Not many people know that I volunteer my time each week helping my local running and triathlon club. I keep it low key because it’s something I like to do both for the community and myself.
It gives me that feel-good factor, like when you’ve just helped a little old lady who can’t reach the laundry detergent on the top shelf in supermarket.
And at the very least it’s good Karma.
For me, signing up to volunteer was about helping others, developing a sense of community and meeting like-minded people. As it turns out, I’m not alone.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one third of Australians volunteer in some capacity while in New Zealand a survey by Statistics New Zealand found that over one million Kiwi volunteers donated 270 million hours of unpaid labour in 2004.
Most volunteering organisations make the point that giving up your time to help others boosts self-esteem and energy and gives a sense of mastery over your life.
It’s amazing how doing something that’s helping others (unpaid and in your own time) can give you the most satisfaction.
It can also lead to a new career. Volunteering Australia, for example, matches willing helpers with organisations such as Telstra, Westpac and ANZ. Not only do you broaden your social network but you also gain new skills and apply them to a variety of scenarios that may not be available in your nine-to-five role.
If you’re interested in volunteering and enjoy adventure, there are plenty of not-for-profit organisations that can tee you up on volunteering holidays overseas.
From helping orphaned orang-outangs in Borneo to teaching children English in Peru, hundreds of people head off to foreign lands each year to lend a hand.
If that sounds all too much, there’s plenty of help needed on the home front – think Surf Life Saving lifeguards, First Aid officers and feeding the homeless. Start at your local council or just google “volunteer”.
December 5 is International Volunteer Day. For more information go to worldvolunteerweb.org
What do you think? Do you volunteer? Why, or why not?
