Learn New Skills
Recently we’ve observed that the population, particularly young people, are getting very canny at using volunteering to gain new skills and experience. Whether you’re a student looking to use volunteering to gain experience to get entry onto a course, or whether you are looking to change career direction, or to retain skills for future employment, volunteering can offer a wide range of skills, experience and sometimes qualifications to help you on your way.
Volunteering experience can look very good on a CV, especially if you present this as learning and skills that you have developed through volunteering and employers will often value it just as much as employment history. It’s also a useful stepping stone for those who have been unemployed for some time or are trying to get back to work after a period of ill health.
Volunteering activity on a CV can also demonstrate that you acted on your own initiative, can make a commitment and have a value base.
Organisations who engage volunteers are often willing to give references and this can demonstrate your reliability, personal qualities and transferable skills such as time management, problem solving, communication and team work.
