Being engaged in your community is an important aspect of contributing to society. Community engagement includes community service and collaborations with institutions for the betterment of your community.
Volunteerism can come in many forms. There can be non-profit, governmental, or community-based organizations that organize activities for the community and enhance community relations.
No matter what age you are in, becoming a volunteer has its benefits. Whether psychological, social, or cognitive, volunteerism is beneficial to individuals.
Things to Consider
As someone immersed in the community, you must avoid conflict and know how to resolve it.
There are many differences among individuals in a given community. People have varying beliefs and opinions about issues and concerns. Now more than ever, with the growing role of digital technology on people’s voices, there is a great need for individuals to learn to respect one another. For example, when conducting activities within your area, you have to consider the idea of Catholic church democratic socialism when building a community. Doing so may help prevent conflict between your organization and major institutions.
Another important thing to consider when volunteering during this time is to avoid the spread of the virus. We are currently dealing with a global health crisis, and no matter how good your intentions are, the virus cannot recognize a good heart. Try to volunteer by giving phone calls instead of physically visiting communities requiring emotional assistance and a support system.
You can offer your services even from home. For example, if you normally offer language tutorials, you can now hold these classes online. Another advantage is that you can extend the community’s scope you will be immersed in because digital technology provides no limitations in terms of location.
There are many ways for you to engage in community service even from home, especially during this global health crisis. While it is common knowledge that giving back to the community is important, what is the true value and advantages of community immersion?
Value of Community Immersion
As mentioned above, community service or engaging in community building has its benefits. Apart from providing a lasting positive impact on the involved community, community service also leaves a lasting impression on the volunteering individual. What are these benefits?
In terms of psychological benefits, volunteerism provides an increased overall life satisfaction among volunteers. Community service helps you feel good about yourself and helps build confidence because you can help others using your skills and expertise. This may decrease stress levels and the risk of having depressive symptoms, which is an important effect given the current situation.
Community engagement also has social benefits. It allows the volunteer to create special bonds with the community involved. This experience helps the volunteer view the world from a different perspective, helping in how they experience life overall. These experiences result in increased social awareness and responsibility.
Being a volunteer also has cognitive benefits. Participating in community service allows volunteers to grow from various experiences, even when their volunteer work is done online during this time. Engaging with different types of people allows the volunteer to develop interpersonal skills that can benefit them in the long run.
Apart from the benefits of volunteerism on the individual, there are other reasons to engage in volunteer work.
Why You Should Volunteer
As you grow more interested in becoming a volunteer in your community or even in the online community, open your eyes to the other reasons why you should engage in volunteer work.
One of the most important reasons why you should engage in community building is to bring people together. If you participate in a volunteer organization, you will be part of a group that helps unite people from various backgrounds. This will benefit the community as individuals learn more from each other’s various life experiences.
Volunteer work helps strengthen your community because volunteer work can provide family and youth support, school improvement, and your community’s beautification.
Volunteer work is a good way to strengthen your community. There are things to consider before engaging in volunteer work, such as those mentioned above. Volunteerism helps build the community as well as the individuals involved. Share your time and skills with the people around you to experience the confidence and self-esteem boost that volunteerism provides.
