BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING

 In our last part to this chapter let us take a look at the benefits of volunteering. 

When you’re giving your time, skills and services, you deserve to get something back. Here are some of the benefits you receive when you volunteer:

1. Gaining New Skills

Whether you’re studying, starting a career, looking for work or trying to improve your promotion prospects, volunteering can be a great way to learn and develop the skills you need, both practically and personally. 

2. Networking 

You get to meet new people and make new connections. This in turn helps you grow your mindset and get out of your shell to be more open to different cultures and perceptions. 

3. Making a Positive Impact on the Environment

Volunteers can participate in events such as beach cleanups, tree plantation, and waste management initiatives that help reduce environmental pollution. These initiatives play a vital role in promoting sustainable development and preserving the natural environment.

4. Creating Corporate Social Responsibility 

Environmental volunteering offers an opportunity for corporations to meet their social or community service obligations. Volunteering is a great way for corporations to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility. 

5. Climate Change Mitigation 

Volunteers can participate in various programs that focus on reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable living. These programs include waste management initiatives, tree plantation drives, and awareness campaigns. Through these initiatives, volunteers can make a significant impact on the environment and contribute to climate change mitigation.

6. Collaboration and Teamwork

Environmental volunteering often involves working in teams to complete tasks such as cleaning up beaches or planting trees. Working in teams allows individuals to develop collaboration and teamwork skills, which are essential for leadership roles. Learning how to work with others towards a common goal, while respecting each other’s perspectives, is an essential skill for any leader.

7. Critical Thinking 

Environmental volunteering provides opportunities to make decisions and solve problems in a real-world setting. These experiences can help individuals build confidence in their ability to analyze situations and make informed decisions, which are vital skills for any leader. Problem-solving skills can help leaders navigate complex challenges and develop innovative solutions.

8. Responsibility 

Environmental volunteering requires a high level of responsibility and accountability. Individuals must take ownership of their actions, be reliable, and follow through on commitments. These experiences can help develop leadership qualities such as responsibility, accountability, and dependability.

9. Saving the Ecosystem

Environmental conservation is not just about preserving the land itself – but also about protecting its inhabitants. 

Every individual has their own reason for volunteering and their own ideas about what it will do for them. The most important thing about volunteering is that you should enjoy it on your own terms and that it's a rewarding experience for you, as well as for the people, animals and environment you help.

Here's are some of the comments from our Instagram family: 

@rewireyourmindsetstrategy -

" It's all about giving back to the community. Sometimes volunteerism can mean funds or resources and sometimes money. Whatever one feels comfortable with." 

" Learned professionalism and love for country " 

@aisha_bagha -

" Learn new skills "

@_real_rizwana -

" It was required to volunteer for class; learned about mental and environmental health."

HOW YOU CAN VOLUNTEER

In our last chapter we had an in-depth discussion about what volunteering is. In this chapter let us look at the ways in which you can volunteer. 

There are several ways to volunteer to protect our environment including volunteering your time, your finances and simply creating awareness through education. 

There are tons of ways that you can add to this growing movement of environmental action which includes volunteering your time to causes that help the planet. Here are some: 

1. Plant trees.

2. Protect national parks and reserves and keep them clean. 

3. Host a cleanup whether its for a park, beach or the neighborhood!

4. Volunteer to help out wildlife rescue and rehabilitation programs doing animal care or administrative work.

5. Volunteer at animal shelters. 

6. Join a movement or volunteer of legitimate environmental organizations like the The SOL Foundation!

7. Become a food waste warrior by volunteering your time at the food bank or with organizations that center around the same theme. 

8. Pitch in at a community garden. Community gardens are shared plots of land used to grow fruit, vegetables and other plants for personal use, or in some cases for food charities, while building a strong sense of community and lifelong learning. You can also donate to The SOL Foundation school garden program : https://www.the-sol-foundation.org/school-garden-project.html

9. Volunteer your time with organizations that help that save water and in keeping water clean. 

Let us take a look at what some of the feedback from our Instagram family: 

@aisha_bagha

"Reuse, reduce, recycle." 

@rewireyourmindsetstrategy 

"Donate time, money or resources."

YOUR FEEDBACK ON VOLUNTEERING

" The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement."

On that note this blog article is an appreciation for all those who have been regularly commenting and sharing their feedbacks on our social media platforms. Thank you for your kind support throughout the years. 

Sharing your knowledge and experiences is part of volunteering and we appreciate all your time and effort in doing so and being part of our family. 

Take a look at some of the feedback received on Volunteering as a way to save the planet: 

@SwecfK

Another way to protect our earth, is by training communities to understand first why we should protect the earth. Because the same communities are the one destroying. If they have knowledge ,then they will understand how to restore and do practically.

@AquaTreeProject

By Planting Trees like we are doing in lake #Victoria catchment in Uganda as @AquaTreeProject and @FishInitiatives

@rewireyourmindsetstrategy 

Join SOL or other organizations to help them to help with the planet.

Giving your time back to the community.

@aisha_bagha

Recycling, reusing and repurposing 

2. VOLUNTEER

Volunteering can also have significant environmental benefits. 

Volunteers often work on conservation or sustainability projects that contribute to the protection and restoration of natural environments. 

This work can help combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and promote sustainable development.

In this chapter we shall take a look at what volunteering means, how we can volunteer, and the benefits of volunteering to the environment. 

Who is a volunteer?

A volunteer is a person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it. 

People volunteer in order to help others in need. This type of volunteering is most common in social welfare and in large, formal organizations such as charities. Volunteers are frequently managed in the same way as paid staff, and they are recruited and trained for specific roles.

Whether you are a parent wanting to get back to work, or a retired person wanting to give back to your community or a student who wants to gain experience. The experience and skills gained from volunteering with charities can be invaluable.

Volunteer skills

While you don't require much skillsets to become a volunteer, here's a list that can help you when seeking to volunteer:

• Leadership skills
• Problem-solving
• Organisation & planning
• Communication & interpersonal skills
• Relationship building
• Mentoring skills & training others
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Reporting

So, are you ready to volunteer for a cause of your choice?