Voluntary work is an act where an individual offers free services to people without getting a reward in return for the service provided. Voluntary work has gained popularity over time because it comes with many essential benefits. Whereas volunteering in any organization has many benefits to the individual, it also presents several challenges people face when they involve in the activity.
The benefit of voluntary service is that it enables one to learn a lot through volunteering activities. It helps the participants to expand their knowledge and gain skills in the activity they are engaging in (Willems & Dury, 2017). Working as a volunteer contributes to interacting with different people.
However, volunteers face some challenges while on duty. Volunteers do not earn money while offering their services. The saddening part comes when one has bills to pay. In such a situation, volunteers can suffer from severe financial problems that others may be discouraged from doing. Volunteering can be expensive when providing services abroad (Willems & Dury, 2017). The cost of the flight, accommodation, and other expenditures depend on the participant. The organization that plans for this volunteering activity will have to pay administration costs to authorities (Willems & Dury, 2017). Therefore, it is recommended that individuals make sure they can afford such activities before participating in any kind of voluntary work.
Volunteering can be rather challenging since it is not a fancy choice for one to make. A person may end up in a country where everything is new to them. The language of the native people may not be familiar to volunteers, making it challenging for them to serve in such places (Willems & Dury, 2017). Therefore, this activity has its benefits for people associating themselves with volunteering and also has downfalls.
In conclusion, volunteering comes with its benefits and its challenges. Those still learning will have a great time gaining experience and getting exposed to several people and cultures around their place of work. It is challenging for people with all qualifications to work as volunteers.
Reference
Willems, J., & Dury, S. (2017). Reasons for not volunteering: Overcoming boundaries to attract volunteers. The Service Industries Journal, 37(11-12), 726-745.