“Volunteer and you get to record these for CAS hours!” or “Volunteer and you get to put it on your resume.” or even worse, “Volunteer because you get free food!”
All these offers make ‘volunteering’ sound like a deal of some kind! But volunteering is a simple act of going an extra mile and thinking about others. Its about extending a helping hand to the helpless, bringing a smile to the face of a person who never expected it! Volunteering is about helping people reach their potential. It is proof that humanity exists and we as a world community will stand by each other in times of strife.
Every time I walk home after volunteer activities, I feel truly blessed not because I am getting a benefit of some kind, but because it gives me a sense of self-worth and a unique feeling of having done something for others which is truly priceless.
So my dear friends, when you volunteer, do it with a selfless attitude, with an intent to solely help others. People born in Canada may not know the price people in developing countries pay to meet their BASIC NEEDS. With every kind act you do, an elderly person gets a wheelchair for moving around, a child gets books to study, a pregnant woman gets medicines, a newborn baby is treated from a life threatening disorder. Link the ‘act of volunteering’ with people (not with academics or jobs) because it is indeed a work of heart in its true sense!
Volunteering Today!
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I completely agree. Volunteering should be more than a stepping stone used to gain something else. It should be done to make others, and consequently you, happy.
Ananya… Yeah!! Volunteering itself means something done selflessly!! It seems to have lost its meaning!
I think society quite often has a skewed view of volunteering activities, like you have mentioned. It’s not out of the norm when teachers encourage students to “give back to the community” because it can be used toward the IB Diploma or toward improving one’s resume. I’m really glad you shared this with everyone – those views should be changed!
Elena…I am glad you could identify my motive behind writing this post!!
I really enjoyed how you emphasized taking your volunteering to the next level, something that I’ve struggled with. Good work!
Hey Wentao! Thank You so much! I have been thinking about this for a while now! I hope we as a group (youth) can take volunteering to its highest level!!