Why do you think a person should volunteer? Should he or she do it for himself or herself, for the community in which he or she lives, for the people he or she is helping, or a blend of all of these? Tell me what you think, please!

From My point of viet and based on my experience Volunteering is to make a different the in the soceity, A travel a long the developing countries will make you see the needy and the fact that people voluunteer.

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If you ask me, it's fine that people volunteer for really different reasons. In fact, I think things will work BETTER if people have different reasons. That way, organizations can be honest, and volunteers can be honest, and better matches can be made.

Ever hear of VolunteerGuru? She asks you a bunch of questions before giving volunteering advice. Pretty cool! I worked with some folks at NetAid to build this service, and would recommend it to anyone out there. Here's the URL: http://www.netaid.org/volunteer/abroad/

Well...to ME it doesn't matter what you volenteer for...as long as you do. To me I volenteer for animal shelters...retirement homes...and homeless shelters because I love to help people and I feel the one person CAN make a difference. But it also makes me feel good about me... and I'm not ashamed of that...I should feel good about my self when i help out others... And so should you. Give alittle...get alittle...it's just the getting anything material...instead you get something compltetly different back...and to me...it's more valuable then any amount of money or object. Hope upon hope wishes for all of you

-Katrina

If you want to change the world, it must begin with one small voice... YOUR INITIATIVE! That is my guiding principle which I have shared with different people. I might have found media attention in volunteering being featured years ago in Fox Thirteen Mag, a TV program for kids & teens in Florida USA, and Junior Inquirer, a newspaper for kids in the Philippines. But these are simply ways in which I can encourage youngsters to volunteer. This is my story...

I started volunteering when I was about 8 yrs old... from teaching fellow kids for free, feeding homeless peepz and being a boy scout... But before that, I had been lonely even if I had expensive toys, a comfortable place, caring nannies who were changed every year and nice classmates who would chill out with me. Seeing the things happening on TV, I realized that I can find fulfillment if I offer myself to others... this made the spark! Now, I've been to different volunteer groups... I've also founded a church-based organization for that. I have lots of friends from the poorest to the wealthiest of kids. I get surprises, messages and gifts from people I barely know. I have seen laughter and happiness which gave me intrinsic enjoyment than playing with my toys.

I would say that I am getting fulfilled because of volunteering... Just this Christmas, 4 of my 9 email accounts went overquota... not because of spams but because of messages and greetings from these people whom I've helped. My friends are fascinated that even if my weekly schedule is booked with volunteer activities, I can still live a normal teenager's life hanging out with them through PS2 and sports. I told them, "it is God's providence which helps me... it is like a miracle... whatever you do really returns to you a hundred fold." c",?

It's hard to say. I volunteer at a day camp for disabled children because it helps them to loosen up and have with people who don't judge them (my brother has autism- check out my profile...), which in turn helps them contribute more to the community, but most of all, it's for the high that you get knowing that you made someone happy. I think that if you want to volunteer, you should focus on your interests and what kind of people (or community) you want to help, but if you end up not feeling anything for these people, try something else. I started at the camp because my brother went there, but stayed because I grew to really love the kids there. In the end, it has to be about loving the people you're volunteering for and actually wanting to help them, not because you feel it's your duty.

i think it's for the blend.I volunteer because i don't like flopping 'round the house and not helping anyone.Andni think it's helpful the the community

I agree with locutus126, forced volunteerism is an oxymoron. It should be called forced community service. I do not agree with it. Forced community service is frequently used as a punishment for criminals. Why are students being punished? At times, criminals are given the option of community service or jail time. Could a student go to jail for a few days to get out of community service?

That being said, I frequently volunteer. I enjoy helping people. But quite frankly, I find a graduation requirement of community service to be total bullsh!t

Regarding the article that links to this, mandatory volunteerwork is, by its nature, oxymoronic BS. Volunteer work or community service should be done out of a desire to do so, not by some gestapo slave labor requirement.

I think Gandhi is a great example to bring up momof2,
he is my answer to this question. Gandhi changed the rights of millions of hindus living in South Africa, not to mention being a crucial part in the independance of his own country, why? Because he cared about these things, he knew they were wrong, and he also knew that although he was only one person, he had power (not to mention education, stay in school to change the world), power in his mind, in his mouth, and in his heart. That is why we volunteer. Thanks for the thought-provoking question Birdygirl!

To be sure that things get done. Don't just sit there, talking about how things *should* be...Do something about it! If you don't, who will?

Gandhi said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world"

Volunteering for me is a way of helping people, and it helps me knowing I helped someone else. I love working with young kids so when I am volunteering with them it makes me feel good that I am helping them learn something they don't know. I also rememnber the people who worked with me when i was young, the people who volunteered when they didn't have to, and it makes me feel good that maybe the kids will think of me or other people who volunteer one day, and decide to help people out. So basically i volunteer to help the community and people and it makes me feel good and useful but that isn't the reason why I volunteer just a nice side effect.

Hehe, my specialty...
I have 119 hours of volunteer work recorded over an eight-month period. I've done more than that, just not had it sent in, and I didn't count my regular time at our Youth Center.

Why did I do it?
Well, it helped me. I had some rough times, and I needed to count on something. "Friends" wouldn't be there when I needed it, so it was like time to reflect on myself. And when I couldn't count on anyone for anything, it meant a lot knowing someone counted on me to do something. I guess you can say I used it as a way of prevention from drugs and alchohol in a time when that could have easily been the alternative.

~Sarah