In the South Shuswap, volunteers at various non-profit associations come together to provide essential social, cultural, health care and recreational services. Without these volunteers, our community would have a very different look and feel, and our quality of life would be significantly diminished.
In many cases, unfortunately, the benefits of being a volunteer are achieved by only a few. Most, if not all non-profits in the South Shuswap are looking for new volunteers to step up and help contribute. With this article I would like to encourage you to personally consider volunteering your time to help build our community.
There are many documented benefits of volunteering, and these include:
• Increased longevity: Controlled studies have demonstrated that those who volunteer live longer and happier lives;
• Decreased morbidity: Volunteers have been shown to have lower incidences of depression and heart disease, decreased levels of chronic pain, improved physical fitness, higher mental functioning and potentially reduced levels of dementia;
• Increased socialization: Volunteering helps to create and build relationships, reduce loneliness and despair and strengthen interpersonal bonds;
• Mental health benefits: Giving to others has been shown to be quite rewarding to those who give. The sense of making a difference contributes to one’s self-esteem, confidence, feelings of worth, sense of purpose and life satisfaction;
• Improved school and career experiences: While many studies have focused on the benefits of volunteering in older populations, it has been shown that younger volunteers can receive tangible benefits related to performance in school and obtaining career goals;
• It’s fun: This might be the best reason of all.
In evaluating the benefits of volunteerism, studies have gone on to examine whether there is a threshold, or a minimum level of participation that must be achieved in order to obtain health benefits. The data here are less clear, but studies have suggested individuals volunteering as little as 40 hours per year receive morbidity benefits.
So, how does one go about volunteering? This might best start with a self-examination of one’s interests and skills, to help to point out what you might enjoy doing. Joining a non-profit organization is a good start, and is usually quite inexpensive. Attending the annual general meeting or special event of a non-profit association can help provide a basic understanding of its priorities, operations and activities. Checking out the websites of non-profits can provide you with more detailed information. For those already belonging to a non-profit group, it might be as simple as sticking your hand up in a meeting.
Given the many significant personal and community benefits of volunteering, I strongly encourage every resident of the South Shuswap to think seriously about giving back and contributing to our community’s overall quality of life. I would also like to extend thanks and appreciation of our community to those who have volunteered to help build the South Shuswap into the great community and place to live that it is.
-Paul Demenok is the Area C Director for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District