Volunteering isn’t just about helping others; it can be about helping yourself too. Whether you want to gain skills, make contacts or just experience life in a different sector, volunteering can be a useful door into a new career.
Charities and fundraising organisations rely on a huge army of volunteers who work in all types of roles. In fact, government statistics now suggest that more than 70% of us volunteer at least once a year.
It may conjure up a picture of standing on street corners rattling a tin, but organisations need volunteers to cover almost every specialism you can dream up – from campaigners and social media experts, to education mentors and animal lovers. So whatever job you want to get into, volunteering can always be a helpful boost to your CV.
But finding the right voluntary role can be tricky; and finding the time can be even tougher. Employment law solicitor, Philip Landau, points out that you also need to be careful to choose genuine volunteer roles, rather than exploitative unpaid internships. And even for job hunters who have valuable voluntary experience in the bank, knowing how to impress employers with it can be a whole new challenge in itself.
So, if you’re thinking about using volunteering as a gateway into a new career, but need help along the way, join us on Thursday 4 June from 1–3pm BST for a live chat with the experts. We’ll be discussing:
- How volunteering can help your career
- What roles are available
- How to distinguish genuine voluntary roles from exploitative unpaid internships
- How to use volunteering to your advantage in job applications
The Q&A takes place in the comments section below this article. Taking part is easier than ever: create a free Guardian account, or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profiles to comment. Alternatively, you can tweet us @GuardianCareers or email your questions to charlotte.seager@theguardian.com who can post them for you.
Panel
Debbie Hill is head of volunteering at Marie Curie. Hill is also a freelance assessor for BBC Children in Need and volunteers on the Alumni Network Group at The University of Exeter and as a trustee for Berkshire Youth. Previously, Hill managed the volunteer programmes at both The Children’s Society and CLIC Sargent.
Shaun Delaney is head of volunteering at Samaritans, working with more than 21,000 volunteers across the UK and ROI. Shaun is also a trustee of Greater London Volunteering, London’s leading voice for volunteering, and a researcher on UK volunteering management.
Janet Thorne is the chief executive of Reach, a charity which connects people who want to volunteer their career skills with charities which are looking for volunteers with these skills.
Michael Mercieca is chief executive of Young Enterprise, the UK’s leading enterprise and financial education charity. Prior to this, Mercieca was director of finance and operations at The Prince’s Trust, and before this worked in media.
Chris Reed is head of volunteering at Barnardo’s. Prior to this, Reed worked as head of volunteering at St John’s Ambulance, initially volunteering as a front-line ambulance crew and first aid trainer before managing volunteers for a range of charities.
Tim Reading is director of VIY, a social initiative which combines volunteering and DIY by helping young people learn trade and building skills by fixing local community buildings, supported by Wickes. Reading is also founder of Cospa, the social innovation agency that created and helps to deliver VIY.
Tom Laws is a careers adviser working with the National Careers Service. He offers young people information and advice about education, employment, training and careers. He also represents the National Careers Service at school and college events, such as the Birmingham Skills Show.
Joelle Leader is volunteering director at Macmillan Cancer Support. She leads a national team coaching volunteers to support people affected by cancer. Leader previously worked in a variety of charities, including ChildLine (NSPCC) and Sure Start and is on the advisory panel for the charity Missing People.
Sarah Archer is a qualified career coach and co founder of CareerTree. She specialises in career change and helping clients find new roles. She previously worked as an HR director in the voluntary sector, where she recruited and trained volunteers.
Jamie Fyleman has been head of volunteering at Tearfund, and is acting head of that role as well as head of UK church relationships. Previously Fyleman led a charity in Nottingham which used hundreds of volunteers and achieved the ‘Investing in Volunteers’ standard.
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