunteering in Europe

...2011​​ European​​ Year​​ of​​ Volunteering Volunteering​​ in​​ the​​ European​​ Union​​ with​​ main​​ focus​​ on​​ Polish​​ practices Radosław​​ Eryk​​ Bachorz​​ 001128610 Management​​ 3710A​​ -​​ Fall​​ 2011 Professor​​ Patty​​ Vadnais University​​ of​​ Lethbridge November 19th​​ 2011 Introduction 3 Volunteering​​ in​​ the​​ European​​ Union 4 Volunteering​​ in​​ Poland 5 Recent​​ trends​​ in​​ volunteering​​ in​​ European​​ Union​​ and​​ around​​ the​​ world 6 Challenges​​ of​​ volunteering​​ in​​ Poland 8 2011​​ European​​ Year​​ of​​ Volunteering 11 Strategic​​ partners 12 How​​ to​​ get​​ involved​​ in​​ volunteering​​ initiatives? 14 Poland​​ as​​ a​​ participant​​ of​​ 2011​​ European​​ Year​​ for​​ Volunteering 15 Polish​​ priorities​​ for​​ the​​ European​​ Year​​ of​​ Volunteering 16 Promoting​​ and​​ Communicating​​ the​​ message​​ of​​ EYV​​ 2011 17 Main​​ events 18 Beyond​​ 2011​​ –​​ Volunteering​​ Development​​ Plans​​ for​​ EU​​ and​​ Poland 19 Final​​ thoughts 24 Introduction Volunteering​​ fosters​​ social​​ cohesion​​ and​​ social​​ inclusion.​​ Volunteering​​ implies​​ sharing​​ and​​ helping​​ others,​​ and​​ in​​ this​​ way​​ develops​​ solidarity.​​ Voluntary​​ activities​​ increase​​ peoples’​​ tolerance​​ towards​​ disadvantaged​​ groups​​ in​​ society​​ and​​ help​​ reduce​​ racism​​ and​​ prejudice.​​ Volunteering​​ has​​ also​​ been​​ recognised​​ as​​ a​​ way​​ of​​ offering​​ new​​ learning​​ opportunities​​...

Words: 6959 - Pages: 28

Premium Essay

Bsb115 Vbd Brief

...Introduction Volunteering is any activity, which time is given without being paid for to benefit another person or group (John Wilson, 2000). Not-for-profit organisations often rely on volunteering to operate their business and this need will continue to grow as a result of volunteering trends in an ageing population (Volunteering Australia, 2012). This brief will outline some of the challenges and opportunities faced as a result of an ageing population, specifically focusing on the Green Frog Nursery. 2. Summary of the issue Whilst volunteering in Australia is steadily increasing, most organisations require more volunteers to achieve a significant social impact (volunteering Australia, 2011). The majority of volunteers are older people who are more likely to volunteer than those in younger age groups (Volunteering Australia, 2012). One of the reasons for this is greater community engagement through voluntary work practise, which positively influences volunteers ‘subjective quality of life (Taghian, D´Souza & Polonsky, 2012). The rate of volunteering in Australia is impacted negatively by variables including age, gender, locality and cultural background (Volunteering Australia, 2012). Green Frog Nursery has to replace its core team of volunteers with younger people for its continual success, however this is not an easy task as they view ‘volunteering’ differently to other age groups (Volunteering Australia, 2012). Furthermore, the “negative image of volunteering may...

Words: 722 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Project Service Learning

...strengthen the other as we learn to use cultural and historical facts and traditions to face social problems, meet human needs, promote civic responsibility and provide a basis for future citizen support. My service project is using volunteerism to improve the quality of life for the children in the Okmulgee area by applying the Muscogee traditions and culture taught to us through the curriculum of College of Muscogee Nation and our ancestors. The first goal of this service learning project is to improve the quality of life for the children of the low-income Okmulgee community residents. A historical assessment of the Okmulgee area provides a picture of drastic change and a people trying to make genuine progress in face of pressure beyond their control. This area, like the United States, has experienced drastic changes in the last fifty years including loss of manufacturing plants such as the Peanut Plant, Phillips 66 Refinery, Americana Window Glass, Ingersoll-Rand, and Ball Brothers Glass. The 2013 U.S. Census Bureau lists the population of Okmulgee as 12, 373 with 25.5% below poverty level. The per capita income for the 12 months (in 2013 dollars) is 16, 981 compared to the national per capita of $24,208. According to Oklahoma Unemployment records the unemployment rate in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma was 4.1% in April 2008 and increased to 11.8% in January 2010. The unemployment rate for Okmulgee County as of October 2014 is 6.0%, two-tenths above the national rate of 5.8%;...

Words: 1818 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Can the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Survive in the 21st Century?

...generational attitudes will affect an all-volunteer organization August 2006 1 This page intentionally left blank INDEX 1. Introduction 1 2. Analysis 3 A. The canary in the mine 4 B. Understanding generational attitudes 4 C. Four generations 5 D. Exploring the next generation of retirees: The Baby Boomers 6 E. Gen-X: It’s about lifestyle 8 F. Call them Gen-Y or Millennials, they deserve our attention 10 G. The new volunteers: What to expect 12 ` H. My time is not your time 14 I. Generational differences shaping leadership 15 J. American volunteer rate steady 17 3. Conclusions 19 A. Past expectations 20 B. Present construct 20 C. Spontaneous volunteer: Something new 21 D. High touch 21 E. Exploring contemporary trends in volunteering 23 1. Volunteer burnout 23 2. The human touch 24 3. Professionalizing the volunteer corps 25 4. New forms of volunteerism 25 5. Diversity 26 6. Technology 26 F. Communications challenge 27 4. Summary 29 6. Appendix 31 1 Membership numbers How many members the Auxiliary needs to meet their mission obligations and how many members it needs to meet its financial requirements would be two different answers. Getting a specific answer from the leadership is difficult because of the way the two spiral around each other like a double helix strand of DNA. They are – for now – inseparable. 1. INTRODUCTION The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is loosing members, dropping from an estimated 38,000 in 2004 to about 30,500...

Words: 13121 - Pages: 53

Premium Essay

Definition of Altruism

...THE EVENTS OF SEPT 11 2011 (THE HIJACKING OF THE 4 JETS AND THE ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTRE AND PENTAGON IN US) HAVE RAISED NUMEROUS QUESTIONS IN VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TOPICS. DOES SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS? THERE WAS A LARGE INCREASE IN VOLUNTEERING AFTER SEPT 11thIN US. WHY DID SO MANY PEOPLE VOLUNTEER AFTER SEPT 11? The events of September 11th 2001 changed people’s behaviour in different ways. People’s attitude to volunteering changed in such a way that social psychologists could attribute part of that change to altruistic behaviour. Volunteering and altruism shares common connection as such some volunteering work can be seen as altruistic though not every part of altruism can be said to mean volunteering. Volunteering is just one part of the different parts of altruism. Within this understanding it is possible to say the two concepts are strongly related and connected as well. This essay will try to explore the concept of volunteering in relation to altruism and to show that the large number of people that volunteered after September 11th had their altruistic tendency invoked. Altruism from social psychologists point of view is a prosocial behaviour that has been defined as “a motive to increase the welfare or wellbeing of another person without conscious regard for one’s own self-interests (David Myers, 2010). It is a norm or an act that is highly valued and cherished by individuals and society alike. According...

Words: 1091 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Problems or Issues in Community

...You Can Make a Difference by Volunteering There are many different ways you can make a difference by volunteering; however, where to start can sometimes be difficult, because there are many people in need. Below I will provide some example and past experiences on where and how to volunteer, so that you too can make a difference by volunteering. Here are couple different genres of volunteering, youth, homeless, seniors, and your community. There are at least 400 organizations across the valley of the sun that focus on raising money, providing food, shelter, and assistance for the homeless, youth, senior citizens and even for your community. Sometimes it is hard to find time or even selfish reasons get in our way from volunteering, but not only does volunteering makes the person you’re helping feel good, it also makes the person volunteering Feel good about themselves. And you know that at least for day you are making a difference in someone’s life. One of the genres of volunteering is for youth. We as young adults owe it to our younger generation to make sure that have the same kinds of opportunities that we have or had. After all they are our future. On Saturday April 5, I was privileged to participate in Mesa Harley Davidson’s 15 annual Torch Run for youth Special Olympics of Arizona. The event was a success and we raised over $5,000 dollars to help support the cause. Here are a few places where you can make a difference. Boys and Girls Club. There are 11 Boys and Girls...

Words: 993 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

The Important of Community Service in Today’s World

...community with happier people. There are many reasons people do community service and there are many different ways in which to participate, but all of them share the common theme of making the world around you a better place without being compensated financially. Community service has been a forever, long service done through giving people of communities in the effort to bring up their neighbourhood. These selfless acts of kindness have been passed through the generations with the same undertones. As volunteering services have grown through the times, there are now more available means of community services for people to involve themselves with. Those who taken on community service projects have greatly benefited from their work, gaining memorable experiences, and building unique character traits. For those who are unfamiliar with volunteering, the thought of commitment comes to mind. The commitment that is made to volunteering is slightly different, for in most volunteering situations, you create as much of a...

Words: 880 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Social Media

...The same concept can be given to that of volunteering. Instead of trying to kill two birds with one stone, we should focus on trying to save two birds (or people) with one stone. One of the most effective ways to do this is by volunteering. In a world filled with competition, we find those unfortunate or too weak to compete with their surroundings. Those with resources find their social, economic and housing status in a much better position. One study (2013) says “27.4% of those aged 16-19 were volunteering, compared to only 18.9% of 20-24 year olds” (USBL). That means college student likely less volunteering in the community compare to school student, but these number should be increase not decries because college student are smarter and understand better then school students therefore, college student should be more responsible than school student. We should keep that in our mind volunteering allows us to use multiple means, whether monetary or physical contribution to provide facilities for people and animals. The main purpose of going to college is learning and get able to find a path for your life. By going to college your education will be limited in books. You will not get chance to learn about the real life, but if you volunteer to your community you can learn about yourself you can get chance to discover your hidden talent. According to students.ucsd.edu Dr. La Jolla said, “Volunteers discover hidden talents that may change your view on your self-worth” (Jolla). Many...

Words: 1583 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Volunteering In High Schools

...It clearly portrays volunteering as a positive and easy way to make a difference in one's community. From "Burning calories" and having "no bitter aftertaste", volunteering has extremely positive effects on all teens, which it is clearly written for. Volunteering is labeled as a soda can, which is an incredibly important symbol that is geared towards teenagers. With it being so easy, and convenient, it clearly is a positive practice which should be implemented into high schools as a graduation requirement. The benefits of this are clearly seen through the effects of volunteering on a 13 year old named John Prueter, who lives in Essexville, Detroit. After having a mandate visit to the nursing home when his great-grandmother suffered a stroke. After being exposed to the act of volunteering by visiting the nursing home, he then took initiative to become one of the youngest and most dedicated volunteer. That service awarded him an “outstanding youth volunteer award from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6950” (Detroit 77). These both show how influential and positive the effects of volunteering are in regards to...

Words: 750 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Volunteering (Gardening and Helping People with Special-Needs)

...UNI 101 April 22, 2013 Volunteering Love, help and peace are the synonyms of volunteering. Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart (Elizabeth Andrew). Also, volunteering could be defined as any activity or service that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that assists someone else, the local community or the environment. Although it provides a great opportunity for personal development, it’s a way of getting confidence and learning new skills or putting your existing skills to good use. Also, it can improve your studying prospects by learning new things through your daily experience. Not only your studying prospects, but also employment prospects can be enhanced by helping you gain work experience, if you are unemployed or thinking of a career change. Volunteering can provide you with something interesting, useful and fun to do in your spare time. It is a great way to meet new people, make new friends and give something back to your community. In addition, volunteering can be skillful and powerful by practicing it quite often and become a professional-level volunteering. On the other side, volunteering can be for everyone; there are no specific ages to volunteer, as long as you can handle it, you are in. There are many types or task of volunteering: work with animals, gardening, feeding homeless people, working with children, supporting older people, working in a hospital, cleaning a university’s hallway, tutoring, etc. During my...

Words: 1732 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

The Four Pillars Of National Honor Society (NHS)

...it does not take an election to make you a leader. Being a leader means just doing the right thing whenever deems necessary. Before NHS, I volunteered and enjoyed it, but after joining and given various volunteering...

Words: 476 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Critical Thinking

... Running for student council develops a students leadership skills and promotes democratic thinking. The foundation of a democracy is having the freedom to question the government, access all information, and take action. Democracies are always in a state of development and critical thinking is a key component of finding innovative and progressive solutions to problems that arise in the democratic process. Further, the open aspects of a democratic system, allows participation from a broad spectrum of society and makes government Smith 2 information available for critical assessment by stake holders. Since critical thinkers respect all points of view and are open to innovative change, the more citizens that are engaged in critical thinking the more robust a democracy becomes. Volunteering and getting...

Words: 625 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Tutorial2&3

...is researchable. This is to make sure that the researcher will not find in the midst of investigating a complex research project. The researcher also should choose a right research topic to make sure that research problems can be the supported by the resources available. 2. Problem statement Body dissatisfaction is the top ranked issue of concern for young people (Mission Australia, 2011). Over the last 30 years, body image issues have rose worldwide and this matters did not only pertain young people but affect people of all ages. This spreading problem is concerning because this issue assign too high value to body image in defining ones self-worth. People who experiencing body dissatisfaction can become obsessively on trying to change their body shape. These practices which don’t usually achieve the desired outcome physically or emotionally, can develop the extreme feelings of disappointment, shame and guilt and, ultimately, increase the...

Words: 1668 - Pages: 7