It's a pretty common mistake to think of volunteering as just something nice that people can do. Sure, it may make them feel great, but what impact does it really have?
It's a pretty common mistake to think of volunteering as just something nice that people can do. Sure, it may make them feel great, but what impact does it really have?
Well, volunteers have an enormous impact on the health and well-being of communities worldwide. The ways that volunteers make a difference in day-to-day life are endless. Just to name a few…Volunteer fire fighters, participating in search and rescue, delivering meals to the elderly or homeless, running the phone lines at help centres. Doctors and nurses donate time and medical knowledge to free clinics and natural/civil disaster areas worldwide, hundreds of British nurses and doctors are currently volunteering in Africa helping in the Ebola epidemic. Volunteers build houses and schools and repair infrastructure around the globe. Is there anything volunteers don’t do?
As we are all aware, the world is not a perfect place, and many people, animals, places, and communities need help. It’s impossible for Governments and professionals to meet everyone's needs. And I bet you are you thinking, "What's in it for me?" The answer is, lots! Making new friends is one of the first things you will do on any volunteer project, gaining important skills, making connections that can lead to a job or career, seeing more of different cultures, your community and world, building confidence and really exploring what you want to do with your life, as like many other students, I don’t know what I want to do, where I’d like to live etc….so why not volunteer and find out?
Volunteering makes you feel needed and important. What could be better that the feeling of satisfaction at getting things done and helping others and at the same time helping yourself! With so many fantastic volunteering opportunities available, there really is something for everyone. Taking part in a volunteer project during the summer, in France, I was able to help French children speak English, but at the same time, gain so much myself. After spending three weeks volunteering at a children’s camp helping them speak English through playing games, cooking food, sports lessons and much more, I was able to learn French myself. Volunteering is fun. I was able to immerse myself into another culture; appreciate it and understand it. It seemed more of a holiday than a work placement.
Following my summer volunteering I was eager to continue to get involved in other projects and then I discovered UMAX. There are fantastic volunteer opportunities, available to all students at Cardiff Met. It’s something that can easily be missed, but something that most definitely should not be.
Finally, here's one more way to visualize the impact of volunteers. Imagine if one day, all volunteers simply didn't show up. How much would it affect you? My guess is a lot, you probably cross paths with a volunteer at least once a day…Take a look at UMAX volunteer projects and see how you can get involved, it’s definitely worth it!
By Sioned Price