The Powerful Positive Influence of Volunteering

Volunteering is an incredibly valuable experience that offers a wide range of benefits, both professionally and personally. By dedicating your time and skills to various causes, you open doors to new career opportunities and gain firsthand insight into different industries.

Whether you’re working in education, healthcare, the arts, or environmental conservation, volunteering provides practical experience that can be added to your resume, showcasing your initiative, passion, and work ethic to potential employers. In addition to career exploration, volunteering fosters personal growth by helping you develop essential skills. You might find yourself enhancing your leadership abilities as you take on new responsibilities, or improving your communication and teamwork skills while working with diverse groups of people. Volunteering can also challenge you to think critically and solve problems in real-world situations, expanding your problem-solving abilities.

Beyond the skills gained, volunteering also allows you to give back to your community, creating a sense of fulfillment and purpose. The relationships you build while volunteering can lead to long-lasting personal and professional connections. Whether you’re meeting mentors, like-minded individuals, or people with shared passions, these networks can open doors to future opportunities.

Ultimately, volunteering is a win-win: you contribute to causes that matter to you while growing both personally and professionally.

Volunteering Can Help Your Job Search

Many job seekers who have been out of the work force for some time feel hesitant about jumping back in.  Getting back in the work force can feel like a daunting task for many reasons – my skills are outdated, my contacts and references have retired or moved, I’m nervous about starting work again…  Whatever your reason is for returning to work, keep in mind that volunteering is a great way for you to build your skills, confidence, and provide you with references for your resume before taking the plunge back into the employment pool.

Did you know that volunteering has been proven to reduce stress, combat depression and leads to a greater sense of self-worth?  Volunteers often learn new skills that they may not have otherwise tried and make long lasting social connections with people who share common interests.

April 14-20 is National Volunteer Week and if you are feeling that desire to make a difference in a volunteering capacity, there are many organizations in the Oceanside area who could benefit from your energy and enthusiasm.

The Society of Organized Services is always in search of volunteers to help with the large number of programs that they offer the residents of Oceanside.

The local Salvation Army has numerous volunteer opportunities that you can explore on their website.

The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce has a number of volunteering opportunities listed on their site for different community organizations.

Island Health is always looking for volunteers to support their patients, residents, clients, visitors and staff.

The local SPCA currently has 6 different volunteer opportunities.

Here are a few other opportunities for volunteering in the area:

Parksville Community Centre
Oceanside Building Learning Together (OBLT)
The Tutoring Program (Career Centre)
Inclusion Parksville
Oceanside Community Safety
Haven Society

Volunteering truly is a rewarding way to give back to your community while gaining valuable experience and references at the same time! 

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
– Winston Churchill