VOLUNTEERING

I want to stress the need for volunteering.
Volunteering means offering your skills, time, and resource to the benefit of other organizations or to someone else, without having an interest in being paid.

I know that the term volunteering may sound synonymous with “OSHOFREE” for some people, especially Nigerians. It’s not your fault. For an economy where people struggle for survival, people will definitely eschew anything that doesn’t put money on their table. But regardless, the importance of volunteering cannot be overemphasized. 

Volunteering gives you the opportunity to render service, and at the same time develop your skills. Sometimes our problem is that we focus too much on our stomachs and on immediate satisfaction that we lose out on many other opportunities for growth.

 
Yes, “man must survive” but there are so many other factors that can contribute to man’s survival, and some of them include: recommendations, improving your cv, building relationships, having goodwill, etc... all of these factors are what volunteering can offer you.
- Are you looking for a job? Volunteer for organizations.

- Are you employed yet looking for a better one? Volunteer for those organizations.

- Do people ask you to help them on a project with your skills? Accept and help them.

- Ask your friends if they need a hand on their project, and volunteer to assist them.

 
Remember that the person whom you did a free job for will remember you when they have a gig.
The organization you volunteered for will remember you when they have vacancies.
I’ve seen people who have their dream jobs today because they volunteered yesterday.
I’ll tell you a short story about my personal experience.

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So I volunteered for this organization in the diaspora, whilst in Nigeria. The position offered me the opportunity to travel from place to place, meet top-ranked people, and some of those visits I did with my own money and resources.
I worked for them for six months without ‘shi shi’, till I got a job.
Months passed, and years too, I was in a position where I needed some form of support, then I contacted the organization, and guess what? The support was what I never expected.
It came in pounds!
And yes, it was because of the existing relationship I had built with the organization.
Today, I have the organization on my CV, and it sets me in a very competitive position for employment.
*******
Think about this, if you go for only paid opportunities, you’ll get paid but you’ll still finish spending the money; but if you offer yourself for volunteering you’ll build a relationship that may even help you in the future, either financially or otherwise.
Stop thinking about now now. Think long-term!
Should I still go further on why you should volunteer?
Have a lovely week ahead! 

Progress Oberiko.

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