Brussels (Brussels Morning) “Climate change is real. It is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.” The speaker, Leonardo Di Caprio, the actor and activist, was playing no role. The issue he was addressing so passionately is undoubtedly for real.
Severe summer wildfires, floods or extended drought, extreme temperatures, degraded landscapes, high emissions scenarios, environmental fragility, food shortages, health and social challenges, vulnerable populations living in low-income urban areas with poor infrastructure are only some of the consequences we are facing today.
The environment belongs to everybody and should be handled with common approaches that are developed, taught, learned and realised commonly. Volunteering offers a surprising range of benefits for all, more so than the impact on environment, urban and forest landscape or on climate conditions. It is equally beneficial for individual well-being and community sustainability. What then are the benefits of volunteering, whether for the organisations concerned or for the volunteers themselves?
Let’s begin with the benefits of volunteering in an environmental organisation. Volunteers form the “human resources”, the backbone, of such organisations. They are the leading actors of every activity that takes place. Usually, organisations and NGOs, because they lack funding and experience at the outset, are small, and do not have the appropriate number of volunteers or the requisite knowledge to accomplish the activities and actions they aspire to. They usually start with one-to-three people, who invest money and time in doing what they love. This is where volunteers can and do play an important role. They take up the work along with the NGO leaders, helping to accomplish more and more as time goes by, but also sharing the knowledge they have gained as they go along to instill better practices and achieve quicker results for the protection of the environment.
Second, volunteering and face-to-face interactions are among the most important ways of spreading the environmental message. We live in a “digital” era, where information is transmitted instantly and fast. Organisations seeking to become better known invest their funding in ads in the social media world. Generally, the digital way is preferred over the traditional approach, since it is believed to achieve better results. Yet the traditional “word of mouth” tactic of spreading an NGO’s message, even though the audience is not as wide as that commanded by the digital voice, can still be the most effective in terms of promoting an organisation’s credibility. There is a huge difference between donating to an impersonal organisation and to actually helping an organisation on the spot. Presence is a trump card as volunteers get to know the members of the organisation they support and get to know the message/cause better, in order to spread it.
There are also benefits for volunteers too, by participating in actions.
To begin with, taking part in activities helps people to socialise. Not all people are easily approached or can readily approach others. Even though some people find it easy to adapt to situations and join teams, for others, the idea of having to discuss or explain something out of the blue can be extremely difficult. Volunteering and participating in environmental activities can be the key, helping to unlock and overcome this obstacle. When volunteering, the most important thing is for people to feel valued as an equal member of a group or a team. In order to achieve this, members must talk with one another so that they can coordinate and cooperate. Having common topics of discussion and sharing a common goal makes it easier for shy people to begin communicating with others. People can cope with stress, anxiety and depression through communication, which can bring relief as they discuss their situation, and, as a result, helps them to stand stronger on their feet.
Furthermore, volunteering can also help people decide about their job future. Young people often have little idea about their future career or how to approach it. Frequently, having finished school or university, the selection of an appropriate job remains something they think of, even worry about, daily. This can be changed with the experience of volunteering. By participating in activities and volunteering for causes that reflect their interests, they can gain the experience and the stimuli they need, in order to have a better picture about the sector they would like to work in. For example, if they find out that contributing to society is their life goal, they can search for job openings in such organisations. This benefits both the organisation and the volunteers.
To conclude, volunteering for environmental actions is a great opportunity globally. The EU has enacted various programmes, such as the Erasmus+, Solidarity Corps, youth programmes etc for people to pursue volunteering opportunities. I believe that those who seek to work voluntarily and help their community, environment and fellow human beings should start immediately. It will help them and will help also people around them.
For example, I work in the biggest tree planting organization in Greece, and our passion for what we do is summed up in a Chinese proverb: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago”. To paraphrase, yesterday is the best day to begin volunteering.
This article is the product of the author’s participation in the Young Journalists’ Training, delivered by Pioneers Post, in the context of the British Council’s Stronger Together for Climate programme around the Global Youth Letter. Take a look at the letter and participate in the 8,000 Rising Campaign to unite your voice with young people across the world!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the British Council.
