What are the Benefits of Volunteering?

Marissa Setyawan
Posted on Friday, June 5

Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, brings awareness to worthwhile causes, and connects you to the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you - the volunteer. The right match can help you to meet new friends, connect with the community, the ability to network with others in your same field of interest, learn or enhance on skills, and it can even help in advancing your career and goals. The benefits of volunteering can be enormous.

CSUSB has a long standing history of giving back to our community and encourage our students to volunteer not only for the meaningful and positive effects it provides our community, but because those who volunteer gain invaluable experiences to build and/or enhance skills that will assist them in their academic journey towards graduation and future employment in their chosen career field.

Here are 5 skills that volunteering will provide you as you work towards your career:

Build your knowledge, skills and confidence as a leader in order to achieve greater success in every area of your life.
Explore current, relevant and global issues that will spark your engaged citizenship.
Practice strategies for leading positive change, such as forming organizations, planning events, volunteering, fundraising, and creating awareness campaigns.
Learn concepts and skills that will help you achieve greater success in every area of your life: interpersonal communication, goal-setting, conflict resolution, team-building, time management, ethics, critical thinking, project planning, and cutting-edge leadership practices.
Become more aware of issues that require your leadership and service: i.e. social justice, professional ethics, environment challenges, politics, education, healthcare, international relations, etc.

Although volunteering does improve your professional aspects and provides the opportunity to learn/enhance soft skills, it also can take you outside your comfort zone by meeting new people and facing real-world challenges and problems. For many this alone, can change their perspective or connect them to the community and to professionals already in the field who can assist them in mentorships, internships and letter of recommendations.

Through the experiences you gain while taking the time to volunteer within your chosen career field, it also provides a close-up view of the career path you have chosen and whether or not it’s right for you.

That being said, volunteering can also provide you the chance to enrich your life and grow at a personal level, by opening the world to you. Volunteer opportunities can be found all over the world and can offer new life experiences in diverse cultures, communities and issues.

There is no limit to what can happen when you decide to volunteer, Are You Ready?

We are in this together, Coyote Strong! Kindness is not cancelled.

Questions? Contact the Office of Community Engagement at leaveyourpawprint@csusb.edu.