Nikki Mennen (Netherlands)

Hi there! I am Nikki Mennen from the Netherlands and studying MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. When I was sixteen years old, I decided to take at least one volunteering opportunity every year. Why? Let me give you five reasons!

You help others

Well, first of all you are helping others. Volunteering often evolves around people (or animals) that are less fortunate than you, which provides you with an opportunity to help them out. There are many ways to help others: raising money, offering time or special skills, organising events or even just having a friendly chat, which can go a long way.

It feels good

 If the happiness of others doesn’t convince you enough, it also makes you feel good about yourself. Besides scoring massive karma points you also get to have a good time with other volunteers, it feels good to know you are helping others and not expecting anything in return.

It’s a great experience

Besides the great feeling of helping others, the experience itself can be educational, heart-warming and fun! It teaches you new skills, builds your confidence and betters your attitude. It is also sociable and truly a great experience.

It looks good on your CV

If you’re trying to fit in volunteering in your busy schedule, bear in mind it will look great on your CV. Future employers love the sound of someone that is caring, sociable and would give up their free time to help others. So, as well as being a social and fun thing to do, it is also very helpful for your career path.

It makes you appreciate what you have

After helping elderly people, I appreciated my friends and family even more. Whilst raising money for poorer communities, I realised I could afford anything I needed. You will appreciate your own life even more when you’re helping out people who are less fortunate.

Did I convince you to start volunteering?

Yay! Great, so where should we start? Bournemouth University helps you out by offering many volunteering opportunities through the SUBU website, where you can even make a profile explaining your experience and preferences to find the perfect match. Outside the university there are many organisations waiting for you to help as well! Usually, Google is a good place to start searching and find cause that you are passionate about.

By Nikki Mennen, The Netherlands, MA Creative Writing and Publishing, 2017/18