Why Volunteer?

What volunteering can do for you!

By volunteering you are helping to provide for those in need, you are giving people a chance of survival and a chance of happiness. Surely, this alone is a good enough reason to donate a few hours of your precious time to such an important cause.  

Most people would agree. But even those that don’t have to admit that volunteering can do a lot for you.

Don’t believe me? Then read on and let me prove it to you.

Better job prospects

That’s right volunteering can greatly enhance your CV or application form to university or college. The evidence is startling, with 73% of employers admitting they would employ the candidate with the voluntary experience over the one without. And,  over 90% of employers saying that volunteering added to an employees skills.

Learn new and practice existing skills

A voluntary role will give you a chance to learn some skills that you haven’t learned in your existing job. It could even allow you to practice things you learnt in school, like first aid. Whenever you conquer a new skill it gives you a confidence boost and makes you more knowledgeable, therefore it could open more doors in your existing career, or help you find a different career path all together.

Widen your circle of friends

By volunteering you will be exposing yourself to a new group of people.  You and the other volunteers will already have something in common, which will quickly lead to relationships being formed. New relationships, new bonds and new friends will broaden your horizons and give you some new people to talk to.

 Job satisfaction and health

By finding a voluntary position that matches your interests you can have fun whilst working and whilst doing  some good. Because you know what you are doing will make an impact on somebody’s life you will care about the job more and get more satisfaction from  it.

Also, scientists now say that the “healing power of doing good” will improve your health! Voluntary work can:

• Give you a better sense of well-being.
• A stronger immune system
• More confidence
• An improvement in insomnia.

Volunteering in the UK

If you are interested in doing voluntary work in the UK and are 16 or over, these two websites could be a good place to start, listing existing voluntary roles in your local area.

http://www.vinspired.com/

http://www.do-it.org.uk/

http://www.volunteering.org.uk/

 I hope you do something amazing, for yourself and for others, volunteer today.