Top 5 reasons to start volunteering
This Volunteers Week, Wrekin would like to highlight just how volunteering can benefit you as well as the people you’re supporting. Here’s our top 5 reasons why you should start volunteering:
1. Volunteering genuinely makes a difference to other people’s lives’.
Firstly, volunteering can make a real difference to people’s lives, which can give you a great sense of satisfaction. Some of our volunteering roles include supporting our tenants at social events. These events can sometimes be daunting to residents if they have nobody to accompany them and so they may not attend activities because they are lacking confidence. Having that person to get onto a coach with or accompany them to a party makes all the difference and helps that tenant to engage in a thriving social life with other residents at these events.
2. To support your own mental wellbeing
Coming to these events can also help you to make new friends, support your mental wellbeing and social life too. Alternatively, we are always on the lookout for volunteers who can help with the social events behind the scenes such as helping with a coffee morning, an afternoon tea or even a bingo session.
3. You can develop new skills to add to your CV
Volunteering can also help you if you’re looking to build up your CV and develop new skills. Nowadays, employers love to see candidates who spend free time volunteering because it demonstrates their selflessness and willingness to support good causes but also their keenness to make productive use of their time. Developing new transferrable skills will improve your employability prospects because you’ll have more achievements to add to your growing CV, which will increase your chances of getting a job you enjoy.
4. You can build your own confidence and self-esteem in the process
As well as developing your career, volunteering is a great way to build your own confidence and self-esteem. Regular interaction with others is not only a good way to develop social skills and make new friends but also builds the confidence to take part in professional interviews.
5. To support your local community.
Finally, volunteering gives you a chance to support your local community and help us to make a difference to people’s lives.
Activities and Events Co-Ordinator at Retirement Living, Katrina Pooler, said: “Some volunteers come in and they may feel the need to find a purpose again. That’s exactly what volunteering can offer them. Coming to the trips and events helps them make new friends and engage in a whole new social life of their own. I’m yet to meet a volunteer who doesn’t get out as much as they put in.”
If you’d like to find out more about how you can volunteer for us, please click here.
4th June 2021