There’s no denying that you can do a great deal of good for others when you volunteer your time. You can help to feed the homeless, improve literacy, or enhance the quality of life for seniors. In addition to improving the lives of others, volunteerism can enhance your own life. When you realize all that volunteering can do for you, getting involved with charities in your community will seem like an even more appealing way to spend your free time.

Network With Others
Whether you’re interested in networking with other professionals within your career field or just want to make new friends, volunteering benefits you in that way. As you start volunteering within a specific cause, you’ll meet others who have similar charitable or philanthropic interests. This gives you a great basis for initiating conversations and getting to know other volunteers. It won’t be long before you start meeting those new friends and colleagues in other types of social settings.

Improve Your Emotional Health
You’ll also start to feel more confident and have better self-esteem as you start volunteering with a charitable organization. This improved level of emotional health comes from engaging with others and seeing your work’s positive effects on those in need. You’ll also enjoy your interactions with others, which can boost the serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the hormone responsible for regulating mood and promoting feelings of joy and happiness.

Develop Useful Skills
You can add your volunteer positions to your resume to help improve your chances of getting the job you want. This is because volunteering provides the opportunity to learn new skills and gain real-world experience. You can use your volunteer opportunities to develop better leadership skills or learn new job skills that will help you advance or start a career. Look for the type of volunteer opportunities that will provide you with the type of training and experience you need.

There are many ways to get involved and give back to your community, but don’t let the available opportunities overwhelm you. Start by choosing a cause that’s important to you. From there, you can look for organizations that benefit that cause, or you can start your own charitable initiative. Every small effort you make will have a significant and positive impact on your community.