Should Voluntary Work Be Paid

Introduction Mooney (2004) defines work as the effort put in a certain task in order to attain a specific goal or output. It may be on payment basis where one receives payment at the end of the month as salary or paid wages according to work done. Work may also be performed on unpaid basis, for example volunteering.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Should Voluntary Work Be Paid? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Voluntary work entails being motivated and using your time and effort working towards a project you are interested in; most cases without monetary compensation. However, there may be benefits associated with voluntary work. This paper will look into various aspects of voluntary work including categories of voluntary work, benefits and drawbacks of voluntary work and whether voluntary work should be paid. Categories of Voluntary Work Voluntary work can be categorized into three forms; long term -paid, short, medium and long term unpaid, and short term conservation projects. The long term unpaid benefits entail professional and qualified volunteers working on long term projects that may take a long duration e.g. over one year. They may be sent far from their home areas to exercise their knowledge and skills and therefore it requires sacrifice and determination. Short, medium and long term unpaid basis takes one year or less. Volunteers are expected to cater for their expenses through out the execution of the entire project for example transport cost. It is good for those people who may want to gain practical experience in their area of profession or those that takes breaks from work. Short term conservation projects entails taking part in part time wildlife conservation and surveying projects especially for those people with limited time. The projects are usually in remote areas and volunteers are expected to fund themselves on the expeditions (VWIS Working Abroad 2010). Benefits and D rawbacks Potter (2004) asserts that volunteering is away of helping or giving back to the community without necessarily gaining monetary benefits. Nonetheless, there are other benefits that surpass money, for instance; One can use the opportunity of being a volunteer to develop new skills like better interpersonal and communication skills, gain work experience, develop leadership and teamwork spirit and networking hence improving ones social life and personal growth in general.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Volunteering also helps one attain a sense of achievement and personal satisfaction which help in building up ones confidence. The reputation built by volunteering is also beneficial and may bring long term benefit to the volunteer, for example, in future job opportunities since it shows a caring and self motivated character which pleases most employers. Barnes, Parry Lakey (2002) states that the biggest challenge is usually choosing a volunteer chance that suits you well and where you can perform your duties passionately and achieve self satisfaction. Volunteering can also be very time consuming and you may not have the best living conditions. Volunteering for the wrong reasons for example to pass time can also lead to disappointment. My personal opinion on whether voluntary work should be paid is that since the main aim of volunteering is to help, money should not be a priority although it may be offered. However, it should be upon the organization to ensure that the volunteers’ well being is catered for in all ways and that they receive support that helps them undertake their duties effectively. There should also be recognition and appreciation in terms of rewards and awards for work well done so as to motivate the volunteers to even work harder. The rewards can be in form of money. Conclusion Voluntary work is essential especially to t he needy communities. The main aim of volunteering is to help the less fortunate with the skills and knowledge one has acquired irrespective of the benefits involved. The advantages of voluntary work outweigh the drawbacks and it is therefore a good practice to adopt for those people who can have time to do so (Morris 2003). Reference List Barnes, H., Parry, J., Lakey, J., 2002. Forging a New Future and Expectations of People Leaving Paid Work Over 50. United Kingdom, The Policy Press. Mooney, G. ed., 2004. Work: Personal lives and Social policy. United Kingdom, the Open University.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Should Voluntary Work Be Paid? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Morris, M., 2003. Voluntary Work and the Welfare State. London, Routledge. Potter, R., 2004. Worldwide Volunteering 4th ed. United Kingdom: How To Books Ltd. VWIS Working Abroad. 2010, What is Voluntary work Web. This essay on Should Voluntary Work Be Paid? was written and submitted by user Jared Woodward to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.