By Vanessa Racine, social media coordinator
When considering New Year's resolutions, it’s easy to have a long list of ambitions: meet new people, learn a new skill, spend more time with family and friends and so on. But, if you want to combine all those goals into one, make your resolution to volunteer in 2023!
Why volunteer?
With our busy lives, finding the time to become a volunteer can be hard. However, the benefits of volunteering are enormous. Becoming a volunteer is a great way to stay active, learn new skills or put your skills to use, meet new people and contribute to your communities while making a difference. Here are three main reasons why volunteering is the best new year’s resolution:
Reason 1: Volunteering can help you develop new experiences and passions
Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work helps you find meaningful and interesting ways to break up your day-to-day routine.
Reason 2: Volunteering can help you make social connections
Volunteering allows you to develop new relationships. One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing bonds is to participate in a fun activity together. Volunteering is a great for you to meet and connect with people who share common interests and goals. Dedicating your time as a volunteer also helps you practice social skills.
One of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the community impact. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it bloom. Even helping with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people in need.
Reason 3: Volunteering can help you build confidence
Volunteering increases self-confidence. You are doing good for those in need and the community surrounding you, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. The better you feel about yourself, the more likely you will have a positive view of your life and future goals.
Also, volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Older adults, especially those who have retired, can find new meaning and direction in their lives by helping others. Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries and keep you mentally and physically stimulated.
How to find the right volunteer opportunity
At the Red Cross, there are numerous volunteering opportunities available. The key is to find a position that you would enjoy and able to fulfill.
Identifying your goals and interests first can help you find the right volunteer experience. Think about why you want to volunteer. What would you enjoy doing? Do you want to try a new type of work that you might want to pursue as a full-time job? The opportunities that match both your goals and your interests are the most likely to be fun and fulfilling.
If you're looking to learn new skills, make meaningful connections, and improve the lives of your community, you're bound to find a suitable and rewarding role. You could help communities in Canada recover and rebuild from large-scale disasters and emergencies or you could help an individual or family who lost their home in a fire. There are opportunities to volunteer with the elderly or isolated people in your community or you can even join thousands of others in helping our operations team digitally map vulnerable geographical areas. There are volunteer roles that can be done in-person, virtually, or a hybrid of both.
How much time should you volunteer?
It is important to volunteer only the amount of time that feels comfortable to you. Volunteering should feel like a fun and rewarding hobby, not another chore on your to-do list.
We rely on volunteers from all walks of life who bring different skills and experience to the Canadian Red Cross. From helping during emergencies and disasters, to sitting on committees and project teams or providing customer services and office support, as a volunteer, you can make a big difference in your community.
Discover the volunteer opportunities for you: redcross.ca/volunteer
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