The Benefits of Volunteering for College and University Students!

For university and college students planning their future careers and preparing to step into the workforce, it is easy to feel nervous, overwhelmed, and unprepared. As a student myself, these are feelings I know all too well. We sometimes feel we lack the necessary skills, expertise, and connections to get the jobs and opportunities we want. We may even feel intimidated by the interview process, believing we are some kind of imposter waiting to be caught out.

The solution for this feeling of inexperience, I’m happy to report, is quite simple. We just need to get some! Volunteering is the best way to learn vital skills, build important connections, gain experience, and improve our self-confidence. As volunteers, we develop our communication, time management, leadership, and problem-solving skills in order to effectively assist others and achieve our organization's missions and goals. Developing these new abilities increases competence, which boosts our sense of worth and confidence.

Many of us will be entering a formal workplace for the first time. Through volunteering in our college and university years, we can bolster our resumes while exploring different hobbies, interests, and skills. At its core, volunteering is about helping people and uplifting our communities. In addition to helping others, volunteering comes with added personal, social, and professional benefits. Not convinced? Here are three great reasons to sign up for your next volunteer role today!

Social Development: Build Community

Many university students move to new towns, provinces, and even countries to attend their dream school. As a result, it is normal for us to search for and latch on to any connections we can find on campus. Due to the nature of student life, this often means the connections we make in lecture halls, social gatherings, campus jobs, exam halls, and so on. While nothing is wrong with this, one unintended consequence of this behaviour is that we end up in a university bubble. That is, we are strongly connected to our university communities but entirely disconnected from the wider community.

Volunteering regularly at a charity, non-profit, or community organization is a great way to rectify this problem! It encourages us to step out of our bubbles and learn more about our communities. It is an opportunity to learn and socialize. As volunteers, we have the privilege to walk into different communities and foster relationships with people from different backgrounds and walks of life. This is a treasured chance to learn more about communities different from your own and to support the work done in these communities.

Personal Development: Build Self

Studies have shown that people who volunteer tend to be happier and healthier. While the reasons for this may vary, one plausible suggestion is the role volunteering plays in building our sense of self. When we volunteer, we learn to be better listeners, communicators, and collaborators. We realize more about ourselves and the things that truly matter to us. This provides an avenue for self-discovery and reflection. As we open ourselves up to more diverse volunteer opportunities, these volunteer experiences can develop our social awareness and help provide us with a sense of purpose.

Volunteering also reinforces civic responsibility providing volunteers with a greater sense of belonging and connection. This improves social awareness and promotes empathy among volunteers. Research shows that volunteering (particularly in civic or faith-based roles) promotes identity exploration and facilitates better social and emotional development. For instance, student volunteers report lower levels of depression than students who do not volunteer.

Professional Development: Build Skills and Experience

"No one will hire me because I have no experience. I have no experience because no one will hire me.”

Is there a more common frustration among university students than this? Looking for a job as novices in our fields can be extremely difficult. The process is highly selective and demanding, expecting us to already have the very skills and experience we are looking to acquire. Serving as a volunteer is one way for us to get ahead of this!

Rather than lament our lack of work experience, we can opt to volunteer in our fields of interest. This improves our employability as our volunteer work can improve our chances of getting the opportunities we desire. This is because volunteering fills any gaps you may have in our professional journeys. It also provides us with valuable skills and experience to get us started. This includes job-specific skills as well as non-specific transferable skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork. In summary, volunteering can strengthen our resumes, providing the skills, expertise, and networks necessary to advance in our careers.

Building a professional resume can be tasking when you have no seemingly relevant work experience. When you volunteer, especially in a longer-term role, you show prospective employers you are dedicated and committed to an organization (or cause or career) even without getting paid. Similarly, volunteering in episodic events or festivals shows initiative and genuine interest in the role you are applying for. Your involvement in these volunteer opportunities will give you confidence in interviews as you have something to indicate your interest and demonstrate your knowledge of aspects of the field. It will also boost your confidence to apply for more jobs as you do not need to depend on previous paid employment to foster a healthy resume. You even can add these roles to your LinkedIn profile as LinkedIn has a section dedicated exclusively to volunteering. For students interested in graduate or professional programs, volunteering also helps to diversifies your pool of recommenders.

That said, do not be downhearted if the organization does not offer a volunteer role in the position that you want. Volunteering, even in a different department, provides access to connections, mentorships, and relationships that will help you move towards your goals. If you cannot find a fixed role in the organization, volunteer at an event. Charity, non-profits, and community organizations usually fund fundraising and awareness events. Assisting in these events is also a great way to strengthen your skills and build networks.

Volunteering is also fun! Internships can be stressful and take up considerable hours for an unpaid position. Volunteer positions, in contrast, tend to be more flexible and give you more room to explore your interests. As a result, volunteer roles are ideal for career development and exploration. As a formal volunteer, you have the rare chance to move around departments, explore different career paths, and get involved in all corners of an organization (i.e., communications, fundraising, marketing, etc.)

Even when working, maintaining a volunteer position is a great way to explore different interests. You continuously develop your skills and expertise while keeping your mind fresh and entertained by pursuing new interests and talents!

One Last Thing!

Sometimes getting volunteer roles can be challenging. For instance, hospital volunteering or research positions are usually of interest to many students studying in healthcare fields. Having prior volunteer experience in other types of organizations will make you more attractive to organizations that may be offering more coveted opportunities. Remember that we are multifaceted people with different interests. Allow yourself to find a volunteer position that you are passionate about and an organization whose mission and goal you are naturally inclined towards.

Get started on your volunteer journey today! How do you go about finding the "right" volunteer role? One great tip is to treat the search the same as you would for any paid position. For more detailed tips and suggestions, just click right here!

Want to learn more? Check out the full Guide to Youth Volunteering here. For additional help to you get started, check out our Opportunities page on Volunteer Success right now!