Do you have some spare time, and would you like to use it well? Try out volunteering! Doing volunteer work is super fun and has loads of benefits. In this blog, we’ll talk about the six most important ones!

#1 Broadens your horizon

First and foremost, volunteering will broaden your horizons in ways you might not expect. You will learn new things, such as how specific organisations work or how you can handle certain (tough) work situations, and you will discover where your strengths, weaknesses and interests lie. This experience and knowledge you can bring with you when you start your “adult” job after university. It also benefits your everyday life because it shows you in what areas you can or want to develop yourself more.

#2 Looks good on your resume

Volunteer work is also a great addition to your resume because it shows how hard-working you are and that you are involved with your community. Moreover, it highlights that you have various valuable skills and can work with people from diverse backgrounds. Volunteering also makes up for a lack of formal work experience in the field you would like to get a job in.

#3 Expands your social life

Another benefit of volunteering is that it expands your social life. It is a fantastic way to make new friends, especially if you’re new to Groningen, because you will meet people with similar interests as you with whom you can form a tight community. It is also a nice opportunity to expand your professional network, so don’t hesitate to connect with as many people as you can in real life and on, for example, LinkedIn. These connections might help you in the future!

#4 Gives purpose

Helping others and giving back to the community gives you a sense of purpose. Especially if you have loads of free time with which you don’t know what to do or have recently lost a loved one, for instance, volunteering might help keep you mentally stimulated and give your life new meaning.

#5 Challenges you

Volunteer work can also be a way to challenge yourself. Doing something new with people you don’t know is already challenging (and maybe a little scary) in itself, but purposely choosing work or an organisation out of your comfort zone might be just what you need if you really want to push yourself. That way, you can learn new skills that will help you grow as a person, and it might even increase your self-esteem and self-confidence as you realise that you’re capable of doing something you’ve never done before.

#6 Improves your mental health

Contributing to organisations and projects that mean something to you and meeting lovely, new people who might even become friends can also help improve your mental health as it makes you happier, more fulfilled in life and can relieve stress and anxiety. So, if you’re going through it, volunteering might be something for you!

Have you become enthusiastic about volunteering after reading this blog, and do you want to know which volunteering opportunities are available in Groningen? We have a blog on 4 interesting volunteering opportunities (and more) in the city that might interest you. Go check it out!