Free food, free admission to the event and a good time hanging out. That's what RogersTV volunteers experience every time they work. Many people don't want to volunteer because somehow we've made the word "volunteer" synonymous with "work for free." While it's true that volunteers don't get paid in the traditional monetary sense of the word, the perks of volunteering are almost too many to count.

I interviewed Stacey Norman, the volunteer coordinator at the London Area Volunteer Association, and she said that "the benefits of volunteering are plenty. A volunteer participating in their community can gain anything from skills development in public speaking and marketing, for example, to networking opportunities to health benefits. Studies have shown that volunteering can extend a person's lifespan, boost their immune system and help fight off depression because of the increased socialization." The skills you develop and the contacts you make while volunteering can translate into work experience and character references.

There is no shortage of local non-profit organizations that welcome volunteers. Here in London the agencies that have the most volunteers are the Canadian Cancer Society, London Regional Cancer Program and London Block Parent Program. Although these positions may seem inaccessible to post-secondary students, there are others which can provide a perfect fit for your lifestyle, skill set and goals. The YMCA offers a free membership to volunteers after a short period of time and with only a minimal time commitment and the London Public Library also has many volunteers on their staff.

Local psychologist Dr. Helen Valerio has seen positive results from volunteering in her own personal experience. "Volunteering can have a very positive impact on mood. It has the potential for adding more meaning to one's life in terms of making a difference to others and/or contributing to organizations that are congruent with your own values." Volunteering with an organization that's involved in your interests or beliefs can help you to feel validated as you've contributed to forwarding the cause, and not just for yourself, but also for those around you.

Valerio went on to say that "this can add to a personal sense of accomplishment, which can increase one's self-esteem. If the volunteering activities fit with your own nature, it can also be fun. These different factors can bring a greater sense of contentment to one's life."

Unlike with a full-time job, the compensation is internal more than anything else. Despite a negligible or non-existent salary, volunteer work feels like it's far more valuable because you're motivated by wanting to do it instead of having to do it. "Volunteering may feel more rewarding than paid work because it is more likely to be intrinsically rewarding, that is, spring from one's own initiative and deeply held values, which can bring far more satisfaction than money," said Valerio. "Even in the realm of paid employment, satisfaction with one's job is usually about more than money."

One last benefit to volunteering is that it can actually give you an idea if you're on track with your career objectives. Valerio said she thinks that "for individuals who are uncertain about career directions, volunteering can be a means to testing out career interests and gaining greater awareness of sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in different career areas before embarking on a course of study or pursuing a line of work." Rather than going through post-secondary education and going through the ordeal of finding your first job, volunteering can help you determine if you're going to want to do this job full-time for the next 45 years.

Valerio added, "One also has the opportunity in these activities to learn more about one's skills and abilities and develop new skills. As well, volunteering can be helpful in developing a network of contacts to assist in job search." If you have a positive experience volunteering in your field of interest, you'll be more confident both in your skills and in your motivation.

The volunteers in our community perform thousands of hours of service to better their community and there's always room for more help. I asked volunteer coordinator Stacey Norman about who typically volunteers and it seems that "the majority of volunteers are 55-plus years old." She went on to say that this is primarily because "many of the programs are held on weekdays, it's the older adult who is typically available to support these volunteer services." Despite the fact that most volunteering is done during the day, there's no shortage of positions available for those who work or go to school. Most of these organizations rely on their volunteers to even stay in operation, which is why Norman said that "volunteers are at the heart of everything we do in community support services; without them, many of these agencies would not exist."

For more information about the London Area Volunteer Association, check out londonava.com.