Be a Volunteer to Make a Better World

Hello!!! Couldn't write an article for a long time because I didn't have the time even to manage my blogs. But if you start a blog, you should update it. That's a common rule among bloggers ;)

So I thought to write this article. Another reason to write this article is these days many people don't like to join volunteer programs. I don't know why they don't like to make a better world while making a better future for them themselves. But some people like to help the world. But they can't find volunteer programs, suit for them, to join. So... I'm going to write why we should join some volunteer programs and what are the benefits you get as a volunteer. Then I will tell you how to start or join volunteer programs if you really like to do some changes in the world.

Do you know that your volunteer experiences can increase your value by 1000℅. If you become a volunteer, you can be a good human and you can learn something new. And we can help others for a better future for our self-satisfaction.

These days I requested from some friends to join a volunteer program that helps Sri Lankan students to learn about computer science, IoT (Internet of Things) devices and helps them to do some innovations easily. Then I invited some friends to join with me but they asked what are the benefits they get and some friends directly ignored that request and some friends told me that they were busy cause they were working and they would not be able to spend their time for a volunteer program.

I know why they rejected this valuable opportunity. They don't know what a volunteer program can do and they don't know how to manage these things. I told you above that a volunteer program can increase the value of your life by 1000℅. You will learn so many new things and you will meet so many valuable people by being a volunteer. But you should have to select the best type of volunteer programs, which are matched to your life's passion.

Probably I join some volunteer programs if it is in the ICT sector. But I'm not going to join every volunteer program in the ICT sector.
First of all, I discuss with some key people from that volunteer program. Then I think whether this volunteer program is really needed in our country or our world and I think whether this volunteer program can change our society/country/world. That's all??? No…. I think about another fact also. I think about the advantages and disadvantages, that I can have, after being a member of that volunteer program.

Many people are wondering how to get involved in volunteering. I was also searching for good volunteer programs when I was 17 years old. It was very easy. I started a thread in a forum. It helped me to find so many volunteer opportunities. If you are a schooler, the best path to start your volunteering life is to become a member of your school societies (ICT society, drug prevention society, environmental society, etc.). You have a lot of things to do in our country/world as a schooler.
You can just comment below your life's passion if you need help to find some volunteer opportunities. Then I can help you to find the best volunteer opportunities for you.

Benefits of volunteering

I will write down some benefits you can have by joining a volunteer program

• You expand your personal and professional networks
• You learn new and transferable skills
• You can have so many experiences
• It’s an opportunity for career exploration
• You can build your personality
• You will be the person who represents your society/ community/ country or the whole world
• You can have fun by doing awesome work

Once I did a speech on the benefits of volunteering at the "ML for Kids" initiation program, held in MillenniumIT ESP. After the end of the speech, a senior guy (I don't remember his name) told me that I have delivered every fact in my speech except the most important one. He told me that the most important benefit we get from volunteering is the self-satisfaction and happiness at the end of the successfully completed voluntary task. As an example, think you voluntarily teach a bunch of kids how to make a robot. What do you feel if one of those kids wins a robo battle? That's the most important thing you get from volunteering. 

Volunteer programs that you can join

Let's take a quick look at volunteer programs that you can join if you are an ICT guy.

You can join your campus Firefox students club and you can do something for a better internet experience. And you can fight for the internet privacy. You can do some contributions to help open source world. If there's not a Firefox student club in your university, you can discuss with Firefox student ambassador program and you can host a community in your campus. You can join FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) community in your university. Then you can do some fights for the software freedom and you can do some contributions to help the open source world.

If you like to learn about other cultures in the world and if you need to teach everyone to respect other cultures in order to make a peaceful world, the best option for you to become an AISECer. There you can learn about other cultures and do some voluntary work for the society and for the environment by engaging with foreigners.  And if you like to help foreigners in Sri Lanka and if you like to give some good news about Sri Lanka to the whole world, you can be a member of the "Foreigners in Sri Lanka" Facebook group.

Yes... You can be a Microsoft student partner, a member of Google Developer Group in Sri Lanka, and a member of IEEE group. There is another volunteer community called ISACA for who like computer security and hacking things. I need to tell you specially that IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) group is not only for electronic engineers. Any people who love computers, robotics, chemistry, etc. can be a member of IEEE group.

If you like to give awareness to schoolers and university students about techy things, you can join with SL2College, SEF (Sustainable Education Foundation), STEMUp Educational Foundation, CoderDojo group or with Micro:bitSLUG team. I think many countries have their own micro;bit communities which help people to improve their logical thinking and programming with IoT devices. 

That's not all. There are so many different type of volunteer programs if you love to save life, love to help poor people, love to help animals. Find the best one that matches with your life's passion.

Now you know about some volunteer opportunities. World need you... You can help and be a hero.

Please leave your comments below about this article and comment below your life's passion and your thoughts about volunteering as I mentioned above.

Thank you!!!!