WEYBURN - Volunteering is often seen through the lens of how volunteers help to improve their communities. Though there’s no denying the valuable role volunteers play in strengthening their communities, it’s worth noting just how much volunteers can benefit from donating their time and effort to worthy causes. Volunteering can benefit anyone, and can be especially valuable to students, benefiting their overall health and helping in a myriad of other ways as well.
Participation in extracurricular activities should also be a consideration for every student as part of their volunteer time, because of the vast array of benefits such pursuits provide. Being an engaged student involves learning lessons in the classroom and also participating in this myriad of activities right in their own community.
Research shows being involved in after school clubs and sports promotes greater character development, improved academic success, good time-management techniques and leadership skills, and greater interest in community involvement. Extracurricular activities also are the gifts that keep on giving, particularly as they relate to future academic success.
Sometimes you do not even have to be playing on the field to engage in extracurricular activities. There are lots of ways for students to volunteer their time as a score keeper, an assistant coach, or as someone who helps coordinate and plan for community events hosted by the school.
Diversifying one’s interests through extracurricular activities broadens a person’s world view and improves self-esteem. These are benefits that can ultimately help students become well-rounded persons and successful professionals.
The main benefit to students to get into these activities, is the fact that volunteering and these extracurricular activities will help when they need to fill out an application for scholarships and bursaries. Volunteering with an organization in their field can also be a great way for current students and recent graduates to get the experience needed to stand out in a crowded pool of job applicants down the road.
Volunteers serve and work alongside people from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. That’s a great way to see the world through a new perspective, and it also can positively affect students’ future careers. Professionals who have worked with people of various backgrounds are in a better position to effectively communicate with a wider array of people, which can help them build a more diverse set of business relationships. Organizations recognize that value and often prioritize hiring candidates with the kind of strong interpersonal skills students develop through volunteering.
Volunteering can be a great way for students to develop an array of skills that can benefit their personal and professional lives for years to come.
