V'ism useful tips

Photo Credit: Jyothi Nair

Whenever you ask someone why he/she is volunteering, you will get many answers; for a good cause, it’s fun, it’s a good experience, etc.

Taking initiative for a better cause does seem to be a structured plan with a well-defined objective, but in reality Volunteerism is never black & white. Always there is an absence in absoluteness. It is messy and at the same time it is a great experience. Usually most of us interpret it as going somewhere, doing something and finishing the work we have initiated. Most often times it doesn’t work that way.

One of the important character traits a volunteer should possess is patience. It is the key. You might encounter many unexpected challenges on the field. Things might not go as you plan. You might not get to do what you wanted. Sometimes you ‘can’t’ as you ‘want’. Having expectations while volunteering might hurt you as there is a high possibility that it can’t be met. People out there might not want your free help.

What a volunteer needs to understand is that the main objective of volunteering is ‘helping’ which is doing good and making positive footprints. In that case presence itself is huge. Knowing that you are available itself makes a huge difference. It is all about that special drive to do something great. It is always about people you are helping, not about ‘us’ or ‘credit’.

Here are some other tips on volunteering wisely.