Volunteering is a great way for teenagers to give back to the community. And it’s also a practical way to learn some real-world skills, as well as explore potential careers. Thus, we can say that volunteering helps young people to develop both personally and professionally.

In our country volunteering is recognized by law as an expression of the personal, professional, intercultural and linguistic development of the people who carry out these activities. And while it seems like a lot of work, volunteers in general are also having a lot of fun. They participate in trainings, go to teambuilds and, perhaps most importantly, connect friends who last a lifetime.

Benefits of volunteering

In the 12th century, when any information is just a click away and anyone can learn a trade, any activity you do could differentiate you in the labour market. Here we talk about getting to know more languages, internships or volunteering. You probably don’t realize why volunteering is on this list.

It can bring you more benefits by helping you, as I said before, develop yourself personally and professionally.

• Volunteering helps you learn the skills you need in the real world – It’s no secret that school prepares us very little for what’s really going on in life. That’s why, before you enter the labour market, it’s good to go through a volunteer experience. This can be a “simulation” and can help you acquire skills such as: communication skills, how to increase your self-confidence, how to fit deadlines.
• By volunteering you can meet new people – And here we are not just talking about friends, but about the fact that certain professional relationships can be linked. You can meet certain people who can open your doors to the career you want. I will also meet people with extensive experience in the labour market, from whom you can receive advice.
• With volunteering you can explore options for the future – As I said before, volunteering can be a job simulation. Many non-governmental organizations are structured like a company, by departments such as sales, marketing, human resources, etc. This way, you can figure out which career suits you or which of these departments you resonate with the most.

Volunteering opportunities for young people in Romania

Once you’ve decided you want to volunteer, it’s important to choose that opportunity that suits you best.

• Environmental protection organisations – If you are passionate about protecting nature and want to contribute actively, you can volunteer in an NGO of this kind: Let’s Do It Romania, Greenpalace Romania, Agent Green. • Environmental protection organisations – If you are passionate about protecting nature and want to contribute actively, you can volunteer in an NGO of this kind: Let’s Do It Romania, Greenpalace Romania, Agent Green.
• Student organizations – Regardless of the faculty you attend, there is a good chance that it will support certain student organizations. Their role is to prepare students for the labour market and make it easier for them to adjust to the new stage of their lives. In the socio-economic branch are: ASER, AISEC, BOS, VIP, SISC; from the technical file: BEST, LSAC.
• Organizations that support humanitarian causes – Empathy is a difficult “muscle” to develop, unless it is instilled in your family or you have not acquired it from the experiences of your life so far. Volunteering for Humanitarian Causes can help you in this regard. There are many organizations that deal with such actions: MagiCAMP, Good Day, SOS Children’s Villages.
• Volunteering at events – Seeing with your own eyes how to organize an event is an experience from which you have a lot to learn. You can search locally, in your city, what events are organized and if they need volunteers. Also, the major festivals in our country (Untold, Neversea, Electric Castle) are organized with the help of many volunteers. So keep an eye on their websites and social media accounts, because that’s where they launch their application forms. (Hope take place in 2021)
• Organizations that help educate society – It’s important to get the right information, and that’s why there are certain organizations where you can help people get the community to know about things right. These include EdPost. We want to get help from as many young people as possible, eager to make a real change in the community. Also in the same category we can mention the Vote Generation, Funky Citizens, Forum Apulum.

We can conclude that volunteering has a major impact on both the provider and those who benefit from it. By engaging in volunteer actions, you not only make a real contribution to society, but you also develop, both personally and professionally.