A volunteer's time has exactly the same value to the charity as a fair salary and benefits that would be paid to an employee. The volunteer is donating this value to the charity but, unlike a donor of money or goods, the volunteer gets more out of the experience than a good feeling and a tax deduction. The volunteer receives a number of intangible benefits that are highly valued in any future career and social life. First, and always foremost, is the reward of accomplishment of a useful task in benefit of another person. Every good job experience contains the reward of knowing you have performed well but a volunteer job adds that warm glow of helping others.
Many intangible rewards come from personal growth in skills.
In charitable work you will be working with many people who come from different language and cultures with different levels of economic background and education. The experience of working effectively where there are language, skill and cultural differences is something in which employers and universities place a high value. We are increasingly an ethnically diverse world in the workplace as well as in our neighborhoods. Volunteers are often given a level of responsibility to plan and accomplish tasks that is higher than what they might be given in other job experiences. This is an opportunity for a young volunteer to demonstrate managerial skills and gain valuable supervisory experiences.