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Helping you find a career in the volunteering industry

Do you wish to give back to your community, or the world, in any way? If the answer is yes, the volunteer industry may be right for you. Volunteers make meaningful contributions through their tireless work, whilst making their communities and the whole world a better place.

The volunteer industry is a blank canvas. There are a wealth of opportunities and fields for volunteers to work in. A large portion of volunteers decide to work in the charity industry. Most volunteers find a particular cause they advocate for and sign-up to volunteer for them. Charities in particular really rely on volunteers to help organise their events and fundraise. Notable charities include The National Trust, Cancer Research UK and Save the Children.

Volunteering doesn't have to be some elaborate, life-altering decision though. You can pick up your life to move to Zimbabwe and build new schools for children, or you could just tutor a young kid in your community. That is the beauty of volunteering; the world is your oyster.

The workforce of volunteers is mostly made up of young people and graduates. Volunteering is a rewarding experience to be involved in before making the leap into the true workforce. However, if you make enough of an impression on the organisation you are volunteering for, they may hire you for a full-time paying position.

N Written by Navdeep

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FAQs

FAQs

Skills & interests you'll need

To be a volunteer you should be passionate about the cause or organisation you are working for. I mean, isn't that the reason you are volunteering? A strong passion in the work you are doing will impress your supervisors and will be more fun in the long run.

The most important skills to have as a volunteer are teamwork, work ethic, and leadership. The ability the work in a team environment is a skill suitable for most experiences, but especially for this one. As a volunteer, you will always have to collaborate with others in a hands-on experience to ultimately complete a task. You will have to learn how to bounce ideas off of other people and follow instructions.

A strong work ethic will help stand above the rest and will help prepare you for future work experience. While volunteering can be sort of a social gathering experience, the reason you are there is to work for a particular cause, and to do that you have to have a solid work ethic.

Another quality that will serve you will in volunteering is leadership. While you may be at a low rank when you start out as a volunteer, showcasing leadership skills will impress others and will improve your volunteer experience as a whole.

Other important skills may include:

How to get Volunteering internships, work experience or placements

Due to the fact that volunteers are usually young people with limited work experience, not much is required of you before signing up. Many people's first work experience is as a volunteer, so don't feel any pressure that you aren't prepared for it. Volunteering is a great area of work to receive your first work experience.

That being said, previous work experience as a volunteer in a charity or any other volunteer location does influence where you are placed within an organisation. Having prior knowledge of the responsibilities of a volunteer will accelerate your rise through the volunteer ranks.

Read more about the Volunteering industry

International Volunteer HQ
Plan My Gap Year
Maximo Nivel
Global Vision International
Projects Abroad