Disclaimer: This is a personal reflection, written with an agenda of helping others like me cope with emotions that we experience while facing the clash between a global pandemic and The Future of Work head-on. You may have a different view but that doesn't matter as long as it gets you or your loved ones thinking about volunteering your time (or in other areas like $$ and regardless of your employment status).

TL;DR Volunteering when unemployed is good for you because it is a practical way to rebuild or gain new skills, expands your network and opens your eyes to new opportunities and ways of work. Most importantly, it inspires and energises you for a more fruitful career change/ development. PS: My example is largely based on volunteering with @FightPandemics because my other volunteer work happened while I was employed.

Context that you can skip if you'd like

I resigned in January 2020 just ahead of the global pandemic and have been unemployed/ working on short term work since April 2020. It is extremely difficult to not have a stable source of income through and beyond this pandemic (especially when I have zero savings) but I am thankful for having a clear personal objective and support from my loved ones. Unlike many others who were unfortunately thrown into the chaos, I entered somewhat prepared. Even then, there's no denying that this experience continues to be daunting and demoralising.

Other than having a plan and sticking through it, I find volunteering extremely useful to help me through this episode. I currently volunteer with @FightPandemics just 14h-18h per week and it's been a personal win thus far.

On this note: It was extremely tempting to just commit full-time since I'm not on a regular job but that would be disloyal to my personal objectives and irresponsible to the support that I was blessed with. I highly encourage job seekers to volunteer your time during your unemployment, be realistic about how much time you should be giving this.

Volunteering can rebuild your confidence

No matter if you're unemployed by fate or by choice you would've come through several, if not many rejections and there're just more to come. Many people don't realise that the first thing we inevitably lose is self confidence/ faith in ourselves. Volunteering can rebuild your self confidence by helping you to regain an identity and achievements.

By the 4th week after leaving my previous job. I had completed every job application I wanted, cleaned every corner of my room (and people who know me would know this means literally every. single. corner). I even started reading up and took online courses but still these were hardly enough to lift my spirits. Overall, I was on an emotional spiral down to lethargy but these changed the moment I started volunteering again.

Volunteering with an organisation like @FightPandemics gives purpose to my activities. Anchored on a set of common purpose, values and rituals, I regained the sense Of belonging that I lost with my job and through #stayathome in just a matter of hours. After weeks of efforts going nowhere, being able to address the needs of the organisation using my skills and expertise reminded myself that I am not a failure and gave me a sense of achievement.

With regained identity and recent achievements, the first step to rebuilding confidence becomes more driven and less challenging.

Volunteering gives you an opportunity to practise a new skill/ recover lost skills

Volunteering with @FightPandemics, I had to use @notion as the designated collaboration platform and the closest I ever came was developing tools and creating content on Google Suite so I was really in a pinch. Sure, this was completely unplanned and I could've taken a couple of MOOCs or read up to work on my knowledge and skills in internal communication or organisational collaboration, but none of these would've been as dynamic for practice nor put my ability to the test.

At this point, it may sound irresponsible to use a volunteering opportunity as a test but I'd err on the side of volunteers that we practise with sense and good intentions for the cause.