Motivated to Volunteer

Motivated to Volunteer

      How many times in your life has someone stopped to help when you really were in need?  Has someone or something ever just appeared “out of the blue” at a time of confusion or worry that lightened your load and made everything much better?  How good did those random acts of kindness make you feel when they eased your mind and lightened your burdens? Well, volunteering is exactly like that, only you are not the one who is feeling the relief that the kindheartedness of others amazingly bring, though your service recipient is touched by you in the same manner that you felt as the beneficiary and recipient of the goodness of others.  

      Volunteering is any activity where time is given freely to benefit another person, group, effort, or organization, and is often considered to be “social capital.”  Researchers are of the opinion that volunteering contributes to the advancement of society which also provides economic benefits to the community and the general public as well. As a result of the multitude of “pros,” as related to the volunteer effort, communities have an inherent responsibility to cultivate their volunteers and maximize volunteer opportunities within their neighborhoods.  Volunteering also benefits those who give of themselves in many intangible ways. This essay will analyze this point of view from the perspective of the service I've been honored to render as part of this class, "Service Learning."  I will also explore what motivates me to serve others.  

        There is an expansive variety of definitions that describe what volunteering actually is, and

may appear to create confusion from researcher to organization, to community, to city, to state, and to various countries around the world. Regardless of whom or what is considered as actually “volunteering,” we must be aware that volunteerism takes on many diverse forms and denotations in different contexts. Although volunteering has a variety of definitions, there are some central characteristics that constitute the very essence of volunteerism.

        We should remember that voluntary activities are not intended for financial gain. Voluntary deeds are not rewarded with wages, for that is called employment.  Some would argue that solely altruistic behavior should be measured as volunteering. And then there are others who believe there is no pure altruism, therefore, all volunteer acts contain an element of barter or reciprocity.  Consequently, by this premise, volunteers are allowed to receive reward in some way, whether through the provision of training or by some sort of stipend that insures their return, i.e., taxi fare, gas money, etc. The remuneration, in no way is intended as payment for services but a way that an organization can depend on volunteer assistance. Volunteers should do so on their own free will, not because of the "dangling carrot" before their eyes.

      The decision to volunteer may be influenced by a number of factors such as, a college class requirement, peer pressure, personal beliefs, dedication to purposes of charity or from a base of religious beliefs and upbringing.  Many have a personal obligation to society, but in the end, the individual is the one who chooses whether or not to volunteer.  To actually volunteer unselfishly for a purpose or cause, the activity must be of benefit to someone other than the volunteer himself.  The volunteer act should make the community better in some way, which benefits our

society at large, bringing significant fulfillment to the volunteer as well.

       Recruiting unpaid helpers is the greatest challenge to a successful volunteer program. Attracting willing people to donate their time and expertise is a critical issue to a volunteer program that also must promote a clear purpose, along with meaningful assignments for volunteers to carry out. Yet, without ample volunteers, a program cannot keep going. Therefore, it is essential to incentivize volunteer program participants in some manner. A powerful motivation for most volunteers is the idea that their efforts will provide a benefit to the recipients of their generous volunteer service, which in turn brings them a sense of fulfillment. Most say that they volunteer to “help other people.” Thus, an emphasis on that particular feature of a volunteer program would likely prove to be an effective volunteer recruitment strategy.

        Another incentive is the personal benefit achieved by the volunteers themselves. Research has shown that there are positive effects of volunteering, such as improved healthiness, increased work-related skills, greater networking, and increased social interaction. These characteristics of volunteering afford an enhanced sense of self-confidence to the volunteer’s self-esteem ratio.  If we all did our part in helping those in need, our neighborhoods and community would be a much better place in which to live. This essay will delve into the needs of our community; ways that that every citizen can help; and what our community could be like if we all took part.