COLUMNIST
LEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST
Volunteering: Past, Present and Future Kathleen A. Provost
A
BY KATHLEEN PROVOST
s a professional fundraiser, I am often reminded of the words of Winston Churchill: “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” Why people chose to volunteer will vary from person to person. But what is true is that once we find the right fit, the right volunteer experience, we’ll enrich the lives of others as well as our own life with this experience. When we have the sense that our efforts contribute towards making society better for all of us, we all feel good. It’s a win-win situation. Hence who really benefits: the volunteer, or the cause we chose to support? Why volunteer? I realized early in life that there were a number of ways to make a difference in my community. As a teenager, I did not have the funds to make a donation for a scholarship to a young student in need; but I could raise funds by volunteering with an organization that used its funds to offer scholarships to students in need. I soon learnt that not only was volunteering rewarding for me, but volunteering helped me develop new skills. With that in mind, I also saw the benefits of complementing my own “skills set” with skills and talents I may not otherwise possess. I also realized that I felt better about myself for volunteering. 8
FOUNDATION Magazine
September/October 2021
So why do we volunteer? Lauren Melnick works at GVI, an organization working with participants and partners from around the world. GVI and its partners are building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference. She states that: “as volunteers, we benefit immensely from our benevolent efforts”. An increasing amount of research in mental health and the benefits of volunteer-work has emerged recently from the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are looking at how “acts of doing good for others” seem more important than ever — and how their positive outcomes are felt in multiple ways. Some say volunteering is good for our health because we feel inspired and gain different perspectives on life. Volunteering can help us learn new skills which improve our employability and increase our selfesteem. When we contribute to a cause we believe in, we feel we are having an impact, and immerse ourselves in our community. Authors Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Lawrence Robinson even claim it is beneficial to our health to volunteer because it reduces stress, combats depression and keeps us mentally stimulated. For example, volunteering to help those in need, or to have an impact on a social issue, or for a cause, can result in improving our health, our wellbeing, and our happiness. Therefore, when foundationmag.ca
