#5- Volunteering over the age of 50

Wherever we go, if we look carefully we can find many people who willingly give their time in order to fulfill their inner desire to help others. Not all volunteers are teenagers, many of them are people who are well over the age of 50. Most people after they come to a certain age, they choose to retire from their job and do something that they have always enjoyed doing. Many of them decide to volunteer for programs either in their community or even abroad. It gives them joy to be able to help out others. After retirement you begin to explore a new journey in your life, a new chapter filled with opportunities. A great way to do so is to volunteer. You begin to open up to new people instead of closing them off. As old as you might be, you are truly never old enough to help out. Volunteering abroad can also be interesting. It can show you different cultures and make you more aware of your surroundings. They have such great spirits and work well with others during their time. The people in charge of the programs understand that these people might have others things to do as well so they'll give them flexible hours to what works best for them. Seniors can always be a great asset to the community because they can take on the role of a parent towards the younger volunteers. They have a positive attitude towards everyone around them and that energy radiates to the younger volunteers as well. These are people that make volunteering fun, they are always the ones that encourage others to do more. Make your retirement fun and exciting, by meeting new people and exploring the world of volunteering. 

Article 1: http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/retired-volunteer-abroad-programs

Article 2: http://www.oneoc.org/get-involved/rsvp-program/

Article 3: http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/07/nyregion/those-who-retire-to-work-or-volunteer.html

#4- Career gateways through volunteering

Most people believe that volunteering is only done out of the goodness of ones heart. That is certainly true, but there can also be certain reasons as to why people volunteer their time helping out others. It can help you in your career, in high school/ college, volunteering can pretty much help you with anything. Volunteering teaches others and ourselves to be more loving and caring around those that we help. It teaches us social skills, how to a part of large groups, and to always treat others the way we want to be treated.
       Volunteering can have a huge impact on the career that you choose to be in. It can help you earn a job, or work better at the job you already have. It will help you get experience in areas of your interest and also meet the people in the field. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills. It makes you see things in a different way and you become more open and aware to the things around you. Just because volunteering is free, doesn't mean that you only learn basic skills. Most volunteer organizations include extensive training in a certain field. The field that you choose to be in, say nursing, you can go and volunteer at hospitals or shelters to get a better feel of the environment. Directly volunteering with things that are hands on, are usually the most helpful. Even if you are not sure what you would like to major in, volunteering is always the right way to go. It can show and teach you things that you have never known before. I myself was unsure of what career path I wanted to go in. But through volunteering I have certainly come to see what I love. Volunteering can also help with people who are just getting out of college. Going into the corporate world, there are many senior- level people that have to be understood and related too. It can teach those people how to interact with their elders and how to respect them in a kind, professional manner. So if you want to get the job you love I recommend volunteering. It will never fail you.



Article #1: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/jobs/volunteering-offers-a-way-to-explore-career-fields.html?_r=1&
Article #2: http://www.helpguide.org/life/volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm

#3- Where it all begins

It all starts with you. Volunteering begins with a group of people working together to perform a certain task for others. Anyone that has ever volunteered knows that amazing feeling they feel in their heart when their done. We do it because we care for those around us. We do it to help our community. But most importantly we do it because we love it. I found a video online that showed different people that have volunteered speaking about how amazing it is to volunteer and what good it has done to them. When it comes to volunteering you must put your whole heart into it. People will know that you enjoy doing it and then they will enjoy you. Once you make that first move of wanting to help out, your whole life changes. You begin to see things that you've never seen before. You broaden your perspective on life and others as well. We volunteer because we want to. Not only are you helping out others, but you learn something out of it each time. We as human beings are designed to have compassion towards others. People just naturally love to help out because it is instilled in us. It is not a waste of time, in fact it is a time that you will always cherish. But you have to remember that it all begins with you. One person at a time we can help change the world, so when will your journey begin? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS6ObWC40b0

#2- The Spirit of Volunteerism

Just like everyone gets into the spirit of Christmas, we should also get into the spirit of volunteering.  Volunteering is done all year round. Being able to volunteer means you are fully capable of giving back to your community, with no reward in return. But the question is, why do people volunteer? Maybe its the feel of doing something good for others, to meet other people or even out of boredom. Everyone is called to help out in there community, it is a way to learn, live and love. We learn through experience. The more we volunteer the more we gain knowledge and learn for next time. Each time we face a new task, we can always grasp something out of it. We live through each moment. Life is short and that means we should live each moment with purpose. Make your life full of meaning and no regrets. Lastly, we learn to love. To be able to volunteer you must learn to love one another. Everything that is done through volunteerism, is done with love. Without love, whats the point? Knowing that you have done something amazing for another person, is one of the best feelings. It gives your life meaning and purpose and it teaches you how to work well with others in large groups. 

Over the past years, volunteering has increased in number vastly. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, more than 60 million Americans volunteered for some type of organization during the years of 2006 and 2007. It is constant back and forth. Fortunately in the year 2012, 64.5 million people volunteered more. Now the percentages for men and women differ as well. It is well known that a higher percentage of women volunteer more than men, between the ages of 35-55. The number for teens volunteering has also increased dramatically. A number of 15.5 million teenagers have served in the past year of 2013. Teenagers between the ages 12-18 commit about 29 hours of service each year, while adults report 52 hours of service. Its a big difference. But the numbers shouldn't matter. What matters most is that people are getting into the spirit of volunteering and performing acts of kindness towards others. Its such a wonderful thing, to see so many people giving up their time to help those less fortunate. Even if its just an hour its enough, because you know that what you've accomplished was done for someone else rather than yourself. So lets all get into the spirit and start volunteering more, because theirs nothing better than seeing a person you've helped smile. 

Article 1:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/business/08count.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1390851185-MQtHOuNJNEAvSmeL1RuqdA

Article 2: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/12/08/from-memos-to-mistletoe-the-office-holiday-party/embrace-the-season-by-volunteering

Article 3: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm

Article 4: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/youth_in_american_teens_as_volunteers

#1- Intro

The world that we live in today is not what we pictured it to be. It may seem deformed and un-perfect but hey, the least we could do is help make it better. Volunteering is just a small token of how people give back to their society. It is a lifestyle, a way that brings people together. This in fact is one of the reasons why I decided to research volunteerism. Most people don't see the beauty behind it, but digging deep is what will lead us to it.