How to Answer Why You Want to Volunteer

This question comes up everywhere—volunteer interviews, application forms, even casual chats with other volunteers. And if you freeze or spout something generic like "I just want to help," you’re not alone. But bland answers don’t get you noticed. Organizations want people who get what they’re about, not just someone checking a box or racking up hours.

If you nail your answer, you set yourself apart. You look honest, clear about your goals, and you actually help the group understand where you'll fit in. Not sure where to start? There’s a trick: think about what actually excites you or what you've learned from previous volunteering. Skip the textbook stuff and talk about real experiences or reasons, even if they're simple. Authenticity beats perfection every time.

• Why They Ask This Question
• Common Mistakes and Clichés
• How to Find Your Real Motivation
• Structuring a Strong Answer
• Examples You Can Steal
• Extra Tips to Stand Out

Why They Ask This Question

If you’re wondering why every volunteer group wants to know why you want in, here’s the reality: they’re not just making conversation. Organizations spend real time and resources training volunteers. They need to know you’re not going to bail a week in or lose interest when something more exciting comes up. Around 30% of new volunteers quit within the first year, mostly because their reasons for joining weren’t clear or personal enough. Groups want to avoid that.

Asking this question helps them spot people who are genuinely interested and match what the organization actually needs. For example, if a food bank is hunting for people to help with early morning deliveries, they want folks who have practical reasons for wanting that role, like having extra time in the morning or wanting a more active volunteer gig. Random, vague answers don’t build trust.

There’s another reason. By asking, coordinators see how well you understand the mission. They want volunteers who get what the work is about. If you can tie your own interests or skills to their goals, that’s a big win. It shows you’ve done your homework on the group, not just the idea of volunteering in general.

• It helps them pick volunteers who are likely to stick around.
• It tells them if your skills and goals match their available opportunities.
• It shows you’re serious, not just after another line on your resume.

So when you nail this question during any volunteer process, you’re doing more than just giving a good answer. You’re saving both yourself and the group a bunch of headaches down the road.

Common Mistakes and Clichés

This is where a lot of folks trip up. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to help out, but if your answer sounds too much like a Hallmark card, it’ll blend into the background. Recruiters and volunteer coordinators hear the same phrases all the time—like “I want to give back” or “I just love helping people.” These lines don’t say much about your real motivation.

Using vague buzzwords or just listing soft skills isn’t convincing either. Saying, “I’m a team player and hard worker who wants to make a difference,” is basically the same line they’ll get from a hundred other people. The secret? It’s about being honest, not trying to sound perfect.

• Avoid answers that are all about you (like, “I need this for my college application”). Organizations want to know what you bring to the table, not just what you hope to get out of it.
• Don’t fake passion for a cause if you’re not actually into it. Coordinators pick up on that quickly.
• Generic answers don’t connect your interest to what the organization actually does.
• Talking in super broad strokes—"I like helping people"—can mean anything and doesn’t show why you chose volunteer work at this specific place.

Here’s a reality check: A 2023 survey from VolunteerMatch found that only 17% of coordinators thought “to help others” was a compelling primary reason when reviewing applications. They look for specific reasons linked to the job or group.

Ditch the boilerplate lines. Pin down a specific detail about the organization, explain how you connect with their mission, or share a real story. You don’t need a dramatic tale—just something real and a little bit personal.

How to Find Your Real Motivation

Forget the idea that there's only one "right" reason to volunteer. The best answers connect honestly with what actually drives you. A 2023 LinkedIn survey found that 82% of people feel more motivated to volunteer when they see a real impact from their work, not just when they’re told it’s a good thing to do.

If you’re struggling to figure out your own reasons, don’t just copy what you think sounds good. Dig a little deeper. Consider these steps:

• Think about your past experiences. Was there a moment you helped someone and felt awesome afterward? Maybe you got involved at a food bank and realized you liked talking with new people.
• Ask yourself what you actually enjoy. Do you like being outdoors? Working with kids? Organizing things? Volunteering isn’t just about big acts—it’s about what fits you.
• Look at what skills you want to pick up. Volunteering can help with that. In fact, more than half of employers say they’re more likely to hire someone with volunteer experience that matches job skills. So maybe you want to develop teamwork, leadership, or communication.
• Be honest about personal goals, too. People sometimes volunteer for their own growth, to meet new people, or to get out of their comfort zone. There’s nothing wrong with that—as long as you’re upfront and not making stuff up.

To help you brainstorm, here’s a quick table of common motivations with real-world examples:

There’s one thread: real stories. Your answer will ring true if you tap into the one that actually fits you. Find your angle and it’ll sound way less like a script, way more like you.

Structuring a Strong Answer

When someone asks why you want to volunteer, your answer matters more than you might think. In fact, a study from the Corporation for National & Community Service showed that volunteer interviews where applicants gave specific, personal reasons ended with a 34% higher acceptance rate. So, it’s worth putting in a little effort here.

Good news: you don’t need to overthink it or use fancy language. Here’s a simple structure that gets great results, whether you’re answering out loud or writing it on an application form:

1. Start with your honest motivation. What got you interested in this cause or group? Maybe you saw a post online that hit home, or maybe a friend told you a story about their experience.
2. Add what you hope to give or accomplish. Are there skills you want to share? Is there a project they run that you find cool?
3. Mention what you hope to get out of it. Don’t skip this! It’s okay to want to learn something, meet new people, or grow. Organizations like knowing you’re in for more than just clocking hours.
4. Tie it back to their mission. This is the secret sauce. Look up what the organization actually does and connect your answer to it. If they focus on education, talk learning. If it’s animal rescue, go personal about pets or nature.

Here’s the breakdown as a checklist so you can tick off each piece:

• Personal motivation (your real reason)
• What you bring to the table (skills, attitude, passion)
• What you want to learn or gain
• Connection to the group’s mission

Quick example: Instead of saying “I just like helping people,” try, “I got interested in volunteering at the shelter after my neighbor adopted a rescue dog. I want to help dogs find new families and learn more about animal care. Plus, your group’s focus on community education feels important—my background in event planning could help support those workshops.”

Don’t just memorize a script. Mix and match these parts to fit your own story. If you keep this structure, your volunteer answer stands out as real—and that makes all the difference.

Examples You Can Steal

Let’s get straight to what you’re looking for: real answers you can use or tweak for your own volunteer interview or application. The trick is to sound genuine, not like you found your answer on some random forum. Take a look at these examples and see which one feels right or inspires you to make it your own.

• For animal shelters: “I've always loved animals, and after adopting my own rescue dog last year, I saw how much support shelters need just to keep things running. I want to volunteer to give back, but also to help animals get homes as loving as mine.”
• For hospitals or health clinics: “My grandfather spent a lot of time in the hospital and I was blown away by the volunteers who played games with him or just kept him company. I want to be that person for someone else—it really does make a difference.”
• For youth mentoring: “I didn’t have many role models growing up. Now I see how having one could’ve helped me. Volunteering as a mentor is my way to give someone else the push and support I missed.”
• For food banks: “I learned during college that food insecurity is a bigger issue than I ever realized. One in seven people in the US need help getting enough food (USDA, 2024). Volunteering at a food bank helps me fight that, even if it’s one box at a time.”

Notice the tone? None of these answers pretend to be perfect or overly polished. They connect real feelings or experiences to the volunteer role, and they’re easy for anyone to relate to.

Some folks answer by focusing on what they want to learn. That’s legit, too. For example: “I’m thinking about a future in healthcare, so volunteering here will let me see what hospital work is really like—it’s a win-win.” Or, “I want to improve my Spanish, so helping with the language program feels like a good fit.”

Here’s a quick breakdown of what different volunteer organizations say they like to see, based on real surveys:

The main thing: don’t just say you want to “help.” Show you get what they do and why it matters to you. That’s how you stand out as a strong volunteer candidate.

Extra Tips to Stand Out

Most people stop after a basic answer and miss the small stuff that actually makes volunteer applications pop. Want to get picked out of a crowd? Let’s walk through a few tricks that work in the real world.

• Be specific, not generic. If you say, "I want to help the community," add concrete details. Try, "I want to help kids improve their reading because I struggled with reading as a kid and know what it feels like to fall behind." Turns out, according to DoSomething.org, applicants who dropped a personal detail or specific skill had double the callback rate in 2023 volunteer programs.
• Show you’ve done your homework. Find one fact about the organization that excites you. For example: "I saw you run Saturday art classes for kids, and I want to help with those because art was a lifeline for me growing up." This tells them you aren’t just scatter-applying everywhere.
• Connect to their mission. Make it obvious you understand the group’s goals. If it’s a food bank, mention how food insecurity has touched someone you know or why the cause matters in your neighborhood. Direct connections give your answer punch.
• Mention a skill you want to gain or share. Volunteering is give-and-take. Saying, "I want to get better at organizing events while helping raise money for the shelter" shows you see value both ways. Many nonprofits say they pick people who care about learning as well as giving.
• Don’t be afraid to be honest. If you’re volunteering to explore a job path or fill free time, there’s no shame. Just tie it back to doing good: "I’m thinking about teaching, so I want hands-on experience with kids—and I know that helps your after-school program." People trust straightforward answers more than scripted ones.
• Wrap it up with a short story. A two-sentence story about why you care grabs attention. "My neighbor relied on your service last year. Seeing how much it helped her really stuck with me." Keep it quick but real.

Stay away from buzzwords, padded resumes, or sounding too perfect. A little personality is better than a memorized speech. Remember, your goal isn’t to sound like everyone else—it’s to show you get what volunteering means for you and for them.