Is Volunteering Valuable for Youth - Essay Example

? Volunteer work April 29, Volunteer work Introduction There is a common misconception that volunteer work and charity work mean the same thing. While they are related by extension, one thing sets them apart and distinctively in charity work, one can give anything money service or property. Volunteer work, on the other hand, is more personal and active since it is limited to one thing, Service. In order to volunteer, one must give service and time. When one give money and property one need not be physically present, but when volunteering, one must actively participate in whatever one is doing. A billionaire may give millions for construction of home for flood victims, but might not be present on the ground. On the other hand, a youthful volunteer may not be giving money, but may offer his/her efforts to help in the reconstruction. Consequently, volunteers will be able to see the problems on the ground level and appreciate the gravity of the situation better than anyone else. One of the reasons why youths should volunteer is because most of them do not have money or stuff to give to the disadvantaged. “Low income kids love to volunteer just as much as the others and given a chance they can take place actively, since they may have been recipients of giving they appreciate and understand the importance of doing the same to others” (Clemmitt 88). A student, in as much as he would like to help homeless people he may not afford to give them money since he may also be badly in need of it. Herein, it shall be undertaken to prove volunteering is very valuable to the youth. According to Molly in a study on volunteering carried out for the Nevada University, the youths who take part in volunteer work are 50 % less likely to use/abuse drugs, abuse alcohol, or get unplanned pregnancies (Latham pg. 2 Para 4). As mentioned earlier, volunteers donate time which they spend performing different duties such as helping in the kitchen or working in an old people’s home or hospice. Youths who are engaged in such activities will find themselves fully occupied in body and mind; thus, they will have no motivation or cause to involve themselves in drug abuse and other vices. Most people use drugs to fill a space in their lives and others because of boredom because of being unoccupied for long periods. However, this will not happen to youths who dedicate their time and effort to helping the less fortunate, or participating in worthy causes through volunteering. They will have a safe avenue to put into work their extra energy to use. Furthermore, the experiences they encounter in the course of their volunteering may bring out their emotions through sadness and empathy, hence, helping them to express themselves and purge their negative emotions without resorting to self-destructive behavior often characteristic of many youths. The pressures placed upon youths today by their demanding work and education schedules have led to increase in cases of mental problems like depression and other mental illness. These pressures can lead to a variety of mental illnesses like depression that in turn leads to youths feeling oppressed and alienated. However, if youths volunteer to assist disadvantaged kids and homeless people, they are able to see their problems in a better perspective. Through volunteer work, youths often interact with people who have had to live in hardships and near intolerable lives. Similarly, some of the students in Tulane are quite privileged working with the poor and less fortunate makes them experience the challenges other have to go through in person (Clemmitt 85). This enables the youths to appreciate themselves and realize they are other people with bigger problems than theirs. Moreover, “People who volunteer feel optimistic about life especially when they get to observe the terrible straits of others; this makes them consider themselves to be blessed and lucky (Leones 5). This is analogous to the adage about the man who leant to appreciate life when he was complaining that he had no shoes and met someone with no legs. As such, they are likely to be more positive and optimistic in their outlooks. In addition, volunteering provides the youths with an opportunity to undertake a new vocation exclusive of making long-term dedications. In addition, it is also an excellent way to gain experience in a new field, as in some fields, one can volunteer directly at an organization that carries out the work one is interested in life. For example, if one is interested in nursing, he/she could volunteer at a hospital or a nursing home, and through the volunteer work, one might also get connections to organizations engaged in supporting and promoting volunteer work. These connections could help one in the future while searching for employment in the job market. “The fact that one does not get paid to volunteer work is not to your skills are basic” (help guide.org Para 8). Through volunteering, a youth can get a chance to put the skills learnt in schools into practice without the pressure that comes with internship. For instance, a medical student could volunteer in a disaster area and here they will be able to practice the skills they lean in a medical school. Consequently, they will gain invaluable field experience, which they may not have been able to attain in school. Moreover, young lawyers will rarely be given a chance by their superiors to handle serious cases, however, if they volunteer, and do pro bono, they will acquire or practice skills such as public speaking or research, and these skills will be beneficial to them in life and will help them become skilled professionals. Moreover, youths can also use volunteer work to boost their chances of securing employment after school. According to a study done by Time Bank, amongst 200 of UK’s top performing companies, 73% of employers would employ an applicant with volunteering practice over one without any exposure to volunteer work (World Volunteer Web, 5). Thus, having volunteer work in ones resume has a positive impact on his/her chances of getting a job. Moreover, volunteering boosts the chances of one being prompted; research shows that 94 percent of those who volunteered to learn new skills end up being prompted. From this, it is evident that, in view of the high current unemployment rates, volunteer work may be instrumental in securing a job to a youth. Furthermore, in some situations the youth have no choice since some colleges, such as Tulane University where after the hurricane Katrina, volunteer work was made mandatory before one can graduate (Clemmitt 77). In the case of students, studying in this and other schools volunteering is not only important as a social thing but as a part of the curriculum. However, contrary to the assumption that it would discourage students after it was made mandatory to volunteer, the number of applications increased with about 18000 students applying for the available 1500 slots, last year this went up to 45000 (Clemmitt 80). Furthermore, most of the times volunteering involves activities that improve and benefit the community and the environment. These include cleaning up, tree planting and fighting pollution. Such activities that are carried out by the youth are pivotal in creating a safe environment for themselves for the future generation. When youths, for instance, take part in a tree planting or garbage collection drive, they will be able to play an active role in making the world a better place for their future. When one volunteers, he/she will interact with other people, from this learn valuable social skills, and gain experience. The youths will also meet likeminded people among fellow volunteers, as a result, make new friends and connections that may latter help them in networking. When youth volunteer for instance: college students may offer to tutor weak students in a nearby high school. One could volunteer in a hospital as an orderly in case of a staff shortage or a counselor in shelter for abused women and children. In cases where one deals with people whose probes are overt and easily felt they get a feeling of knowing they helped someone else. BA youth who volunteers to teach may feel that they have helped to make a difference in someone’s life; this enhances his/her self esteem and self-confidence. Volunteering also helps the youth develop and even discover new talents. For example, if a high school senior volunteers to teach English in an understaffed primary school, he/she may discover a talent in creative writing, in the course of teaching students. The youths also get to meet with different people from different cultures; whom they are forced to interact with, and, in the process, they gain an understanding of not only the new cultures, but also important social cultural and communication skills. When one volunteers it is a conscious decision and the motivation to partake in volunteer work is intrinsic. Through volunteering, one can work in a situation where they know they can walk out any time they cannot deal with it. However, by staying even when there are problems youths are able to practice their ability to work with intrinsic motivation without the need to be put under pressure, to be controlled or to do things for the money. As a result, youths who volunteer are likely to be better workers in the future since they will have learnt to be self-driven and independent through volunteer work. Research also reveals that those who volunteer as youth are likely to be active in public service even when they grow up. In addition, many of those who took part in the civil rights campaigns, in the 1960, still take an active part in community life (Clemmitt 81). Through volunteering, one can feel as part of a community or society and gets a chance to give back. For instance, a youth who makes to play in the big league basketball may volunteer to coach the local high school basketball team, as part of giving back to society, and inspiring youths to become like or better than him. In conclusion, volunteering is a fundamental element of human beings relationships and communications. Taking into account its benefits to the youth, we can conclude that volunteering is beneficial to the youth whether directly or in directly, in many different ways ranging from a career building tool to a source of motivation, interaction and even self-discovery. Ultimately, volunteering is important not only to youths as young adults, but also as humans. Thus, regardless of being a youth or aged, it is an inherent part of America culture to take initiative and help those around them without waiting for the government to do it (Clemmitt 93). This is in recognition of the fact that it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. Through these charitable actions, the youths will become useful members of society, and will have developed a culture of helping and assisting that will most likely remain with them for life. References Leones, Kenny. November 11, 2009. The Importance Of Volunteering ; Ezine Articles.Com. Retrieved on 29 April 2012 from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Volunteering&id=3249047 Saisan, Joanna, Smith, Melinda & Kemp Gina. February 2012. Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits. Helpguide.org. Retrieved on 29 April 2012 from http://www.helpguide.org/life/volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm World volunteer web. 19 October 2005. Benefits of volunteering Retrieved on 29 April 2012 from http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/volunteer/doc/benefits-of-volunteering.html Latham Molly. (n.d) Young Volunteers: The Benefits of Community Service. University of Nevada. Retrieved on 29 April 2012 from http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/cd/2003/FS0323.pdf Clemmitt, M. (2012, Jan. 27). Youth Volunteerism. 22(4), 77-100. Retrieved on 29 April 2012 from CQ Researcher (cqresrre2012012714). Read More