5 Reasons to Volunteer

Jodie Weyland

Apr 16, 20224 min read

Guess what! It is National Volunteer month throughout April! In honor of this time, I want to acknowledge the impact that volunteering has had on me. From serving as a DARE and youth group leader in grade school to taking on the new role as coordinator of the Miss Rural Winnebago program 11 years later, volunteering has become a natural habit of mine.

There is a lot of internal talk and discussion in various workplaces and organizations saying that the incoming generation(s) do not have the drive to volunteer like an older generation. Do you think this is true?

Whether you spend hundreds of hours volunteering or do not spend any, here are 5 fantastic things about volunteering (and reasons to make it a habit)!

Create Connections.

You make many connections while volunteering, including new friends and professional networks. I never realized how many individuals I have met from across Wisconsin and all 50 states! Recently, there was a video trend where you screen record yourself opening your “Snapchat Maps” and zoom out to see that your friend base is all clustered in one location. If I did this trend on my Snapchat, the entire Midwest and many other states would be filled with “Bitmoji people". (**Do not jump on this trend. It is not safe to share your location, and sharing your location gives insight to scammers.**) The fun thing about this is that I know EVERY SINGLE person! I have networked with all these people at least once, and I can credit volunteering to that! Volunteering through the National FFA Organization and the National PAS Organization helped me build many of my connections.

Build Skills.

While making new friends, you are building core skills such as communication, work ethic, time management, critical thinking, problem-solving, and more! However, the best skill you are building is your self-confidence. When I started to volunteer, I was shy, worried, and felt unqualified. I was not the “popular kid” that people followed. Here is the reality, people will ultimately follow you because of who you are and what you represent! (Research the “5 Levels of Leadership” if you do not know them!) Through continuously volunteering you figure out who you are and who you represent. In return, you build your self-confidence and ability to lead others!

Have Fun!

If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life! If you are not having fun volunteering, take a step back and reflect on why that is and how you can improve that situation. You should be participating in activities that make you laugh and smile, not something that feels like a forceful burden. Many of my best and most fun memories are from volunteering! For example, at the 2022 National PAS Conference, a majority of the students at the DJ/Dance night sat down on the floor to “dance” to the song “Fishin in the Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Many people knew this dance because we had learned it while volunteering in our local FFA associations.

Be the Change.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is the purpose of life?” For me, the purpose of life is to continually improve our world and lives for the next generations, but how can we possibly do that? Well, you can do that by being the change! Taking the initiative to innovate things for a better tomorrow is a HUGE part of volunteering. It not only gives you a life purpose, but it is also satisfying and makes you feel accomplished. You are leaving a legacy no matter what you do in life, so what do you want people to remember you by? You could be the change we need in our volunteer groups.

Fulfill your Morals and Values.

This overlaps with some points I have mentioned previously. Respect. Responsibility. Fairness. Honesty. Compassion. These are some of the most common morals you learn while volunteering. I can recall one of my very first times volunteering when I was put in the position to watch young children on a playground. I was just a young girl myself, so it came with great responsibility to watch others close to my age.

Freedom. Connection. Creativity. Intelligence. Teamwork. These are a few of the most common values you can build to motivate yourself. This is a very minute list compared to what you learn and experience while volunteering! I still continue to build these values today. I was recently selected for the opportunity to facilitate a week-long National FFA conference in July! During this event, I will be using creativity and intelligence to teach the lessons!

While you do not get paid money to volunteer, you gain much from your experience. Connections, skills, laughter, and life fulfillment just graze the top of how your experience as a volunteer could impact you. I highly encourage you to do one volunteer activity this month if you find that you do not volunteer much. If you frequently volunteer, share that news on your social media and advocate for National Volunteer Month! If you do not already, find a buddy to come with you every time you volunteer.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, while being a frequent volunteer is absolutely awesome (you could travel the entire world as a volunteer), remember that it is for "free”. Do not overwhelm or stress yourself while volunteering, and do not forget that you still need a paying career/job to sustain your needs. Everyone will take a helping hand but remember your worth. If you frequently volunteer it is okay to say "no" sometimes!