What makes volunteering so important?
Mahatma Gandhi
“Our greatest ability as humans is not to change the world; but to change ourselves.”
“All good thoughts and ideas mean nothing without action”
“The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members”
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
The Revd Dr Stephen Cherry
“For it is by working for the fulfilment and well being of others that we ourselves find fulfilment and joy – and it is in joy, not anxiety or anger, that we find wellsprings of genuine, realistic, constructive and world-changing help”
Message to the graduating class 2024 King’s College Cambridge.
John F Kennedy
“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
This short quote sums up the spirit of community action for the benefit of others. Those words spoken on January 20 1961 at his inaugural address electrified many to join the Peace Corps or go on to other ways they could help their community and their nation.
Those words still ring true today as many young people look around to find a meaning to their lives. We don’t need to make huge sacrifices to make a difference. A visit to a lonely and elderly person who finds difficulty getting to the shops can have a dramatic impact. How many of us ask ourselves what will be my legacy and that’s what makes volunteering so important.
Aristotle
“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.
Roman philosopher Cicero, born 280 years later, came to the same conclusion. As did Russian author Leo Tolstoy, who wrote, “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.”
What makes volunteering so important
Find out more about some of the people who give their time to help others in the community and what makes volunteering so important for them. Also see some of the charities they work for.