(video made by Bristol vinvolved volunteers)
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering is about doing an activity voluntarily (not as a compulsory part of a course for example) to benefit others, your community or the environment. Volunteering can take place in a range of places, e.g. your school/ college/ youth centre, out in the community or even abroad. There is a huge range of ways to volunteer, depending on what your skills and interests are and what time you want to give.
But volunteering also benefits you. It can be a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, go to new places, do something different and fun and get the ‘feel good factor’, knowing that you have been able to make a difference to other’s lives.
Volunteering can also really help your career prospects. Employers often want you to have experience, but how do you get that first step on the career path? Volunteering can provide you with the opportunity to get experience in a role you can’t yet get paid work in and gain a reference. You can try out different types of work and develop skills in that area, or simply improve your confidence, leadership and team-work skills – qualities all employers are looking for evidence of.
Would you like to volunteer at a local project?
There are lots of different volunteering opportunities to choose from. It may help you to think about:
- What time do I have free to volunteer?
- Have I got any hobbies or interests that I would like to volunteer in? (e.g. if you are really into sport, you might like to get involved in sports events or coaching).
- Have I got a career ambition, that volunteering could help me with? (there are opportunities in all sorts of fields – healthcare, media, I.T. sport, arts, conservation, education, for example)
Check out our newsletter and opportunity of the week for some of the new volunteering opportunities taking place in your area. Or have a look at www.vinspired.com which has quotes from young volunteers about their experiences of volunteering as well as a search engine to find opportunities by location or interests.
Would you like to start your own project?
Do you have an idea for a group, event or project you would like to start in your community? Young people across South Glos have started all sorts of different projects from arts to mc’ing, to organising youth events to improving youth facilities in their area and creating things for young people to do. If you think you might like to start your own project, there are different pots of money you can apply for to pay for it. The vinvolved Team can help you to look for funding, put together a plan for your project and get it started.
Would you like to help get other people involved in volunteering and support youth projects?
Our Youth Action Team, get involved in a range of activities to promote youth volunteering and support people to get involved. To find out more, check out the Youth Action Team section of this website.
Would you like to volunteer abroad?
If you are interested in volunteering abroad, contact us and we can help you to find just the opportunity you are looking for.
If you want to volunteer or start your own project contact us by email: southglos@youngbristol.com, telephone: 01454 862227 or CLICK HERE to register online
