There is no shortage of good reasons to volunteer. From meeting new people to applying your skills to helping others, volunteers all have their motivations for giving time. This year, we talked to some volunteers who rose to the task of helping in the community during the pandemic. With that, we’ve put together a list of their top reasons to get involved in your community.
1. Community Need
There is no shortage of room for volunteers on the North Shore. Many of the people we spoke to hadn’t realized how much opportunity there was to offer support. Some people are unable to leave their homes on their own, so volunteers ensure they groceries and prescriptions. Volunteers bridge that gap to ensure that everyone has access to the essentials.
Many people don’t have the opportunity to see how others live – and volunteering is the gateway into that. This leads to compassion – one of the foundation of community. There are things that some of us take for granted – such as access to food, transportation to medical appointments, and light house repairs – that volunteers bring access to.
One client joined the program as they recovered from surgery. To them, Better at Home was essential. They told us that “I’ve come out of this because I felt supported. Recovery is so much quicker when you have support.”
At NSCR alone, volunteers are needed every day – and that’s just one resource centre! There are other foundations, schools, and community programs that need volunteers all the time.
2. Connections Strengthen Community
Research shows that feelings of isolation are detrimental to well-being. Over the past two years, social interactions became nearly impossible for some people. Many of us were able to virtually see our friends and family, or even visit outside. But there are physical and technological barriers that prevented some people from being able to do that. There has been dire need for people to get the social interactions we all need as humans.
Volunteering also helps people connect to their community. This is great if you are new to a community and looking to get involved and make friends, or if you would just like to meet more people with shared interests in general. The more connected we are, the more everyone benefits. Enrich your life and the lives of others through volunteering.
3. Feeling Purposeful Has Its Benefits
“Volunteering gives me purpose. It makes me feel proud and connected.” – Jenell C.
Giving back has countless upsides. Not only is it personally rewarding to have a sense of purpose, it can also benefit your physical health. Volunteering your time to things like doing minor home repairs or light yard work helps you get moving. Garry, a volunteer at our Better at Home program, said that one of the big reasons he likes volunteering is because it helps him stay fit. For him, he’d rather exercise and actually produce something at the end, so volunteering is the perfect way to achieve that.
How to get started at NSCR
If you’d like to get involved in the community as a volunteer, consider volunteering with one of the programs available at NSCR. For other opportunities available on the North Shore, check out our database – or come talk to us!