Why Volunteer?
Why should you consider Volunteering?
Everyone has their reason(s) for wanting to get involved in volunteering and these can include:
- Give something back to your local community
- Make a difference to local area
- Help people who need it
- Support a good cause
- Build confidence and self-esteem
- Meet new people
- Try something new
- Improve your health and wellbeing
- Gain work experience/ boost careers options
Some of the benefits of Volunteering
For the community:
- Support people in most need of help
- Make a difference to people’s lives
- Bring the community together
For organisations:
- Help organisations deliver local services
- Incorporate wider range of skills
- Find new ways to deliver services
What can I do as a Volunteer?
Lots of different roles available including:
- Admin/ office work
- Supporting events
- Fundraising
- IT tasks
- Environmental/ practical work
- Sports
- Social media – helping to promote activities
- Helping to lead charities and organisations as a trustee
- Mentoring
- Befriending
- Supporting social groups
- Supporting children and young people’s groups
- Lots of other things
Where can you Volunteer?
Volunteering is diverse, so many organisations involve volunteers in different ways. Some of the key places you can volunteer include:
- With local charities and social enterprises
- With local councils
- Local community groups
- NHS and Health organisations
- Local faith groups/ churches
- Community centres/ buildings
- Some private businesses – although make sure you aren’t taking on a paid role
Time commitment
Every organisation and volunteering role will ask for different kind of time commitments, so it’s important for you to think about when you could offer time as a volunteer and how this will fit in with your other activities and commitments. The time commitment an organisation could be asking for could be varied:
- A few hours a week
- A few hours a month
- One a year (specific activities)
- One-off activity or event
- Occasional events
- During office hours
- Evenings
- Weekends
- A day a week – regular session
- Remote working via the internet
- Fixed – specific day and time
- Flexible – open to negotiation
Key questions to ask yourself
- What kind of opportunities would you be interested in?
- What would you like to get out of the volunteering experience?
- Where would you like to volunteer? How far could you travel for the right opportunity?
- How will you get there – walk, bus, travel by car?
- How could you find out more about the organisation(s) you are interested in?
- What other information do you need from the organisation?
- Is there any specific information you need to share with the organisation? Health needs, specific support needs etc?
Applying and getting started
Once you have found an opportunity, you will need to apply for the role. This could possibly involve:
- An informal chat
- An application form
- DBS checks for some roles
- Providing references
- A trial period to see if the role is right for you