by Knowles Tivendale, Friend of Greater Dandenong Interfaith Network
We all rely on community.
Our sense of self is wrapped up in the various communities to which we ‘belong’.
Your family, sports team, workplace, friends, gym and neighbours – all different communities that you have various connections to.
Even fleeting connections with your neighbours provides a community with positive (and potential negative) impacts resulting from how you treat people.
Volunteering is essential.
It builds bonds with the other members by showing you care for others within the community.
This applies in your family (doing dishes, driving someone around), workplace (mentoring someone, getting them coffee), and neighbourhood (putting out your neighbours bins or collecting the mail).
Being involved and building strong communities makes you happier and earns you future support.
The volunteering that builds community toward a shared goal creates lasting bonds and friendships that provide a sense of belonging and purpose to your life.
Volunteering tends to be altruistic in nature without thought of trade or receiving something in return.
‘Paying it forward’ without knowing what you might get something in return is highly equitable.
Some of us need more help than others, and we never know what future issues might arise for any of us.
Creating a resilient set of community support networks is key to ensuring we all get the support we need from those around us.
Ensuring your local support networks are strong will help you and your family to thrive in future and ride through life’s challenges.
Fostering a spirit of volunteering in our community is key to ensuring our own life goals are supported through times of adversity and change.
Instilling a volunteering ethic in our children’s lives helps to keep them safe, thinking of others and focused on true happiness through a deep sense of self, purpose and meaning.
These are essential to them leading a successful life and achieving their goals.
Meeting new and different people through volunteering opens opportunities to all of us, through expanded networks, innovation and new (even challenging) ideas that are shared while volunteering.
Sharing your time and effort in volunteering (particularly with unfamiliar groups of people) is one of the best investments you can make in your own future.
By doing this you create mutual respect, understanding and deep connections across your community.
Find new ways to volunteer in your community and amplify your impact and life.
Enquiries regarding the Interfaith Network, City of Greater Dandenong: administration@interfaithnetwork.org.au or 8774 7662.
Visit interfaithnetwork.org.au
