Volunteering

What Volunteering Can Do For You

1. Personal growth - OK, I can hear your groans, but seriously this is important. It’s a scary place out there and we all need to gain confidence and increase our self esteem and self worth, volunteering can provide the support which will enable you to develop these skills.

2. Work experience - Anything you can do to improve your odds of getting a job can only help. Volunteering can provide an alternative pathway into paid employment. It offers you a chance to acquire many of the ‘soft skills’ employers value, by this I mean team working, problem solving and developing initiative amongst others. How many times do we see ‘must have experience’ in the recruitment pages of papers? Well look no further, volunteering can provide you with that experience.

3. Make friends - Making friends is fun but can also be beneficial to your future. In today’s employment market it is important to learn how to network, many of the contacts you may make during your volunteering experiences can be very important when it comes to finding employment.

4. Looks good on your CV - Volunteer work could be the one thing that makes your CV stand out from all the others.

5.Receive references - It’s good to have referees who can offer statements not only about your character but how you can perform within a work environment.

Is this enough reason?

No? Well I’ll give you one more...

Its FUN and above all its one of the biggest highs you’ll ever get in life which is not only legal but very good for your health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will I get paid?

No. It wouldn’t be volunteering if you did. You shouldn’t be out of pocket either as expenses incurred should be reimbursed.

Q. How much time do I give?

As much or as little as you want. Volunteering can be flexible. You needn’t change your lifestyle to fit in volunteering, volunteering can be adjusted to fit in with yours, leaving lots of time for your social activities.

Q. Don’t you need special skills? I don’t think I have any.

Yes you have energy and vitality qualities that every organisation or employer recognises and needs. As for other skills, volunteering provides you with an opportunity to discover them.

Q. What opportunities are there?

In the Inverness Blitz you can experience various opportunities including working with children, coaching, event management, driving, education, media, fundraising, clerical work, retail and much more.

Q. Who decides what opportunity I choose?

You do, you’re in charge and you decide.

Q. How do I get started?

This one is easy to answer, contact Inverness Blitz or if you fancy something different why not become involved with the Millennium Volunteer Awards, Project Scotland, or the Duke of Edinburgh Awards (MV awards Project Scotland and Duke of Edinburgh Awards are only open to volunteers aged 16-25).

[The above article was adapted from www.volunteeringhighland.org]

For information on the process of becoming a volunteer visit the volunteer development section and for listings of volunteering posts visit the job vacancies section (note these are only suggested positions, be creative and think what you would like to do!).

ProjectScotland

Inverness Blitz in partnership with ProjectScotland offers you the chance to change your life and the lives of others by volunteering!

Thinking about taking a gap year? Have at least three months available? At a loose end and don’t know what to do? Well look no further as ProjectScotland and the Inverness Blitz just might be the very thing you’re looking for.

Project Scotland and the Inverness Blitz have a number of full-time placements available to anyone aged between 16 and 25. To make sure you are not out of pocket, all ProjectScotland volunteers are offered a subsistence allowance of £55 per week plus travel expenses. So what are you waiting for, go change your life or someone else’s!

Full-time placements give you practical experience to help you to build your confidence and experience in areas you enjoy! At the same time you'll be helping others, meeting new people and trying something new!

Millennium Volunteer Awards