WHY VOLUNTEERING IS MORE SUITING IN THE NEW NORMAL
Many things do happen in this world but some hardly ever have a long-lasting stay on our lips, but most certainly Covid19 isn’t one of them. With all the global impact it has had, we can almost tell that it will still make readable stories even at the end of this century. It has disrupted so many things, right from the social, religious, political and economic aspects of our lives. It hasn’t even spared how we live our personal lives. We’ve all been unwittingly ushered to what we’ve come to call as the new normal!
In the new normal, there are surely many things we can do and are doing differently. Volunteering is one of the things that fall there. Today I’m here to help you see how this new normal is now a perfect timing for you to consider volunteering, most probably even if you have never done so.
For starters, we’re all not strangers to this pandemic and certainly, every place on the surface of this earth people will relate if you talked about how Covid19 has affected us. But you know what, life hasn’t entirely ended. Humankind has suffered many challenges and still thrived, so this won’t be an exception. Though however, it matters how you personally come out of the pandemic story. I can’t think of a better way for you to tell your pandemic story than to talk of the personal impact and growth you made regardless of the unfavourable and challenging circumstances. This is where volunteering comes in. It is an opportunity for you to contribute to a greater good whilst learning many things for your personal development.
Every volunteering opportunity is a special package of meeting a new challenge that pushes you to draw from your talents, potential and skills to accomplish a greater purpose. Notwithstanding, there are many things you learn as you take on that challenge. If you can tell of a valiant story where you braved the challenges of the pandemic and exercised yourself to make a societal impact and personal development, I trust you won’t be short of pride in yourself. Most assuredly, many will credit you to being inspirational and a worthwhile company.
Another opportunity to savour at such a time is the fact that the pandemic has hit worldwide and disrupted many societies and settings, leaving them in need of an extra pair of hands. In short, there are more volunteering opportunities than ever before since many people, companies and organizations are behind schedule on their plans and targets, yet with more limited resources than normally. This creates the most perfect timing for you to go out and give that extra support you’ve always wanted to give. Trust me, they need it more than you may think. And you can trust me on this, no one would turn you down if you surely want to help them get better and outlive this pandemic.
Besides, many nonprofit organizations (NGOs) are out there looking for kind volunteers like you, and this is regardless of geographical location. Can you believe that according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics in the USA, there were approximately 1.56 million NGOs registered with the Internal Revenue Service in 2015? If this is true for a first world nation, think of the dire need for support in African countries, more so in a Covid stricken era like now. Check out our website at Voluculture for some of the most amazing volunteering opportunities you can participate in now.
It’s absurd that many people have had to lose their jobs during the pandemic. Yes, it’s not your fault and we all understand. (My sincere sympathy if this includes you). But hey, this doesn’t have to be the end of the road. Volunteering can be the springboard to get you back on the track running. You can take on a volunteering opportunity in your field of interest and pick up from where you left when you lost your job. There are power and great potential in exposure. You never know what doors such an opportunity can open up for you as you exhibit your amazing skills and potential out there.
Besides we can all use a good recommendation at our next job opportunity, from the organizations we’ve volunteered for or the awesome people we met during the volunteering experience. Or in any case, adding it to your CV that you volunteered at a certain place in such a time can earn you extra credits before your new potential employer. Actually, according to the 2016 Deloitte impact survey, 92% of human resource executives agreed that contributing to a non-profit can improve the leadership skills of an employee. This is one of the key attributes they look out for in a potential employee and you’ll have the chance to develop it while simply volunteering.
This volunteering experience can also actually turn out to be the platform for you to exercise yourself in that new skill set that you’ve always wished to harness or learn. It can give you the chance to perfect it and before you know it you may become the pro you’ve long dreamed to be at that skill. This is another window of opportunities for you. The possibilities that can ensue from that are limitless.
One other major suitability with the new normal timing is that it has afforded many people some extra time. With all the changes in the work systems, like working from home, many people have ended up with a bit of some extra new free time to spend. This time gives you the most fitting chance to volunteer. You can choose a volunteering opportunity that well fits your time and schedule to contribute to something impactful without even much constraint on your “normal schedule.” And for those who are a bit non-luxurious with time, the new normal has really integrated digital life into us like never before. You can still find an online/ virtual volunteering opportunity that works perfectly for you.
Lastly, just to reecho this, every volunteering opportunity is a free ticket to a social networking spree. You can always be sure to meet new people while volunteering, and as you interact with them, you build and expand your social capital. Good connections are always so beneficial and the value of making them can’t be overemphasized. You might just connect with your lead to your new job opportunity, employer, recommender, mentor, friend, lover, trainer, just to mention but a few. These are some of the benefits you can be sure to reap from any volunteering experience, and true to experience, sometimes they are more rewarding than monetary value.
So in conclusion, I’d still reiterate that this new normal is one of the best timings life has afforded us to volunteer and make an impact while personally benefiting immensely. Just like the wise saying according to Aristotle goes “The essence of life is to serve others and do good.” Now is the time to practice this.
If you had second thoughts about volunteering in the new normal, bury them now. Embrace your volunteering opportunity now and live to tell the story of a lifetime, life-changing experience. Enjoy it!
This article was written by Patrick Mugera, a volunteer Content Writer at VoluCulture.
