Personal Advancement
Volunteering can result in a big payoffWhile Canadian volunteers contribute an enormous amount of time to their communities -- some two billion hours, according to Volunteer Canada -- the vast majority of these hours are contributed by a minority of the population. |
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 [ 2007-12-05 ] |
Volunteer Canada (www.volunteer.ca) is an organization whose mission is "to be the leader in Canada in promoting the role and value of volunteering in creating a civil society."
It says that just 11% of Canadians contribute 77% of all volunteer hours, which means that 1.3 million volunteers provide 1.5 billion hours -- an average of 1,000 hours each.
Today is International Volunteer Day, designated by the United Nations as a day on which volunteers around the world are recognized and celebrated for their contributions and dedication.
To that end, employment website Work- opolis recently completed a survey that shows work commitments often get in the way of more people volunteering.
The survey found that 51% of respondents haven't recently volunteered any of their time to a charitable organization and just 6% give 21 hours or more a month to a good cause.
What many people don't understand is that volunteering is not only something that makes you feel good, but it can also help you move ahead in the workplace.
For those who are looking at the non-profit sector for a career, many non-profits have volunteer positions that can turn into paying positions if you show you're capable of doing the job. It's also a great way to gain experience in a particular field.
Volunteering also looks good on a resume -- prospective employers often admire those with a social conscience, it shows them that you're a potential leader and that you can properly manage your time.
And, of course, volunteering is also a great way to network and networking can lead to new and better opportunities either where you already work or in a new organization.
With better opportunities come more responsibility and, hopefully, more money.
Volunteer Canada cites a recent study in the Canadian Journal of Economics that shows volunteering can result in a big payoff.
"The result revealed that volunteer work increases individuals' earnings in the paid labour force," the study says. "On average, volunteers earn about 7% higher incomes than non-volunteers. For example, for an individual earning $40,000 per year, the payoff to volunteer is $2,800 annually."
Not sure where to start? Volunteer Canada's website is a good place to begin learning about volunteering. It even has a section that helps you determine what kind of volunteering you're best suited for by answering a series of questions.
"If you are ready to get involved, Volunteer Canada has created a list of its member Volunteer Centres in Canada, complete with contact information and website links, as well as links to other sites that offer volunteer opportunities," the website states. You don't have to run right out and start volunteering, but it's a good day to think about it and figure out how to best integrate some volunteer hours into your weekly or monthly schedule.
It may just be the best career move you can make.
How many hours a week do you work?