As part of our GuardianWitness project, we've been asking you to share your photos, videos and stories of volunteering. There have been some fantastic contributions so far, and here are a few of our favourite examples of how it's helped boost your career. Don't worry, there is still time for you to get involved with this assignment. The project closes on Monday 16 June so you'll have to be quick.
Trishna Bharadia, is an analyst, for business intelligence company M-Brain Ltd
Volunteering has really given my CV an edge and opened up opportunities for the future. I've volunteered from a young age, but when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2008, I felt that I could offer something more as I had first-hand experience of the condition. I've had lots of volunteering roles, including newsletter editor for the MS Society's Asian support group, contributor to MS magazines, and MS Society community blogger. In 2013, I was named the MS Society's Volunteer of the Year, which makes my CV stand out.
Through volunteering, I've developed my writing and editing skills, which has benefited me in my job, while fulfilling my original career aspirations of becoming a journalist. It has also enabled me to develop new skills, like networking, presentation and public speaking, that I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to do.
Deborah Stevenson is a marketing assistant for an oils and fats company in Hull
I left university in 2012 feeling unprepared and knew I was going into a bad job market. I had some experience but just not the relevant kind. I was regularly visiting the job centre but became increasingly frustrated with their lack of empathy and information. I then started doing some volunteering for my local church. I also started blogging about my experiences and it got me quite a lot of attention, which was great. Somewhere down the line, one of the churchwardens received an email about an internship with a local organisation which helps churches to increase their community work.
I applied for the position and was offered an interview. A couple of hours later I was offered the job. The year I spent with Search (Social and Economic Action Resource of Churches in Hull and district) was the most amazing year of my life. I was nurtured and given some amazing opportunities. I was incredibly sad to leave at the end of the year, but I found out if I wanted to do a journalism course, they could fund it for me. Volunteering got me my way in with a fantastic and huge organisation that values me, keeps in contact and wants to help where they can.
Marina Harden is a volunteer and team leader for the London Youth Games
I volunteer with London Youth Games, and at other events. I'm also a primary school governor, have been a reading volunteer and help with school PTA events. I started volunteering as a teenager. It has developed my skills in many areas, including IT and social media, developed connections with organisations within the voluntary sector and challenged me, personally and professionally.
In June 2013, I took voluntary redundancy after a 16-year operational career in the prison service. My time volunteering as a 2012 Olympic Games maker was a catalyst for me, to see if I could find paid work managing and developing volunteers, ideally in the charity sector. My six-month internship with the London Youth Games as a volunteer coordinator enabled me to develop a better understanding of volunteering, while putting into practice a more strategic and operational role in the industry. This helped me to see and enhance the transferable skills from my previous career. I'm confident volunteering and the opportunities it's provided will help me secure a paid role in the industry.
Naomi Barrow, is a student at the University of York
My first ever volunteering role was as a young leader in Scouts, and then in August 2012 I became a team leader with youth charity vInspired. Over the last nine months, I've been a mentor on the programme and I'm looking forward to starting my new senior mentor role in September 2014. Being a mentor has given me the opportunity to build on existing skills like communication and working with people from different backgrounds. I've also learned how to successfully manage a very busy schedule. My ability to lead, work in a team, and make decisions has greatly improved.
I'm still a student, but I firmly believe my volunteering has helped me to get the three part-time jobs I currently hold. Aside from the chance to try something new, it helped me decide which course to take at university, and has given me confidence for the future. Volunteering gives me something solid to put on my CV and shows I have the soft skills desired by employers. The work I've done also provides me with concrete examples to discuss in interviews.
You can see all of the contributions, by visiting the GuardianWitness page.
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