VOLUNTEERING

Volunteering for Senior Citizens in my Community

Volunteering for Senior Citizens in my Community

Abstract

Volunteering is increasingly recognised as a very valuable informal learning experience, for people of all ages. In particular, it has been recognised as a way of providing senior citizens in US with new learning opportunities, promoting the process of active ageing and emphasising the contribution of seniors to our societies. Young adults often overlook volunteering for senior citizen care while considering projects overseas, but the field allows you a variety of experiences, both at home and abroad. Seniors are a precious part of our world, having experienced parts of the world's history that we will never have the opportunity to fully understand. Seniors deserve our respect, assistance, and love. Volunteers that work for the care of senior citizens can expect an impactful, fulfilling experience that leads to lasting, meaningful relationships, a brighter outlook on life, valuable life lessons, positivity, and more. Volunteers gain as much as those they serve by providing regular assistance and loving care to those in need of company, support, and assistance.Therefore, this paper focuses on the detailed feautes of volunteering aspects for Senior Citizens in my Community.

Introduction

Volunteering?? fosters?? social?? cohesion?? and?? social?? inclusion.?? Volunteering?? implies?? sharing?? and?? helping?? others,?? and?? in?? this?? way?? develops?? solidarity.?? Voluntary?? activities?? increase?? peoples'?? tolerance?? towards?? disadvantaged?? groups?? in?? society?? and?? help?? reduce?? racism?? and?? prejudice.?? Volunteering?? has?? also?? been?? recognized?? as?? a?? way?? of?? offering?? new?? learning?? opportunities?? to?? senior?? citizens?? and?? people?? with?? disabilities?? while?? giving?? them?? the?? possibility?? to?? help?? shape?? our?? societies (Committee of the Regions, 2008).?? At?? the?? same?? time,?? voluntary?? activities?? can?? improve?? understanding?? between?? generations?? when?? the?? young?? and?? old?? work?? together?? and?? support?? each?? other.?? At?? the?? individual?? level,?? volunteering?? can?? be?? a?? means?? for?? citizens?? to?? acquire?? social?? skills,?? to?? play?? a?? useful?? role?? and?? to?? connect?? or?? re-connect?? with?? society.?? At?? the?? societal?? level,?? it?? can?? be?? a?? tool?? for?? the?? empowerment?? of?? people,?? especially?? for?? disadvantaged?? groups?? in?? society.

Volunteering?? has?? a?? new?? role?? to?? play?? in?? times?? where?? global?? economy?? is?? in?? deep?? recession.?? As?? more?? and?? more?? people?? lose?? their?? jobs?? and?? families?? are?? in?? danger,?? more?? burdens?? are?? put?? on?? the?? shoulders?? of?? low?? income?? populations,?? deepening?? the?? gap?? between?? 'haves'?? and?? 'have-nots'.?? The?? rising?? economic?? inequality?? should?? not?? be?? allowed?? to?? grow?? further,?? as?? it?? will?? definitely?? become?? an?? irreversible?? threat?? to?? social?? cohesion.?? However,?? the?? position?? of?? states?? and?? institutions?? is?? often?? perceived?? as?? being?? too?? distant?? in?? order?? to?? adequately?? address?? extreme?? poverty.?? Here?? is?? the?? special?? role?? for?? volunteers?? and?? volunteer?? organizations.

Volunteers?? are?? often?? at?? the?? forefront,?? delivering?? help?? at?? the?? grassroots?? level,?? comforting?? people?? that?? suffer?? from?? personal?? problems?? and?? social?? exclusion,?? such?? as?? job-loss,?? depression?? or?? problems?? with?? mobility,?? but?? volunteers?? are?? also?? amongst?? the?? first?? helping?? to?? relieve?? humanitarian?? problems,?? such?? as?? poverty,?? floods,?? drought,?? and?? diseases.

What?? distinguishes?? the?? current?? situation?? from?? the?? past?? is?? the?? way?? new?? social,?? political?? and?? environmental?? challenges?? are?? being?? looked?? and?? ...