Volunteering is a rewarding way to improve your skills, help others, make new friends or even get the job you want. The possibilities of volunteering are endless. You can help in your community, at a national or even international level. It can be anything from fundraising, to clean up, or caring for those who cannot care for themselves.
Rewards
Volunteering can help you feel more positive about your own life. On one hand, by helping other in desperate situations you are able to count your blessings and see how luck you are to have what you have or live where you live. On the other hand, seeing the gratitude that those in need have for those who take the time to help them will make you feel good about yourself and your decision to give up some of your time, the most precious commodity, to help someone else. Generosity begets generosity, so by giving to other you will be encouraging them to give as well. It's a way of paying it forward. Volunteering also shows those less fortunate that the world is still a good place and that people care.
Where to Start 
Start small and do what you can. Even a little goes a long way for those in need. Help doesn't always have to come from money either. Donations are great but a lot of times charities need workers. Giving your time can be more beneficial to the charity and to those in need. Look into local charities first to see if they need help or donations. Stick to things you know and to charities that you are passionate about. If you enjoy helping you are more likely to stick with it. Once you feel more comfortable than branch out into larger charities or larger projects. It is important to only help where you can. Building houses for those in need is a good charity, but if you don't have the knowledge or the strength you will only hinder the project. Even volunteering in your child's school can be very rewarding and helpful. Not only will you get to be more involved in your child's life you will also be given the opportunity to be a potential role model to the children that come from more difficult backgrounds.
Steps to Successful Volunteering
- Give your time and not just your money.
- Pick a charity that you are interested in.
- Start small and focus on one charity at a time or on projects and tasks that you are familiar with.
- Recruit a friend. It will make things more fun and you will also strengthen your bond.
