Volunteerism is a cornerstone of Filipino culture, deeply embedded in our tradition of bayanihan — working together for the common good. In the Philippines, the spirit of volunteerism thrives in every corner, from urban centers to remote villages. It’s a testament to our collective resilience and commitment to helping one another.
In this blog, we’ll explore the current landscape of volunteerism in the Philippines, from its importance to the types of volunteer activities anyone can pursue. Whether responding to natural disasters, supporting education, or improving healthcare, volunteering for causes benefiting the underprivileged is something you can get behind. Let’s read on.
What is Volunteerism?
Volunteering involves dedicating time and effort to a nonprofit organization or community service, often without profit. This rewarding experience provides genuine satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment. It allows individuals to influence others and transform themselves, making a positive difference in someone else’s life. It is a challenging yet fulfilling opportunity to make a positive impact.
The Importance of Volunteerism in the Philippines
For the Volunteers
Volunteering frequently has a lot of personal advantages. Among these include the following:
1. Health and wellness
Volunteering significantly improves physical and mental health, boosts volunteers’ sense of purpose, and offers diversity, creative opportunities, and skill development support through initiatives like litter collection and social media posts.
2. Building Connections
Volunteering, involving shared interests and values, offers a chance to connect with new people, especially those new to a new location, and fosters empathy, attracting a large number of new acquaintances.
3. Widening One’s Perspectives
Volunteers gain exclusive access to sporting events, festivals, and concerts, allowing them to experience new locations, engage with diverse cultures, and make a positive impact on people’s lives.
4. Enhancers of Skills
Volunteering is crucial for high school students and job seekers as it enhances skills, dedication, college applications, and employment opportunities, while also promoting community development and enhancing volunteers’ social, mental, and physical well-being.
For the Community
Volunteering is a crucial aspect of fostering a community, as it unites individuals committed to enhancing their town for all. Here are some reasons the community needs to have it:
1. Social Welfare and Services
Volunteerism benefits communities by enabling organizations to provide essential services, especially in areas with limited funding, where volunteers perform vital tasks like meal delivery.
Related Article: Kalyenderia: Childhope’s Advocacy to Address Food Insecurity and Hunger
2. Economically Beneficial
Volunteering boosts productivity, creativity, and innovation by fostering a competent labor force and teaching practical skills like landscaping, carpentry, and information technology.
3. Support for Natural Disasters
In addition to helping with insurance claims, cleaning, lodging, counseling, pastoral care, and emergency response management following natural disasters, volunteers also offer guidance on government funding and services and aid in rehabilitation.
4. Unofficially Volunteering
It goes beyond official volunteer work for a community-focused group. Even something as simple as walking an elderly neighbor’s dog or carrying in their groceries counts as a meaningful service that strengthens the bonds between community members.
Types of Volunteer Work You Can Pursue
There are five main categories comprise the various forms of volunteer work you may pursue: social causes involving child welfare, medical care, recreation and sports, environment, and animals . Here are some volunteer activities you can pursue.
Volunteering for Social Services
- Teaching: Diverse opportunities for teaching are offered by volunteer educators, including lesson planning, task assignments, test administration, grading, tutoring, and teaching in underdeveloped places.
- Supporting Children and Youth: Volunteering with children and young people helps people get ready for jobs in social work, education, and charity in the future. Youth clubs, schools, scout groups, summer camps, and nonprofit organizations for youth that provide play dates and emotional support are popular examples.
- Community Development: Social groups collaborate with volunteers to enhance underprivileged neighborhoods through community development, providing essential services like food, clothing, housing, education, natural disaster relief, and domestic abuse assistance.
Volunteering for Medical Care
- Helping the Elderly: By offering social interaction, knowledge, and support in a variety of settings, including grocery shops and nursing facilities, volunteering improves the lives of older adults, particularly those who are estranged from their communities.
- Therapy and Counseling: Those with counseling skills frequently provide their time as volunteer counselors for bereavement, mental health patients, crime victims, domestic and family issues, and criminal court cases.
Volunteering for Recreation and Sports
- Sports Activities: Volunteers provide cheerful atmosphere at large events, attracting attendees seeking behind-the-scenes views. High school and college students enjoy volunteering for unforgettable experiences.
- Community Organizations: Community-based sports organizations often have dedicated volunteers who mentor children in motivation, collaboration, sportsmanship, and physical fitness.
Volunteering for Environmental Causes
- Conservation Efforts: To get experience and learn about conservation, volunteering in environmental conservation often combines outdoor and natural activities such as beach cleanups, invasive species control, and replanting.
- Climate Change Initiatives: Extreme weather, glacier melting, and ecological risks are all brought on by climate change. Volunteering and citizen science encourage individual participation by enabling freedom of movement and one-on-one work in environmental or political organizations.
Volunteering for Animals
- Rescue and Caring for Animals: Volunteers are needed at animal shelters for a variety of jobs, including fundraising, IT, behavioral training, feeding and cleaning cages, walking dogs, playing with cats, adopting, fostering, and veterinarian transportation.
- Safeguarding of Wildlife: Natural communities frequently include volunteer groups dedicated to environmental conservation, where members take part in activities like protecting turtle eggs and counting penguins. Animal conservation is essential to maintaining native animals.
How Do You Get Involved in Volunteerism in the Philippines?
Here are some actions you may take to start volunteering in the Philippines:
1. Choose where to go and at which time to go.
The Philippines offers numerous volunteer opportunities, including community-based initiatives like public health. The country experiences rainy (June–November) and dry (December–May) seasons, making outdoor activities more enjoyable.
2. Pick a field.
Explore volunteer opportunities in the Philippines, read descriptions and program lengths, and check volunteer programs to ensure you find the right field you can volunteer in.
3. Verify your eligibility before applying.
Ensure you meet program prerequisites, including age, study areas, and volunteer experience, and apply if accepted.
4. Arrange your packing lists, relevant medical records, and visa (if applicable for foreign volunteers).
Apply for a visa, schedule a doctor’s appointment for immunizations, and bring light clothing for tropical weather in the Philippines, including loose clothes and a rain jacket.
5. Make travel arrangements.
Your welcome pack should contain information on volunteering in the city, but program mentors can help with travel timing along with other related arrangements.
Be an Influencer by Becoming a Volunteer
Maybe you wish to make an impact on the world around you; this could simply start by looking beyond a child’s innocent eyes. Childhope Philippines is a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of children, particularly those living on the streets. Street children aren’t less of a child; they deserve warmth and a home, and most especially, they deserve to hope for brighter and better days ahead of them.
With your little ways, you are capable of supporting them to dream and live a life they are worthy of. Be a Childhope volunteer today.