Last week the focus was on what I could do for you. This week have a think about what can you do to help others.
The benefits of volunteering (or just helping others) are well documented and range from making friends with like-minded people, fostering a sense of community, providing both motivation and a sense of achievement as well as boosting career options.
One of the best way to get benefits from volunteering is to choose something you believe in and want to support. You can narrow your options by considering the following:
- who would you like wot work with - adults, children or animals?
- do you want to work alone or as part of a team?
- do you want to work behind the scenes or in a more visible role?
- how much time are you willing to commit?
- do you want to volunteer on a regular or ad-hoc basis?
- do you want responsibility in your role?
- what skills can you bring to volunteering?
- what causes are important to you?
If volunteering is not something you are interested in there are plenty of other ways to do good. You could lobby a politician on an issue you feel strongly about, take a do-good vacation (plant trees in Antigua, community development work in Kenya, English teaching in Japan), donate money, support companies that do good, mow a neighbour's lawn, offer professional services to a not-for-profit.
There are smaller ways to do good too. Speak kindly about other people. Listen to what they have to say not with the intention of replying but with the objective of understanding. Don't gossip. Clean up clutter and donate unwanted goods to charity. Do what you love and do it with passion. Only give genuine compliments (and accept compliments graciously). Donate blood. Take advantage of volunteer leave from work to do good with colleagues. Support click to give sites. Send a handwritten letter in the mail to someone you love. Or offer to be a mentor or Big Brother/Sister.
No comments:
Post a Comment