Enjoy yourself. Older volunteers benefit the most from getting out of the house, engaging with others, and moving physically. For Habitat, people in your community and all over the world partner with us to build or improve a place they can call home. In my experience, skills-based volunteering is an excellent opportunity to develop talents to help you get ahead in your career. Any social interaction can help delay or prevent Alzheimer’s, and volunteering can be a fantastic way to do that. For school-aged kids, volunteering builds social skills and develops awareness. We volunteer because it makes a difference. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills. Companies that offer employee volunteer programs may attract more committed employees, as well. Volunteering allows you to impact and connect with your community to make it a better place. With Habitat, you’ll find plenty of those satisfying moments that make volunteering such a spiritual lift. If you are ready to make friends, improve your mental and physical health, and maybe develop new skills along the way, start volunteering. Sometimes an opportunity looks great on paper, but the reality is quite different. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety. All rights reserved. “Habitat for Humanity®” is a registered service mark owned by Habitat for Humanity International. The information on this site is provided as a courtesy. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need.

The important thing is to volunteer only the amount of time that feels comfortable to you. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills. Our daily content delivers vital ideas, context and perspectives on issues that matter most as we age. You could even choose to volunteer for causes or programs that make you more active, such as with youth sports programs or national parks. – The benefits of volunteering, including benefits to your career. Every volunteer opportunity offers a chance to stretch your skill set. After your volunteer experience, you may decide you want to pursue a career in that field. Post your intentions on Facebook and/or LinkedIn to get connected to an organization in your network. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being. The Independent Sector, an organization that gathers tons of statistics about charitable activities, places an Estimated National Value of Each Volunteer Hour every year. By helping others, he is able to build his self-confidence because he gains strong social benefits, a … Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills, since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests. Here’s how to identify which style works best for you, and why it’s important for your career development. Joanne Fritz is the expert on nonprofit organizations and philanthropy for The Balance Small Business. Improves School and College Experience.