The benefits of volunteering for any organisation far outweigh the costs. The costs? Well, as a volunteer, you are offering your time, which means you don't get paid. But by volunteering, you do gain experience and open yourself up to a world of opportunity to be hired by the organization you have volunteered for, or by another organisation that recognizes the value of your contribution.

Other benefits:

For the volunteer....

• personal attention in one-to-one relationships
• contact with the community
• credibility
• experience in a field of interest
• the nurturing of new ideas
• the possibility of being hired as paid staff
• the opportunity to learn from different generations and cultures
• the opportunity to develop and exercise your ideas
  

For the organisation...

• new ideas
• opportunity to better reach and service the community
• feedback on the delivery of services
• a resource of experienced individuals they could hire if opportunity arose
• closer contact with the community