Volunteering consists of individuals giving back to their communities and serving individuals who do not have access to resources that are necessary for sustainable health and living conditions. Some argue that volunteering is important because it offers the opportunity to feel a personal sense of fulfillment while responding to the needs of others. Also, volunteering may offer possible networking opportunities, and the opportunity to bond with family members who are volunteering together. However, there is an opposing side that argues volunteering is not a priority because people are lacking stability themselves. Also, volunteering may not provide long term stability for those who are in need. While differing perspectives understand the basic idea of volunteering, they evaluate the value of volunteering differently. Individuals can use the different perspectives to decide what kind of volunteering they’d be interested in, and analyze the significance of volunteering to make their own choices.
 

One perspective argues that it is important to volunteer because it provides the opportunity for bonding activities, and self-fulfillment while contributing to the community. Another positive is the opportunity to work with people who are like-minded. The Points of Light nonprofit organization supports the notion that volunteering as a family gives children the opportunity to have an early onset foundation of what it means to have sympathy for others and understanding the value of resources they may have access to that others do not (“5 Benefits of Volunteering as a Family”).  Furthermore, by volunteering parents can teach their children meaningful values and bond via teaching children about life lessons that can become shared morals. The Midwest Food Bank is an organization that asserts that volunteering can enhance self-fulfillment because it enables individuals to feel confident seeing their efforts be directly applied in society (Hodel). The Cleveland Clinic promotes the idea that volunteering will enable people to possibly make new friends, a difficult endeavor for adults as they age (Duke).

Volunteering has benefits that can help people find enjoyment in different aspects in life such as networking, generating new relationships, or instilling

meaningful ideals into children, which some may argue all the following are important. Yet, some argue that it is not as important because people are facing difficulties finding their own means of resources. For instance, studies suggest that high school and college students are not receiving the genuine benefits from volunteering, and volunteering only supports those who are in need for a short time span (Martin and Inskeep, “Volunteering in the U.S. is on the decline, reports say”).Researchers argue that students are not receiving the genuine benefits from volunteering because students are being forced to complete the activity for a graduation requirement rather than their own satisfaction which is contradictory to the idea of volunteering (Rao). Therefore, individuals may conclude that volunteering is not important for students because it takes away the sentiment when school districts try to enforce it.

James Coleman, a leader of community wellness at the Westside Health Authority states, “People are under pressure. They’re seeking to survive for
themselves. So, the focus isn’t on uplifting others. It’s on day-to-day living” (Martin and Inskeep, “Volunteering in the U.S. is on the decline, reports say”).  We are living in a time of inflation where people are struggling to provide necessities for their household, making volunteering not as important. Some argue that it would be more efficient to give resources to those in need where they can have long-term stability in things such as housing or a job opportunity, rather than offering volunteer services where volunteers would have a usually short-term impact. "Nonprofit approaches that resemble more of a handout, might be putting out little fires rather than creating lasting impact” (“Reality Check: Volunteering Benefits & Pitfalls”). Activities such as handing out care boxes with health necessities may help for as long as the products last, however it would be sustainable to provide individuals with a counselor to connect them with housing rather than a temporary fix of volunteers putting together care boxes. "

 

Volunteering exists in the forms of requirements for a job or educational institute, for personal fulfillment, or an inexpensive weekend activity with family. Volunteering suggests benefits such as enhancing an individual’s confidence, building relationships with family via purposeful experiences, and connecting with the community beyond which an individual resides. Based on these benefits alone, volunteering is important. But, volunteering may not be realistic for some as they are seeking their own stability. Also, volunteer opportunities may compel insincere acts among students when school districts attach volunteering as a stipulation of graduating.  The lack of goodwill may contradict the ideals of volunteering. Ultimately, people interested in learning more about giving back to their community by volunteering should conduct their own research beyond the superficial opinion of others.

 

Works Cited
 

Duke, Natacha. “12 Ways to Make New Friends as an Adult.” Cleveland Clinic, 11 July 2024,

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-make-new-friends-as-an-adult. Accessed 23

October 2024.
 

Hodel, Phil. “10 Life-Changing Benefits of Volunteering”. Midwest Food Bank. 27 September.

https://midwestfoodbank.org/news/blog/10-life-changing-benefits-of-volunteering?tmpl=

component&print=1&format=print. Accessed 23 October 2024.
 

Martin, Michel, and Steve Inskeep. “Volunteering in the U.S. is on the decline, reports say”.

NPR, 13 December 2023,

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218999240/volunteering-in-the-u-s-is-on-the-decline-re

ports-say. Accessed 23 October 2024.
 

Rao, Aria. “The Paradox of Mandatory Volunteerism”. The Lamp Online. 11 May 2024.

https://hclamponline.com/5037/opinion/the-paradox-of-mandatory-volunteerism/. Accessed 23

October 2024.
 

“Reality Check: Volunteering Benefits & Pitfalls.” Miles Astray,

www.milesastray.com/volunteering-benefits-and-pitfalls?srsltid=AfmBOopazoR4Uj832-

MVtVqCsjtx14baH1dU0eHXSr2_8QzqvEtV9Gvs. Accessed 23 Oct. 2024.
 

“5 Benefits of Volunteering as a Family.” Points of Light, 16 Oct. 2024,

www.pointsoflight.org/blog/5-benefits-of-volunteering-as-a-family/. Accessed 23

October 2024.