Volunteering, You & Your Job

The holiday season has always been a time for giving and sharing good will to all those in need. It’s no surprise, with all this charitable giving, that holiday seasons are associated with words like happy, merry, and joy! Volunteering doesn't just benefit those in need, it benefits you, the helper, and even your workplace.

BACKING IT UP...
There have been numerous studies about the positive effects of volunteering, and these effects can spill over into your work life. Allen Luks researched the cause and effect relationship between helping and good health and found that after doing an act of kindness there is a physical reaction called a “helper high” and that is followed by a “longer period of calm and improved emotional wellbeing.” This period of positive mental health affects all areas of a person’s life. Luks continues, stating the period of wellbeing can stay for hours or days and reduce negative feelings which cause “stress, overeating, ulcers,” and more. Good news, too, because an academic study reported that a manager can waste $75 per week due to being “psychologically distressed.”

Diane Stafford’s article from the St. Petersburg Times states that a person’s “psychological well-being is a significant indicator of job performance.” Her article goes on to point to stress on the job as being an indicator of low psychological wellbeing, but if we refer back to Luks’s research there is a clear option for improvement. Help others.

THE CHALLENGE!!

I challenge you and myself to volunteer not just during the holiday seasons, but the rest of the year as well. There's this classic Christmas song entitled Christmas All Year Long where the artist sings about the things he likes about the season and wishing it would carry throughout the year. The bridge is my favorite part of the song with the lyrics stating, "I wish that every spirit in the world could feel the power, and know love not once a year but every minute and every hour." This is exactly what I mean by the helper high and volunteering having an impact on your mental wellbeing. You could personally have your own holiday spirit all year long if you so choose.

HOW TO KEEP POSITIVE MENTAL WELLBEING

Perform acts of kindness like donating to a worthy cause, spending time with people who are lonely, or specifically do something special for people at your workplace. Now here’s the kicker, these acts of kindness must be completely altruistic. After all, if you expect something in return then you’ll prevent your heart from receiving the true gifts of love and joy—along with other life-enhancing benefits. As you consider this, let me leave you with one last piece of evidence, “studies suggest that people with greater personal well-being may volunteer more often, and people who are involved in community service may have greater life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of purpose in life, physical health, and mental health.” Read more about this study here.

Volunteering is food for your Soul & Resume

It's the Holiday Season and a time of the year when people recall the good and bad times of the past year. Unfortunately, there seems to have been more sad times than glad times with the economy still in a slump and unemployment rate at its highest in years.

Still, I am always amazed at how during our darkest hours we tend to look for a beacon of light and bring that light to spread joy to those less fortunate. Many people do extra volunteering, donate to charities, or find small ways to brighten someone's life.

Volunteering is one of the best things you can add to your resume, but most people forget. A candidate that has volunteer experience sends a message to his/her potential employer that he/she has a strong work ethic, will go above & beyond the 'call of duty,' can time-manage, and has a passion for something outside of his/her required work and life duties.

If you haven't volunteered, check out some local opportunities like at a soup kitchen, church, various non-profits, or the United Way could even be a good place to start. It's always good to spread joy and tidings of thanksgiving, especially this time of year.

Please enjoy this video clip of one of my favorite holiday specials. The characters learn the truth behind the song Here We Come a Wassailing and the importance of spreading JOY!

Grants and Service Learning for IPFW students

There are some great opportunities to take advantage of as an IPFW student. You can earn grants, tuition awards, and stipends for volunteering!! Indiana Campus Compact and Americorps offer local opportunities for students to volunteer and make this country a better place all while earning money.

Indiana Campus Compact (ICC) offers Community Service Mini-Grants (CSMG) for students and/or student organizations to organize community service projects. They must be student lead initiatives, off campus, addressing a need or problem in a community and/or benefiting the collaborating community organization. Some past examples are: spring break service trips, campus community plunge days, environmental clean-up projects, and shelter or community soup kitchen projects. Grant awards range from $100-$1,000. There are requirements that the university and student/student org must meet. For more information go to the ICC website.

ICC has also paired up with Americorps and the VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) program to offer an M3C fellows program for students. It targets first generation and/or low income college students. Students who are involved in this program will receive an education award to use toward tuition, loan payments, etc. in return for community service. The program seeks to foster a deep appreciation and understanding of democratic values and citizenship among participants, and nurture the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that lead to a lifelong commitment to active community and civic engagement.

If you're an IPFW student and would like more information about ICC or being a VISTA volunteer contact Deb Barrick at 260-481-6939 or go to the OACS website.