Take action on the issues
People
volunteer for a wide variety of reasons, especially wanting to help others. But
it's also OK to want some benefits for yourself from volunteering.
Some people are uncomfortable with the notion that a volunteer
"benefits" from doing volunteer work. There is a long tradition of
seeing volunteering as a form of charity, based on altruism and selflessness.
The best volunteering does involve the desire to serve others, but this does
not exclude other motivations, as well.
Instead of considering volunteering as something you do for people who are not as fortunate as yourself, begin to think of it as an exchange.
Consider that most people find themselves in need at some point in their lives. So today you may be the person with the ability to help, but tomorrow you may be the recipient of someone else's volunteer effort. Even now you might be on both sides of the service cycle: maybe you are a tutor for someone who can't read, while last month the volunteer ambulance corps rushed you to the emergency room. Volunteering also includes "self-help." So if you are active in with you’re the El Paso Teachers Association, you create better schools for yourself and the community as well. Adding your effort to the work of others makes everyone's lives better.
Instead of considering volunteering as something you do for people who are not as fortunate as yourself, begin to think of it as an exchange.
Consider that most people find themselves in need at some point in their lives. So today you may be the person with the ability to help, but tomorrow you may be the recipient of someone else's volunteer effort. Even now you might be on both sides of the service cycle: maybe you are a tutor for someone who can't read, while last month the volunteer ambulance corps rushed you to the emergency room. Volunteering also includes "self-help." So if you are active in with you’re the El Paso Teachers Association, you create better schools for yourself and the community as well. Adding your effort to the work of others makes everyone's lives better.
