“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.” Flora Edwards.
On a recent trip to our local churchyard to put some flowers on my parent’s grave, I was struck by a number of people who were doing jobs around the church. There was a man painting the church notice board, someone cutting the grass and an army of people cleaning the church and creating floral displays.
It made me think about all the people that give their time at the church and in other organisations to make things a little better in our communities. I concluded that we don’t always know about these unsung heroes and their involvement. They are working away in the background and providing a very valuable contribution to society.
After this experience, I was interested to learn that there is a volunteers’ week. It’s an annual event and takes place 1-7 June. It’s supported and celebrated by small grassroots organisations as well as larger, household-name charities. Together they run hundreds of activities across the UK, which showcase and celebrate volunteers and their contribution to our communities. Volunteers’ Week 2023 is a time to celebrate and inspire.
Millions of volunteers are always active at the heart of every UK community. Volunteers’ Week provides an opportunity to celebrate and recognise their efforts and all they contribute to local communities, the voluntary sector and society as a whole. it gives a chance to say thank you.
Every year hundreds of events, both online and in–person, take place to celebrate Volunteers’ Week and the huge range of ways in which volunteers give their time. A wide variety of activities will be happening across the country from volunteer recruitment events and open days to celebration and recognition events.
As well as helping others, volunteering has many personal benefits for the volunteers themselves, including bringing fun and fulfilment to their life. I have listed some other benefits below.
Volunteering helps people to: –
- Boost their confidence and self-worth.
- Learn new skills and this may help advance their career.
- Make new friends, contacts and boost social skills.
- Strengthen ties to the community.
- Develop a sense of purpose.
There are numerous volunteer opportunities available. The key is to find a position that you would enjoy and are capable of doing. It’s also important to make sure that your commitment matches the organisation’s needs.
You may find the following questions useful in helping you to identify the right volunteering activity for you: –
- Would you like to work with adults, children or animals?
- Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?
- Are you better behind the scenes or do you prefer to take a more visible role?
- How much time are you willing to commit?
- What skills can you bring to a volunteer job?
- What causes are important to you?
- Would you like your volunteering to be remotely from home?
- What goals do you have for your volunteering activity?
You may not have time to commit to a formal volunteering role but know that enjoy helping others. Remember that you don’t have to make massive commitments or contributions to make a difference to others. Never underestimate how valuable any level of support can be to other people.
This week, as a starting point why not pause for a few moments, to think about how you can use your skills and strengths to help others in the coming week. if you would like to do more formal volunteering in the future, think about what your first step will be to make that happen.
You can learn more about Volunteers’ week by visiting www.volunteersweek.org.
To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk
