Volunteering and Its Surprising Benefits 志愿服务及其意想不到的好处

付小燕

Volunteering can help you make friends， learn new skills， advance your career， and even feel happier and healthier.

The benefits of volunteering can be enormous. Volunteering offers vital help to people in need， worthwhile causes， and the community， but the benefits can be even greater for you， the volunteer.

Benefit 1： Volunteering connects you to others

One of the more well-known bene-fits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people， animals， and organizations in need. And volunteering is a two-way street： It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends， expand your network， and boost your social skills.

Making new friends and contacts

One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people， especially if you are new to an area. It strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network， exposing you to people with common interests， neighborhood resources， and fun and fulfilling activities.

Increasing your social and relationship skills

While some people are naturally outgoing， others are shy and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills， since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests. Once you have momentum， it’s easier to branch out and make more friends and contacts.

Benefit 2： Volunteering is good for your mind and body

Volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress， anger， and anxiety. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

Volunteering combats depression. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system， which in turn protects you against depression.

Volunteering makes you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity， researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others. The more we give， the happier we feel.

Volunteering increases self-confidence. You are doing good for others and the community， which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself， the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

Volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Older adults， especially those who have retired or lost a spouse， 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， keep you mentally stimulated， and add more zest to your life.

Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more， find it easier to cope with everyday tasks， are less likely to develop high blood pressure， and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Benefit 3： Volunteering can advance your career

If you’re considering a new career， volunteering can help you get experience in your area of interest and meet people in the field. Even if you’re not planning on changing careers， volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important skills used in the workplace， such as teamwork， communication， problem solving， project planning， task management， and organization. You might feel more comfortable stretching your wings1 at work once you’ve honed these skills in a volunteer position first.

Teaching you valuable job skills

Just because volunteer work is unpaid does not mean the skills you learn are basic. Many volunteering opportunities provide extensive training. For example， you could become an experienced crisis counselor while volunteering for a women’s shelter or a know-ledgeable art historian while donating your time as a museum docent2.

Volunteering can also help you build upon skills you already have and use them to benefit the greater community. For instance， if you hold a successful sales position， you can raise awareness for your favorite cause as a volunteer advocate， while further developing and improving your public speaking， communication， and marketing skills.

Gaining career experience

Volunteering offers you the chance to try out a new career without making a long-term commitment. It is also a great way to gain experience in a new field. In some fields， you can volunteer directly at an organization that does the kind of work you’re interested in. For example， if you’re interested in nursing， you could volunteer at a hospital or a nursing home.

Benefit 4： Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life

Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work you find meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing， energizing escape3 from your day-to-day routine of work， school， or family commitments. Volunteering also provides you with renewed creativity， motivation， and vision that can carry over4 into your personal and professional life.

Many people volunteer in order to make time for hobbies outside of work as well. For instance， if you have a desk job and long to spend time outdoors， you might consider volunteering to help plant a community garden， walk dogs for an animal shelter， or help out at a children’s camp.

志愿服务可以帮助你结交新朋友、学习新技能、促进职业发展，甚至让你更快乐、更健康。

志愿服务能给你带来巨大好处。它为需要帮助的人、有价值的事业和社区提供至关重要的帮助，但对于志愿者而言，好处会更多。

好处1：志愿服务将你与他人联系起来

志愿服务对社区产生影响，这一好处人们比较熟悉。志愿服务使你能够与社区建立联系，让它变得更加美好。即使是帮助完成最微不足道的任务，也能使那些需要帮助的人、动物和组织的生活大有不同。志愿服务是双向的：志愿服务不仅让你选择帮助的事业受益，还会让你和家人获益。投入时间从事志愿活动可以帮助你结交新朋友、拓展人脉并提高社交技能。

结识新朋友、拓展人脉圈

结识新朋友、巩固现有人际关系的最佳方式之一就是共同参与一项活动。志愿服务是结识新朋友的一个绝佳方式，尤其是当你刚到一个地方的时候。志愿活动能够加强你与社区的联系、拓宽社会支持网络，让你有机会接触有共同兴趣的人、社区资源以及各种有趣而充实的活动。

提高社交和人际交往技能

有些人天生外向，而有的人则生性害羞，很难结识新朋友。志愿服务让你有机会锻炼并培养社交技能，因为你会定期与一群有共同兴趣的人会面。一旦有了动力，就更容易拓展社交圈，结交更多朋友、拓展人脉。

好处2：志愿服务有益身心

参加志愿服务有助于缓解压力、愤怒和焦虑带来的影响。与另一个人保持有意义的联系最能缓解压力。事实证明，与宠物和其他动物一起工作也可以改善情绪、缓解压力和焦虑情绪。

志愿服务可以对抗抑郁。志愿服务让你与他人经常保持联系，并帮助你建立稳固的社会支持体系，从而保护你免受抑郁情绪的困扰。

志愿服务让人快乐。通过监测荷尔蒙和脑部活动，研究人员发现帮助他人会带来巨大的快乐。为他人付出是人类的天性。付出越多，我们就越快乐。

志愿服务可以增强自信心。当你为他人和社区做好事时，成就感油然而生。志愿者这一角色也能给人带来自豪感和认同感。人们自我感觉越好，越有可能积极看待自己的生活和未来的目标。

志愿服务使人产生目标感。年长的人，尤其是已经退休或失去配偶的老年人，可以通过帮助他人重新找到生活的意义和方向。无论你多大年纪、生活状况如何，志愿服务都可以使你忘却烦恼、振奋精神、对待生活更加热情。

志愿服务有助于保持身体健康。研究发现，志愿者的死亡率低于不做志愿者的人。年龄较大的志愿者往往愿意多走路，能更轻松处理日常事务，患高血压的可能性较小，思维能力也更强。志愿服务还能缓解慢性疼痛症状、降低患心脏病的风险。

好处3：志愿服务可以促进职业发展

如果你正在考虑从事新职业，志愿服务可以帮助你在自己感兴趣的领域获得经验并结识该领域的人。即使你不打算转行，志愿服务也让你有机会实践工作场所用到的重要技能，例如团队合作、沟通交流、解决问题、项目规划、任务管理及组织筹划等方面的能力。如果你在志愿者岗位上提前磨炼了这些技能，在将来的工作中你会更容易上手。

教你宝贵的工作技能

仅仅因为志愿工作没有报酬并不意味着你只能学到基本技能。许多志愿服务岗位提供范围广泛的培训。例如，在你为女性庇护所提供志愿服务的同时有望成为一名经验丰富的危机顾问，或者在你为博物馆做义务讲解员的同时有望成为一名知识渊博的艺术史学家。

志愿服务还可以幫助你在已有技能的基础上发展，利用这些技能造福更大的社会群体。例如，如果你是一名成功的销售人员，你可以作为志愿倡导者提高人们对你最喜欢的事业的认识，同时进一步培养、提高你的演讲、沟通和营销能力。

获得职业经验

志愿服务为你提供了无须长期承诺即可尝试新职业的机会。这也是获得新领域经验的好方法。在某些领域，你可以直接到有自己感兴趣工作的相关机构担任志愿者。例如，如果你对护理感兴趣，就可以去医院或养老院担任志愿者。

好处4：志愿服务为生活带来乐趣和成就感

志愿服务是一种发掘兴趣和爱好的有趣而轻松的方式。从事你认为有意义且又有趣的志愿工作可以使你摆脱日常工作、学业或家庭事务，让你放松且充满活力。志愿服务还能使你重新获得创造力、动力和远见，可以用到你个人生活和职业生涯中。

许多人做志愿者也是为了给工作之外的爱好腾出时间。例如，如果你从事的是办公室工作，渴望待在户外，就可以考虑在社区公园帮忙栽种植物、为动物收容所遛狗或是在儿童营地当义工。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者;单位：南京师范大学中北学院）