Why should students to volunteer work?

It is good news to hear that more and more students are involving themselves in volunteer work. In 2014, the NUS conducted a study which showed that 31% of students in higher education are involved in volunteer work. According to avid volunteer Larry Polhill, doing volunteer work can have far-reaching benefits. These benefits can both be internal and external. Here are just some of the many reasons why students should engage in volunteer work.

Image source: students.ucsd.edu

It makes their resumes more attractive

Image source: uwl.ac.uk

An applicant with a good history of volunteer work is often chosen by employers. It simply shows good character and a willingness to help other people. Besides that, volunteering also equips students with communication skills and problem-solving skills. While social consciousness isn’t the top of an employer’s list of must-haves for applicants, it’s often on the list.

Meet like-minded people

Volunteering is a great way to meet other people of similar wavelength. It’s not often to be part of a group sharing the same advocacies and passion. This is a great opportunity for people to extend their network and meet new people.

Community building

When you do volunteer work, not only do you help build a community, you also become part of it. Regardless if you are doing foreign or local volunteer work, you will always be ingrained with the local culture and help cement your understanding of society.

Happiness and health

According to Larry Polhill, a lot of volunteers extend their time because doing so makes them feel happier about themselves and for others. Happiness is also often manifested in great health. In fact, a study called Doing Good is Good for You showed that volunteers feel that they are physically and emotionally healthier compared to non-volunteers.

Larry Polhill gets to travel to disaster-stricken locations all over the world together through several nonprofits where he is a part of. He likes to play local sports with the kids in the places he visits. If you want to read more on volunteerism, visit this website.