Jobs & Education

How Volunteering Can Help Your Career

Voluntary work can be the solution to changing your career or lifestyle. These days 'voluntary work' is not only for those who are motivated by a need to help others – it’s a way to help yourself and your career. If you feel burnt out, bored, or feel that work offers no intellectual challenge, volunteering can give you personal satisfaction, and feelings of positive self worth and that you are in control of your destiny. Those who have done volunteer work often gain a new perspective on life.

The right kind of volunteer work will provide you with opportunities to learn new skills, travel, make useful contacts and to discover whether or not you are really suited for a particular type of work.

2005 is the Year of the Volunteer, and there are many initiatives aimed at getting young people to offer their skills and services to their communities. The website www.yearofthevolunteer.org has more information.

Voluntary work is great experience to have on your CV. This kind of unpaid experience tells prospective employers you are motivated by your enthusiasm for the job at hand rather than financial reward, and are keen to gain experience and training in order to better yourself and further your career prospects.

Volunteering work is surprisingly varied. You can do anything from website design and events organising to legal advice, urban development and environmental conservation. Many organisations offer training and support, and some even offer opportunities to gain qualifications.

Volunteering England, in partnership with Volunteer Development Scotland, Volunteering Wales and Volunteering Northern Ireland, is the national organisation that can put you in touch with organisations that need your help. Its national network of local volunteering centres has lists of vacancies.

www.do-it.org.uk has a searchable database of volunteering opportunities in the UK.

If you want to go further afield, there is much work you can do to help projects around the world. Voluntary Services Overseas sends hundreds of volunteers abroad, mainly to countries in Africa and Asia. Most placements are for two years and involve training local people to gain skills. Living expenses are paid. You will most likely need to demonstrate that you have a particular job skill to be chosen. Check the website for details.

The British Council has information on vacancies and programmes in Europe and around the world.

Another strategy is to target an organisation that catches your eye and contact them directly to ask about opportunities. Remember that there are currently more vacancies in the UK than volunteers available to fill them. For example, 12% of all school governor places are currently unfilled in schools in England and Wales.

The process of getting a suitable opening is very like finding paid employment - you will go through a formal procedure that involves filling in an application form and attending an interview. You may also have to undergo police checks if you are working with vulnerable people. Just as with applying for a paid job, it’s essential to check the organisation thoroughly before accepting an offer. For example, is there the chance to take on responsibility, work with others or get training? Is there is a minimum period of commitment to an organisation; is there a shift system or a rota; how does holiday cover work?

A spell volunteering could even open a career change into the voluntary sector itself. If you like what you're doing and a paid job comes up within the organisation you're volunteering for, you're on the spot and have the experience.