Carole was one of our Student Volunteering Ambassadors in 2017/18. She helped inspire LSE students to volunteer, whilst still volunteering on the side. She has just graduated from her BSc in Social Anthropology here at the LSE and now works at CoachBright as a Programme Officer. Read on to find out why Carole thinks you should volunteer.
Why volunteering is central to leading
a happy and fulfilling life
In my first year at university, I focused all my energy on my studies. I did not really have time to socialise, volunteer, or find part-time work. In my second year, I realised that I needed to change this. I needed to “get out there” and do something different. I have always had a strong interest in the field of education, so I decided to volunteer as a mentor and coach in primary and secondary schools respectively.
Here are five things that I want to share with the LSE community:
1) Volunteering is not only enjoyable, it is also enlightening. By trying something different,
something new, I guarantee that you will learn new facts about yourself. You may
discover qualities or skills you did not know you possessed. The experience may also
reveal inner weaknesses you did not know about. Overall, volunteering will help you to
recognise who you are as an individual and encourage you to improve.
2) My experience at CoachBright led me to realise how much I enjoy coaching as a concept and a profession. Coaching is a skill that can benefit everyone, no matter what career they choose to embark upon. It is a skill that requires emotional intelligence, the ability to communicate clearly with other people, and it gives you a chance to inspire others to become better people. I would certainly recommend coaching to everyone!
3) When you help others, you also help yourself. This is a very common phrase used by
numerous non profit organisations, but it is very true. Volunteering with pupils in
secondary schools motivated me to self-reflect on my behaviour and my interpersonal
skills. It helped me to comprehend and overcome my own issues.
4) There is a wonderful TED talk by Professor Robert Waldinger called “What makes a good
life?” which I would highly recommend. Professor Waldinger explains how longitudinal
studies of happiness have shown that having a good, happy life is rooted in healthy
relationships. Volunteering is also about relationships, and it is through those that you
learn to become a better person for yourself and for others.
5) Finally, volunteering will make your experience at university more varied, unique, and
fun. Whether you are a first year student who just started university, or a master’s
students with a clear path ahead of you, I say go for it.
Build new relationships. Help others. Help yourself. Volunteer!
Do you also want to start volunteering?
In case you are interested in finding out more about CoachBright and the programme they offer this term, you can check out their vacancy on CareerHub, read more about the organisation on their website and apply here! You can also search for one of the other many volunteering roles that we have on offer.
