Are you currently between jobs? Have you recently finished school, and you need something to do while you search for job opportunities? One of the more productive ways to keep yourself busy and at the same time make a difference in your local community is to consider volunteer work.
Australia is one of the top countries in the world when it comes to encouraging volunteer work. The reason for this is that spending time doing volunteer work is regarded as an effective way to build local communities. This is why you’ll find volunteer opportunities in every sector from the local police association to famous corporates.
Volunteering Builds Character and Enhances Your Community
People choose to volunteer for a variety of different reasons. For many people, it’s an opportunity to give back to the community while others use volunteer programmes to develop skills needed for a specific job. Whatever your reason, there are several top ways that you can benefit from doing volunteer work and we’ve shared the most significant.
1. Opportunity to Develop Skills
Many sectors, such as the police force, offer volunteer programmes for potential employees to learn new skills. An individual can join the volunteer programme to learn the skills that may be needed to perform the job if they join the permanent force. These skills involve working with the community and assisting the police with minor duties.
Other volunteer programs such as Habitat for Humanity present the perfect environment to develop skills used to create homes and assist communities in need. If you prefer working with animals, you can join the volunteer programme for local animal charities and shelters. It’s not uncommon for these types of programmes to lead to permanent employment.
2. Enables You to Give Back to Your Community
One of the more common reasons to do volunteer work is to help people less fortunate than yourself. Giving back to your community is a simple but effective way to assist other people. Since every community has a bunch of different outreach programmes, it’s super easy for you to find something meaningful to do.
3. Excellent Way to Develop a Realistic Perspective
If you’ve been job hunting for a while with no success, it can be easy to start feeling anxious about your situation. Joining a volunteer programme will help you maintain your perspective on your current situation.
Helping people less fortunate than yourself is an excellent way to remind yourself to be grateful for what you already have. Programmes such as the one offered by the Police offer you the opportunity to assist people in dire need and rendering aid in these situations is an essential way to remind yourself that you have value to add to other people. It’s an excellent way to boost your spirit!
4. Allows You to be a Good Role Model
If you’re looking for a way to set a good example, one of the best ways to do it is by volunteering. Whether you’re a parent, business leader, or employer, making time to help anyone in need is an excellent way to use your role to add value. It’s a good idea to encourage your kids or employees to get involved in charities and organisations in the community.
5. Can Help Fill an Empty CV
Few people know that you can add volunteer work to your CV. This is especially the case if you join official volunteer programmes such as the one on offer from the local police sector. More often than not, volunteer programmes follow a specified guideline and without realising it, you may be developing the soft skills needed to be a model employee.
Some of these can include the following:
- Being able to work independently and as part of a team
- Adhering to time management
- Minor project planning
- Skills development
- Learning to exercise empathy toward other people
6. Enables You to Network
All types of people volunteer. Everyone from housewives, and school leavers, to CEOs of major corporations. This makes it a good idea to network with the other volunteers in your programme. Not only is it an opportunity to interact with people other than your usual crowd, but it also encourages you to potentially meet a future employer.
As a school leaver, you may not ordinarily have the confidence to engage with the CEO of a company, but this all changes when you’re doing volunteer work. Not only will it be easier to start a conversation, but they will also get a first-hand look at the skills and empathy you have. A continuous display of the skills you’re learning may just be what their company is looking for.
Final Thoughts
Opting to do volunteer work is an effective way to add value to a community project that involves helping people and animals. Not only will you be able to develop new skills, but you will also make a significant difference in someone else’s life. At the same time, you can fill up your resume and potentially put yourself closer to your dream job!
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