Volunteering advice for Young People

Volunteering is never mandatory, if you have a module or expectation that volunteering is part of your course or something school / college is demanding you to do, this is placement, not volunteering.  Volunteering is something you do freely through choice in your own time. 

Work experience or placements are arrangements made usually between organisations to host you to give you relevant experience.  Volunteering is something you organise yourself with an organisation which is all part of the experience. 

Things young people should think about: 

Planning

It can take some time to get into volunteering, if you are planning to do something in a summer (for example), start thinking around 6 months before and arrange it in advance.

Initial enquiry

Part of the experience and recruitment process is you making the initial approach.  It is always recommended that you make the initial calls or application yourself rather than a parent / carer or teacher doing it on your behalf.  Making the call yourself is a great way to make a good first impression.  Even if you are nervous, try it anyway.  Groups will really appreciate hearing from you.  If you don’t feel welcome or supported by them, then you know they are not a good fit for you. 

Volunteering has limitations for everyone but your age may stand in your way.  Insurance, tasks / roles, the people you would be supporting or the hours needed all stand in the way.  Sometimes you won’t be able to get where you need to be immediately and might have to wait for a little while and do something else first.  All experiences are useful somehow. 

Choosing the right role for me

When choosing a role, know that there are few that match a course or occupation.  This is where transferable skills and connected experiences come in.  Think about what you need to be able to do or manage in the course or role you want to go into and find a volunteering position that gives you a chance to practise in advance. 

Be honest with your motivations from the start, if you are using the volunteering to get experience, a reference or for an entry on your CV or application forms tell the organisation in advance.  Most are more than happy to help you get what you need as you are giving them the help they need.  It can be frustrating as an organisation if someone unexpectedly asks for a full reference or information for a CV and you have to find the time to try and meet their request.