BECOME RICHER. WORK FOR NOTHING.
Volunteers come from all walks of life. And they reap the kind of rewards you’ll never find in a pay packet.
For some, volunteering is simply a great way to meet new people. For others it is a chance to learn different skills. Or a stepping stone to getting back to work, or even finding a whole new career.
In fact there are as many reasons for becoming a volunteer as there are volunteer opportunities. And there are literally hundreds of those, ranging from mentoring, working with youth groups and elderly people to sports coaching, counselling and fundraising.
Indeed, many organisations simply couldn’t keep going without volunteer help. (Richmondshire Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Guiding and Scouting groups, and Yorkshire Dales rescue services are good examples).
At the Volunteer Centre our role is to act as a go between for the volunteer and the organisation. We can give you information on a huge range of opportunities and provide help and support.
If you are interested in volunteering you should firstly think about what skills, qualities and experience you have to offer, the spare time you have available, and what you hope to gain. Once you've found a possible placement, ask for a clear description of the work you will be expected to do. See below for a list of questions you may like to consider.
We mentioned before, the range and scope of volunteering is enormous. The most important consideration is to choose an area where both you and the organisation or group can get the most out of the experience. Don’t worry, even as little as a couple of hours a week can make a difference.
If you are not sure of about the type of volunteering you want to do, but just know you want to do something, we can help you decide. We aim to match your abilities and ambitions to opportunities that suit you best. At the same time we can also advise you on subjects such as disability issues, recent illness or lack of confidence.
Why not drop in to our office for a chat? Volunteering is about choice, there’s absolutely no obligation. And you could find yourself leading an altogether richer life.
Questions to ask about volunteering
Going through some of the questions below will help ensure that the voluntary work you choose is right for you.
Once you've thought about them, you may want to find an opportunity straight away by accessing the Do-it website and entering your postcode. Or call Richmondshire Volunteer Centre 01748 822335, or
Ask yourself
- What type of voluntary work would I like to do?
- What skills, qualities and interests do I have to offer?
- Am I able to take on a commitment to voluntary work?
- What would I like to get out of it for myself? Could this be achieved by doing voluntary work?
- Is there anything that would influence or restrict my choice of voluntary work?
- Would I need support? If so, how much and from whom?
- Is there anything that would influence or restrict my choice of voluntary work?
- How much information about myself would I want to share with an organisation?
- How often would I want to volunteer and for how long?
Ask the organisation
Once you've found a possible placement it might be worth asking the following questions:
- Ask for a clear description of the work you will be expected to do.
- Who will show you what to do and supervise and support you in your work? Will you get supervision sessions or will it be less formal than that?
- What about expenses? Volunteers should not be out of pocket for the work they do. Ideally, though it won't always be possible, an organisation should cover expenses such as travel, lunch and childcare.
- What about insurance? eg. If you are doing driving, do you need tell your car insurance company?
- How often will you be expected to do voluntary work and for how many hours each time?
- How long is the volunteering likely to last?
- Who are you responsible to? Who do you tell if you can’t make it that week?
What’s it all about?
Volunteering England defines volunteering as:
“any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives. Central to this definition is the fact that volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual. This can include formal activity undertaken through public, private and voluntary organisations as well as informal community participation”
A more simplified definition came from the former National Association of Volunteer Bureaux (NAVB) in 1998:
“Volunteers are people who, unpaid and of their own free will, contribute their time, energy and skills to benefit others in the community”
However we may define it, volunteering is the nation’s second favourite pastime - the first is dancing! These fascinating facts come from The Social Psychology of Leisure, by Professor Michael Argyll.
We can add these statistics as well:
- 23 million people volunteer each year
- For every £1 of public spending spent to support volunteering, volunteers give £30 worth of work
Volunteers are the glue which binds the community together. Each volunteer has something unique and valuable to offer - a special contribution which cannot be provided by statutory employees and which makes a special difference to the lives of those they work with. If every volunteer took a day off from their voluntary work tomorrow, the general public would be amazed to see what a huge contribution volunteers make to our society in so many ways we have never dreamed of.
Why Volunteer?
People volunteer for many different reasons:
- To help other people
- To make new friends
- To gain work experience
- To improve job prospects
- To learn new skills
- To gain self confidence
- To use existing talents
- To campaign for a cause
- To be part of their local community
- To keep busy during their retirement
- To have fun!
You can help your community in lots of ways:
- Advice work
- Working in mental health
- Working with young people
- Working with older people
- Computing and office work
- Conservation work
- Fundraising
- Committee work
- Befriending a housebound person
Frequently asked questions (about volunteering)
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Volunteers give their time freely, but most organisations pay travelling expenses.
Volunteer drivers can claim petrol money.
HOW MUCH TIME NEED I GIVE?
Some organisations want a regular commitment, but it is up to you to decide when you work and for how long.
DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?
In most cases, if there are any special skills required, training will be given.
WHEN CAN I START?
As soon as you contact the Centre we can begin finding you a suitable volunteering opportunity.
WILL I NEED REFERENCES?
Some organisations may ask for personal references. Volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults will require a CRB disclosure - don’t worry, we can help with this. No checks will be made without your consent.
WILL VOLUNTEERING AFFECT MY BENEFITS?
Voluntary work should not affect any allowances you receive.
