Volunteering for a charity can make us feel like we’re really making a difference and doing good in the world; we can make a real difference to the lives of people and organisations in need. This promotes personal positivity.

Learning New Skills: Many volunteering positions provide extensive training which stands us in great stead for other career opportunities. For example, we could be till trained while working in a charity shop, or could develop public speaking, communication, and marketing skills if organising a fundraising event. As well as learning new skills, others can learn from us. Voluntary work helps people to feel valued and useful. One really key thing that voluntary work does, is open up the doors to a new career without making any sudden long-term commitments. We’re able to gain experience in many fields depending on our skills and interests; e.g. we can volunteer at a nursing home, or as a historic tour guide at Sheffield Cathedral.

Sheffield Volunteer Centre lists many ways to get involved and multiple roles to suit different people. Check out their page here: http://www.sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk/ .

Meeting New People: A great thing about voluntary work is that we meet new people, people that we wouldn’t necessarily meet otherwise. We find common interests with our co-volunteers through the work that we are doing and friendships develop because of the skills we acquire (such as teamwork and communication). Volunteering opens up opportunities to socialise with new people, make friendships and bond over the good work that we’re doing.

 

Other Benefits: Volunteering not only has a positive impact on our mood and the way we feel, but it’s also proven to improve our physical health. Such benefits as reduced stress and lower blood pressure are not unusual because volunteering keeps us active. In addition, volunteering stimulates the brain and improves memory and  thinking skills.