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Voluntary work is something that we’re all encouraged to participate in. And for good reason, too. Not only is it an act of selflessness, benefiting the community in more ways than one - it is also a great way to build confidence and advance skills.
But, like everything, this type of work comes with its ups and downs. It can be a tough job with lots of unexpected hurdles that you often aren’t informed about. In this blog, we take you through the main pros and cons of volunteering, to help you decide if it's the right fit for you.
Advantages of Voluntary Work
Volunteering is an admirable activity that comes with many benefits. Whether you’re out and about helping the wider community, or assisting a small charity with their day-to-day operations - you’re bound to feel positive about your contribution to society.
Here are some of the main perks of voluntary work:
It’s Rewarding
By giving up your free time to help one person, or support an entire cause, you will feel a fantastic sense of reward.
With volunteer work, the rewards you receive are emotional, rather than financial. Yet, this is still a huge factor for some people. Nowadays, many want different, deeper fulfillments from their jobs. One of the ways to meet this psychological need is by doing a good deed through volunteering.
Feeling rewarded also comes with other benefits. It has the power to drive motivation, unlock potential and drive future opportunities. You can build rapport, recieve a good reference and - if you’re lucky - be offered a permanent position.
Learn New Skills
Volunteering can reveal new interests and skills that you may not realise you have. These skills are usually transferable and incredibly useful for future endeavours. Whether it be improved communication skills, time management or gaining the ability to multitask, all can help shape our work ethic.
Working as a volunteer has the potential to boost your personal growth. By learning something new and excelling at it, this can enhance your self-esteem and better prepare you for any new challenges you face.
Meet New People
This is perhaps one of the most valuable benefits to come out of volunteering. By dedicating your time as a volunteer, you can make new friends, expand your network and advance your social skills.
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area, or are looking for a hobby to help you better spend your time. By exposing yourself to people with common interests, this bond can help develop and cement long-lasting friendships that you can enjoy for years to come.
Make a Difference
There’s no doubt that volunteering has a huge positive impact on the community. Often, volunteers are the glue that holds a community together.
Through volunteering, you can connect with your community and make it a better place. It doesn’t matter how big or small the task is - it can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organisations in need.
Volunteering is also a two-way street: it can benefit you just as much as the cause you choose to help. Many studies have shown that helping others kindles happiness, making this the main reason why volunteer work is so popular across the world.
Disadvantages of Voluntary Work
While these benefits are hard to beat, it's worth pondering some of the potential pitfalls of voluntary work before you dive in. The better you understand the risks and rewards of volunteer work, the better decisions you can make for you.
Work for Free
While it is in the name, many people have to be reminded that voluntary work does not come with any financial incentive. Despite it being emotionally rewarding, many people can become frustrated with the lack of pay.
This frustration can stem from people having to spend money while they volunteer, which can cause overall income to suffer. Volunteering may be a good idea if you're hoping to turn the experience into a potential job opportunity, but you should make sure you can cover your living expenses until an offer comes along.
Time Commitment
Often when people begin volunteering and gain more confidence, they perform better in their role. Those in charge may start to see that the volunteer is a valuable asset, which may lead to them being asked or encouraged to do more.
This can lead to scheduling problems and leave less time for other activities outside of work, such as education, family, or other work commitments. Setting boundaries is vital in the volunteer world.
That’s why it’s important to make clear to organisers exactly how much time you can devote to the cause and what your work expectations are before you commit too much time and risk burnout.
Emotional Involvement
Volunteering to clean up a park, help in a shop or even build a house can be great ways to stay busy and contribute in a positive way to your community. This also means you don’t risk getting too emotionally involved and attached to those you are helping.
But, if you volunteer to work with children, abandoned or injured animals, senior citizens, hospital patients or other people in extreme need - you do run the risk of emotional investment. This can result in clouding your professional judgement and affecting your work/life balance.
That’s why it is vital to learn how to manage these feelings. You can try talking to a senior member of staff at the organisation, or befriend another volunteer. This way, you have someone to relate and talk to about your thoughts and feelings.
Any person wishing to engage in voluntary work needs to find the right balance between these pros and cons. By achieving a happy medium, you can reap the benefits of this type of work and boost your personal growth in the long-run.
At S3 Solutions, we proudly provide quality consulting to those in the public and not-for-profit sectors. For more advice on this topic, contact the team today.