Is volunteering good for people?

This essay will deal with the topic of volunteering, what volunteering is and what it consists of,
what are the benefits of volunteering.

Being part of a volunteer service consists of giving a part of ourselves and helping vulnerable
people and their communities, this is taken on their own initiative, freely, it is to carry out an
action that rewards you with the common good and directly or indirectly favor people outside our
family, or be done in favor of a certain cause, even if the person who acts as a volunteer also
benefits. Volunteering brings several benefits. How Connecting with others by volunteering your
time helps you make new friends, expand your social network, and increase your social skills. Since
you will continuously live with people with common interests and objectives.

It also provides many health benefits, both mental and physical. In the first place, it is a task that
makes you focus on others, and see what someone else needs, leaving aside discouragement or
selfishness. For physical health it is also essential since when you are participating in a project you
spend your energy on something positive, there is no stress and, also if you exhaust yourself in the
work you do, that fatigue only brings good vibes. The Dalai Lama affirms that "just by being able to
reduce the scope of our selfish instincts and develop a little more concern for others before we
die, we can already say that we have taken advantage of this life." In these words we can see that,
by volunteering, we will be reducing our selfish instincts. That is, we will be giving ourselves to
others selflessly.

When you become a volunteer for an organization in your community, you meet different people
and learn to join forces to achieve a goal. Perhaps by volunteering you will make good friends. The
positive impact of volunteering is evident from our research findings – 55% of respondents to the
online national survey of volunteers stated that their mental health and well-being had increased
following their volunteering experience. Participants in the focus groups were asked to identify
specific attributes of volunteering that contribute to the positive impact it has on them. The
contributory factors cluster under seven themes: Contributing & Being Involved, Purpose, Making
a Difference- Seeing Results, Enjoyment, Personal Choice & Preference, Self-Awareness and Being
Valued and Appreciated. Mark (26 years old) from “Volunteer Ireland” says that ““Volunteering
has enabled me to travel the world and has taken me to places I couldn’t have dreamed of going
on my own. I believe that the volunteering experiences I have had have helped create the person I
am today”

Volunteering can have a significant positive impact on a person's health and well-being. Research
from various countries linking volunteering with positive health and wellness. The extent of
positive impact appears to be influenced by variables such as personality type, personal agency
and motivation, ability, life circumstances, and situational factors. But in most cases, people
acquire work, professional or personal experience, enriching themselves with good values and
learning new things. So, if you are thinking of joining a volunteer service, keep in mind that you
will benefit in all areas, and you will have a highly recommended experience to improve your
defects and strengthen your virtues.

Renata Saldaña and Martín Jorquera IV°B