The act of volunteering fulfills a person’s desire to help their community through assisting society without the want of reward, while the act of working a job provides a person with monetary compensation for their work that they can put towards their wants and needs. Both volunteering and having a job contribute to people’s happiness and the betterment of society in their own ways. Furthermore, volunteering and having a job each come with their own pros and cons, and yet the two are often weighed against each other as if one was better than the other. 

It is no secret that volunteering tends to get the short end of the stick when it comes to this debate, oftentimes being reduced to “work without pay.” For many, especially teenagers, it is used as a way to spice up a college and job application without much thought behind the cause they are volunteering for. However, sweeping generalizations never apply to all who fall under it, and the act of volunteering is no different. 

Volunteering rewards volunteers in ways other than payment, especially when those people connect with the cause they are helping. In addition to the obvious benefit of giving volunteers a sense of accomplishment, volunteering can also be a way to help a person’s mind and body stay active. It can also provide a younger person with experience in a field they might plan to go into as a career, similar to an internship.

When someone thinks of volunteering, they tend to think of donations, tutoring, or helping in a public space. While all of these are extremely helpful methods of volunteering, they are far from the only way to volunteer, especially if interacting with the public is not a person’s cup of tea.

When looking for somewhere to volunteer, it’s important to build a connection with the cause, which will help with keeping positive morals and a continuous drive to work for the cause. For instance, if a person enjoys reading and dislikes noisy environments, volunteering at a library would be a suitable place for them. Alternatively, if a person constantly needs to be on their feet and moving around, finding an organization that promotes active engagement, such as marathons or food kitchens, will help that person engage with the cause.

In addition to in-person volunteering, numerous online communities accept donations of hand-knitted/sewn blankets, socks, and other articles of clothing. These donations, which are not only fun to make, are often used for extended periods of time by the person who receives them. This is also beneficial to volunteers because they can submit donations whenever they are able, and groups of people are often formed to generate several donations at once.

Another positive aspect of volunteering is that the donations not only go to those in need domestically but can also be given to poverty-stricken or war-torn nations whose citizens need assistance. For these people, who have had their lives uprooted from under them, little things like food, hygiene products, and clothing donations, even if seemingly small, could mean the world.

Without a doubt, volunteering helps not only a community and group of people who need assistance but also helps with self-appreciation and making a person feel better about themselves. There is no shame in putting volunteer hours on a college or job application, but it is important that, first and foremost, volunteering is used as a method of helping others in a way a person normally could not.