We all naturally sympathize to other people who face calamities, military conflicts, diseases, catastrophes. Observing these situations at a distance, we also tend to think nothing like that will happen neither to our relatives and beloved ones nor to us. Human mind denies negative information to stay sound and keep the person emotionally stable. But the truth is that anyone may find himself at the edge. Even the most influential people may have the day when they need a helping hand. This is why it's so important to care about others, to help those in need when you have both feet firmly on the ground.
You may think that all alone you cannot do anything to change someone's situation for the better. So why even try, you think… But, in fact, to help someone, you don't have to be super rich or to live a life of leisure when all days belong to yourself. There are so many ways to be useful for the humankind! Even sharing information on your personal page on social media can save someone's life.
When people overcome another calamity, they finally breathe a sigh of relief. But something terrible happens again in a different corner of the world – superstorm, wildfire, disease outbreak, landslide, tsunami, earthquake or something else. There is always someone who needs your help. And those who habitually do help others know how it changes their state of mind, their life in general.
Why volunteer?
What makes people help others? Is this a purely impersonal and altruistic desire or they want something in exchange? Let's admit this simple fact: even if you volunteer to get rid of your pain or to make your CV better, it's good you do it anyway. But let us focus on the reasons that bring people to this generous (or not so generous) activity:
• Some people want to pay debts to others this way. Once they had been helped and now they want to be useful too.
• If you live a good life and feel happy, quite naturally, you want others to be happy too. And you are ready to do something to bring smiles back to their faces.
•You want to be necessary. You want to make a difference in the lives of other people.
•You care about the environment, and it hurts you to see the planet being destroyed.
•You want to be busy to ease your mind.
•You want to find new friends, and you believe that most of the volunteers are kind-hearted people.
•You wish to feel valued.
•You want to be a part of a good team.
•Through volunteering, some people gain confidence and self-esteem.
•It's an excellent way to acquire new skills, experience and knowledge.
•Some people use volunteering as a route to employment or changing their career.
•It's the territory where you can show your skills and apply your knowledge for the benefit of others.
• It's an excellent way to socialize, to see and to try something new.
Coronavirus and volunteers
Covid-19 seems to be weakening in many countries of the world but no one can say for sure if the pandemic is truly about to be gone forever. Help of volunteers is still demanded to control the situation and support those who stay isolated. If you don't belong to any charity or volunteer organization, you can provide simple help to those who live next door – offer some food or help with shopping to elderly people residing in your house. You may also volunteer remotely through spreading useful information. But, please, be cautious and do not rely on unofficial sources. Along with your neighbors and elderly people, there are some other social groups who need help in the period of the pandemic more than others – medical workers and other volunteers, workers of groceries and supermarkets, couriers and delivery drivers.
If you want to provide more help, it makes sense to join some charity organization. Use the web to find out what charity organizations work close to your location and which ones urgently need volunteer help. Register with such organization and see what you can do in the place you live in.
Online volunteering
We do spend much time online. But the quality of the time spent in the web can be different. You can't even imagine how useful you can be when online!
You can volunteer in the web in many ways. If you have specific knowledge and skills, you can share them with others in the period of self-isolation. Art, design, music, research, science, foreign languages – spread the power of your talent over the globe!