Improve your Employability
- Stand out from the crowd in your search for employment
- Research a new career
Volunteering can give your confidence a huge boost, can help you learn new skills, gain experience, build up your CV, make connections, improve core skills such as team work and communication, show initiative, demonstrate commitment, and give you valuable character references.
Some types of opportunities are easier if you want to give a short-term, more intensive commitment – for example charity shop/retail, conservation/gardening, marketing/PR/media, research/policy work, and of course events.
Other types tend to require longer term commitments (often 6 or more months) but don’t need as much time per week (sometimes just 2 hours) – e.g. befriending/mentoring, advocacy/human rights, counselling, advice/information, committee work. Many of these will offer preparation training and sometimes its accredited.
- Search for opportunities now
- If you’re claiming welfare benefits, jobcentre plus may already have suggested you can volunteer – you can do as many hours as you like but there are some rules you need to follow: more information here.
- We can provide further guidance and support if you need it!
- And there’s more if you’re aged under 26!