Volunteering

WHAT CAN VOLUNTEERING DO FOR YOU?

We think volunteering is a great opportunity to develop you skills and more, so whether it’s something you’re thinking of doing whilst at University, or whether it’s something you’ve not yet considered, we’ve put together this information to help you consider volunteering.

Undertaking voluntary work has many advantages. Whilst some people are put off as it does not produce an income, it can be extremely rewarding and there tends to be more flexibility (in terms of hours etc) in voluntary positions than in paid ones. Voluntary opportunities may require no more commitment than a couple of hours a week or month, or even be ‘one-off’ projects. It is an excellent way to try out work in different sectors, develop your skills, knowledge and experience within a specific sector, or within a broad range of areas.

Top reasons to volunteer

• Improve job prospects, employability and enhance your CV
• Develop skills and experience that equip you for life and work
• It is fun, interesting & rewarding
• Builds confidence and self-esteem
• It can influence your career choice—gain real work experience
• Have the opportunity to make new friends with like-minded people
• Have the opportunity to make a real difference
• Experience diversity, integrate with the community, or experience new cultures and countries
• It can potentially lead to paid employment

Building confidence

Many volunteers encounter a variety of new challenges when they begin giving time in their communities. Sharing new experiences with new people, they can learn new skills that can give them confidence to face challenges in other areas of their lives.

Introduce you to new friends

There’s no better place to meet likeminded individuals than through volunteering for a campaign or cause you believe in. Working together to bring about a change is a great way to bond with others and become part of a community that can stay in touch long after your work is done. Plus, you could meet people from a diverse range of backgrounds – people you may never come across in your daily life.

Create more fun in your life

Many volunteers are surprised at how much fun it can be to help others. Not every volunteer experience is the same, but by finding an opportunity that matches your interests, you have a good chance of having fun while giving time.

Boost your career options

A recent survey showed that among 200 of the UK’s leading businesses:

73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without

94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills

58% say that voluntary work experience can actually be more valuable than experience gained in paid employment

94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted.

Additionally, volunteering lets you try different kinds of work, giving you hands on experience of how different professions operate.

Volunteering can bring you into contact with all kinds of professionals and people from every walk of life. In fact, the networking opportunities it can provide are among the least publicized but most exciting benefits of all. A good network can guide your career pathway right through life and help you take giant steps towards your ideal job.

Up to 60% of job vacancies are not advertised and end up being filled internally or through external networking. If you are already working, volunteering can help you change your career direction

Source:Timebank http://www.timebank.org.uk/volunteer/benefits_of_volunteering.php  

Searching for voluntary opportunities via the Jobshop

We advertise voluntary opportunities through our Jobshop. To view these opportunities, go to www.jobshop.glyndwr.ac.uk or call Gareth Williams on 01978 293345/01978 293240.You can then search for opportunities in any or all of the following vacancy categories - Summer Internships,  Placements,  Vacation Work,  Voluntary Work, Sponsorships.