HELPPP PLEAS! The Many Sides of Volunteering

Most people agree that volunteering is a positive experience. Volunteers give back to the community, provide meaningful assistance to people in need, and use their experience and skills to improve the quality of life for others. However, the rewards of volunteering are not only based on giving. In fact, the act of volunteering may be even more beneficial to volunteers themselves than to the people they support.

Volunteers are individuals who choose to provide assistance in many areas, from working with senior citizens, to walking dogs at the shelter, to building homes for the homeless. Volunteers are from all walks of life, but many work or go to school full time and arrange their busy schedules to work with others early mornings, evenings, or weekends. Some would argue that volunteering adds significant stress to already hectic lives. Interestingly, studies show that volunteering actually helps reduce stress, because individuals who volunteer report feeling a greater sense of purpose and self-worth. This happens because volunteers build strong social relationships that help carry them through challenging times. The act of helping others and making a difference actually enhances their life experience. As a result, research demonstrates that people who volunteer have lower mortality rates, better physical health, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. Given this, it would appear that volunteering is an excellent way to combat stress!

4. In “The Many Sides of Volunteering,” how effective is the author’s response to the counterclaim that volunteering adds unnecessary stress to life? Use evidence from the text to support your response. Your response should be at least two complete paragraphs.