Reasons People Become Original Volunteers
There is no hard and fast answer to the question of reasons people do voluntary work abroad. The responses are probably as many as there are original volunteers. But there are a number of factors that most people will cite to have contributed to their offering their time and service for free.
First is to have fun. While this might come across as a somewhat irreverent reason, the reality is that few people will last as original volunteers if they do not enjoy the particular type of volunteer work they are involved in. The more one enjoys the volunteer work, the more productive they are likely to be. Even when the nature of the volunteer work is sombre, a volunteer’s positive attitude and enthusiasm is infectious to the people he or she serves. In many instances such as where the work is health related such enthusiasm may be just a just as important as the actual volunteer work.
The second reason for volunteering is a strong urge to give back to society. Giving back to society will feature prominently among people that have achieved some level of self actualisation in their own life. This is the same principle increasingly applied by for profit organizations under the banner of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) where a proportion of the profit is reserved for uplifting the standard of the community in which the business operates. But giving back transcends disbursing one’s wealth and time. It can also involve offering one’s skills and professional expertise for free.
A third reason for participating in volunteer work is to enrich one’s résumé. Many fresh graduates will rightly perceive volunteerism as a way of adding some ‘meat’ to their résumé’s experience section so they can later have an edge over other candidates when applying for paid positions.
Fourth, enlisting in volunteer work can be a great way to experience new cultures. International volunteer work can be particularly eye opening. It helps the volunteer appreciate the traditions and realities of persons. People that interact with other cultures often find it easier to work with and relate to a wider spectrum of personalities even when they leave volunteer work.
Fifth, volunteering is a way to meet new people and develop relationships outside your ordinary circle of friends and family. The relationships can range from the people your volunteer work is meant to serve to other original volunteers that you work with. It is a way of connecting with people that share your passions. Because of this strong sense of shared purpose, many relationships formed during volunteer work last a life time.