Why Should We All Volunteer?
Volunteering is about committing time to help others without expecting anything in return. When volunteers help in improving someone’s quality of life, they enhance their own level of happiness and boost their confidence. Every individual is capable of giving their time to help others and benefit their community. Volunteering can help a person stay physically healthy by being social and active.
Studies have found that those who volunteer have an overall lower mortality rate than those that do not volunteer. Moreover, it can reduce depression and boost one’s self-esteem by attaining a sense of accomplishment. Volunteering shows how every person has the power and the ability to make their society a better place, and help all those in need. People will become selfless and always willing to help others.
Long-term volunteering is more than six months and requires the volunteer to commit many hours during the week. For instance, mentoring in schools, tutoring, and taking communication roles would be classified as long-term volunteering. Short-term volunteering such as marathon or charity events has time commitments that can vary from one day to six months. Both forms of volunteering have positive health outcomes. Certainly, long-term volunteering has better health benefits than short-term volunteering. The real essence and purpose of volunteering is to help and contribute to the community.
Volunteering is a rewarding experience that allows people to make a difference in another person’s life. Volunteering can improve the volunteers’ mental and physical health, make them live happier, and have a sense of purpose. Volunteers have higher life satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Besides, the happiness a person gets from volunteering is from giving, and not taking. It is important to encourage people to volunteer because it is an act of achieving long-term happiness.
Written by: Lara Kaafarani
Photo: The Vanier College Collective Gardens
