Volunteering—the act of giving one's time and skills freely to benefit others—is a practice found in virtually every culture and community. From tutoring children in underprivileged schools to responding to natural...
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-07-23
The benefits of volunteering extend far beyond simple charity, offering profound advantages for individual growth and strengthening the very fabric of society. This guide deconstructs how to write a top-grade essay on the topic by providing concrete examples, examiner insights, and a clear path from a passing grade to an excellent one.
Introduction
Volunteering—the act of giving one's time and skills freely to benefit others—is a practice found in virtually every culture and community. From tutoring children in underprivileged schools to responding to natural disasters, volunteers play a crucial role in addressing social needs that governments and markets cannot fully meet alone. While the social benefits of volunteering are widely acknowledged, the personal benefits to volunteers themselves are equally significant and increasingly well-documented. This essay will argue that volunteering is highly beneficial both for individuals and for society as a whole, and that governments and institutions should do more to encourage and support volunteer participation, particularly among the young.
Why this matters on the exam
Essay topics concerning individual versus societal responsibility are a staple of English exams in Norwegian upper secondary school. A task might be phrased as: "Discuss the role of volunteering in modern society. To what extent should it be encouraged among young people?" This question tests your ability to construct a well-structured argumentative essay, support your claims with relevant examples, and demonstrate nuance by considering multiple perspectives. Mastering this topic shows you can handle complex social issues, a key competency in the English subject curriculum (LK20). It allows you to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary related to society, psychology, and economics. …