What is volunteering?
It is the act of providing free help, support, and services for the sake of promoting goodness in society and influencing its citizens positively. Volunteering originates from the inner will of the person to help an organization or an entity for “civic engagement, skills development, charitable, or humanitarian reasons” without any pressure from anyone, and without expecting to receive any time of compensation for the services rendered.
Why Volunteer?
1. Expand your network:
Volunteering is a great choice when it comes to providing yourself a new chance in different areas of life, that gives you the possibility of meeting new people, expanding your circle of connections and helps you to get out of your comfort zone. This boosts your confidence and multiplies your social and communication skills.
2. Makes you have positive attitude:
When was the last time you helped someone and made them smile? Wasn't that awesome? We believe that volunteering is the best way to provide self-satisfaction by making a difference in others’ lives. Also, volunteering offers many mental well-being benefits. Volunteerism increases self-confidence, self-esteem, and decreases complacency. Being a volunteer can help you have a sense of pride, belonging, and identity. Reducing the risk of depression is also another important feature of volunteering as it keeps you in touch with others and helps you develop a strong support system.
3. Expands your horizons:
Whether you're a student, fresh graduate, job-seeker or even an employee looking for a change or something to help you create an opportunity in a new career, volunteering is the key for you! Volunteering can expand your horizon and provide you with access to new opportunities, to reach your goals and build the career path you seek by gaining experiences, developing skills, discovering your talent and expanding your network.
4. Makes you appreciate what you have:
Seeing others’ problems and life conditions while volunteering, will make you appreciate more what you have in your life. Be thankful of what you got as volunteering will make you see things differently and more maturely.
5. Develop your skills for a successful transition to adulthood:
Volunteering allows you to practice and improve your existing skills as well as develop new skills that you need for a successful transition to adulthood. Under the circumstance of the high unemployment rate in Jordan, having solid social skills and employability is crucial. For example, in the workplace entities expect young people to have fundamental skills such as; teamwork, communication, problem-solving, project planning, and time management, which you can develop through volunteering.
Be an active citizen to support your community:
We face any issues and challenges to attain sustainable development of our community, country, and world. Without a wide range of people engaged at all stages, at all levels, and at all times, it would be difficult to realize the world we wish to live in. Volunteering is one of the ways to engage in and contribute to your community as an active citizen, and it makes your community more cohesive, safer, inclusive, and stronger.
How volunteering contributes to building a generation’s culture:
The journey of change starts with an individual. Your participation in voluntary work, if it’s in its simplest form, maybe an inspiration to people closest to you, like your family and friends, to start their own volunteer journey. In the same way, they can be an inspiration to those who know and start a volunteer journey for others, and so on until the idea of volunteering is transferred from one individual to another to become a culture of society and a whole generation.
Is there a specific field where volunteering is recommended?
You can volunteer in any field you want, but it's better to choose what you enjoy the most or have experience in. Remember, volunteering is helping others so it's better to help them properly.
Volunteers’ Rights
Internal processes, procedures, rules and regulations exist in any work environment, and are imposed on all volunteers upon starting their volunteering activities. Volunteers should abide by these internal policies, yet they should be aware and understand their rights and benefits as well, such as:
1- Clear and defined scope of work during the volunteering experience
2- Compatibility of your skills and the assigned tasks
3- Safe volunteering workplace
4- Knowing who is the direct supervisor and his/her contact details
5- Full guidance and supervision throughout the volunteering experience
6- Protection, safety and insurance during the volunteering activity
7- Confidentially of personal information
8- Decision-making rights
9- Providing opinions and sharing suggestions or objections
10- Getting feedback about the volunteer’s performance in addition to validation of the volunteering hours confirming attendance, participation with time, ideas, skills and efforts
Volunteers’ Responsibilities
Each volunteer must be aware about his/her responsibilities and duties based on internal policies at any organization. As a volunteer, you must:
1- Be sure about your availability dates and times to handle the volunteering tasks assigned
2- Abide by the policies and rules of the organization/company
3- Respect the privacy of employees, clients, members, and other volunteers
4- Be a responsible and dependable person
5- Complete the volunteer work hours and agreed tasks
6- Notify the organization whenever you are not available to volunteer
7- Be loyal to the organization
8- Speak up to the company/organization about any important issues or concerns
9- Attend the orientation and training courses
10- Follow the directions given by your supervisors
11- Be collaborative with your team and support other staff and volunteers
12- Be responsible and respectful of human rights, diversity, and gender equality
