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r/Volunteerism

▲ 313 r/Volunteerism+1 crossposts

What a student said to me after a volunteer session, left me smiling all day😊

I've been volunteering online for an NGO project for the past 2 years. It involves counseling teenagers from rural areas about career choices.

I always accept such opportunities, hoping I could be useful in some way. And I also have my own selfish reasons...

I'm 40 & single and had always dreamt of being a mother with lots of happy children. So these virtual interactions help me enjoy that feeling ...momentarily 🙂

Yesterday, at the end of the session, after I finished my endless blabbering... when I was about to close, one of the kids suddenly took the mic and said "thankyou so much ma'am... you don't know what you mean to us" 🥹🥲

Even my bones were smiling I guess...when I heard this. And by coincidence, today happens to be mother's day :)

Maybe motherhood was never only about reproduction but also about inclusiveness.

The girl didn't realize, but in that moment, I felt like she gave me a virtual hug ❤️

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u/Infinity_here — 2 days ago
▲ 3 r/Volunteerism+2 crossposts

Hi! I work in volunteer engagement, and over the past few years, I’ve noticed that the most meaningful parts of volunteering aren’t always what gets measured.

We tend to talk about hours, outputs, and impact—but not as much about what sticks with you afterward.

For me, the moments I remember most weren’t about what got done. They were about connection, challenge, or seeing something differently than I did before.

I’m curious how others have experienced this:

  • What’s a volunteer moment that has stayed with you?
  • What made it stick?

I’m also working on a project exploring the values and meaning behind volunteerism, and I put together a short survey to collect stories if anyone wants to share more in-depth:
https://tally.so/r/GxBLGO

But honestly, I’d really value hearing people’s experiences here too.

Thank you so much for your time!

u/AnxiousHawk4076 — 6 days ago