Written by YEA Alumni

My volunteering story did not start with some fancy project, nor with the big idea of ​​”changing the world”. It started in elementary school, in the library. I was repairing old and damaged books. Glue, cardboard and worn covers that had to be saved – that’s all.

Neither then or now, no one understood why I was doing it. Honestly, I never had a right answer, just the feeling that it’s so nice for me and that I should. I never saw volunteering as free labor. I have always associated volunteering with activism and for the need to contribute to society, but also to get something back. For me, volunteering means an exchange: you give time, energy and ideas in return you learn, grow, meet people and get to make mistakes without fear. So, in this blog, I want to answer a simple question: Why do I volunteer?

People

It might sound cliché, but it’s true: the most valuable thing volunteering gives you is people. New connections, meaningful relationships, people who inspire you and challenge you in ways that textbooks and offices never can.

Learning without pressure

When you do a “real” job – you have a salary, a contract and constant pressure to know more, better and faster. Volunteering is different. There is responsibility, but there is no such fear. It was through volunteering that I learned without panic and tried out roles that I didn’t know were mine and grew without someone constantly measuring me. And that’s a luxury you rarely get anywhere. If you’re thinking, “Not everyone can afford to volunteer,” that’s true. But almost everyone can dedicate two hours per week to something different. And that’s why I always choose volunteering and recommend it to young people. Because of its informality, volunteering gave me the opportunity to be skilled in many areas. I worked in communication, event organization, facilitation, negotiation, and public speaking. Not because it was my position, but because someone believed in me and gave me the space to learn and make mistakes. And through that, I learned more than if I had been doing just one thing for years.

How volunteering pushes you later

Many opportunities for youth came to me precisely through volunteering. It was not part of my well-developed plan or some hidden agenda. It just felt natural. Only later do you realize that you have gained experience, built a network and gained confidence. This is very important when you are at the beginning of your career and freshly graduated student. Once you fill your CV with different activities and experience from the volunteering project you will thank yourself.

From repairing books to now

Even though I have a full-time job and adult responsibilities, I still volunteer. Not because I have to, but because it’s fun, fulfilling, and sometimes, that’s enough.