Volunteer Resources

Why Volunteer?

According to the  National Centre for Volunteering (now Volunteering England) in 1997, 22 million people volunteered in the UK, and a further 11 million people said they were waiting to be asked.

So why is volunteering so attractive?

Voluntary work offers many opportunities:

·        It is one way of entering or reentering the job market whilst helping others.

·        It allows you to do something useful and rewarding with your spare time

·        It enables you to put something back into the community

·        It offers you the chance to do something totally different and challenging!

Although you are volunteering your services for free as a volunteer you do have certain responsibilities towards the organisation you are working for. These will vary according to the charity or enterprise and the type of role you take on. Most organisations will have a handbook or brochure which will state both your rights and the responsibilities of your role. However, it is fair to consider a number of things when deciding to volunteer.

Organisation’s Policies

Most organisations have a volunteering policy which will cover issues such as diversity, equal opportunities, and health and safety and you should make it a point to read up on them. These policies will reflect government legislation which is common practice in all workplaces. In other words they are necessary and both you and the charity you will be working with have to adhere to them. Therefore, it is a good idea to ask to see copies before you agree to take on a volunteering role.

Supervision

As a volunteer you should be supervised. The level and format of the supervision offered should reflect the role you have taken on. Some volunteering roles may require greater intervention from a supervisor than others, but what ever you are doing you should not be left unguided or unsupported. Ask about this at the start, as it may help you to decide if you trust the organisation and could prevent problems in the future.

Related to supervision is your induction and on-going training. Check out what your induction involves and how your level of supervision may change with time.  Many organisations expect volunteers to attend training sessions and updates.  Will this affect your ability to volunteer for them if you cannot attend?

Expenses

As a volunteer you are already giving your time but you should not be out of pocket too. Enquire about expenses and in particular mileage. Some charities pay very low mileage rates and others ring fence the amount a volunteer can claim. So make sure you understand the financial implications of volunteering before you start, as this can be a barrier to some potential volunteers.    

Dress

Find out what the dress code is for volunteers before you begin your work and follow it. This is important if you are working in certain locations or overseas where customs and culture can be very different to what you’re used. Some dress codes are for your safety and so if you ignore them you may cause yourself and the organisations problems.  

Your Reliability

Organisations value the commitment volunteers make to them and acknowledge that volunteers very often have a busy life away from their volunteering role.  But just because you’re a volunteer, this doesn’t mean you can turn up when you want or change your mind at the last minute. Therefore, you should make sure you know exactly what the organisation needs from you in terms of your time and whether there is any flexibility in your commitment to them.

Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, either about your role, the organisation itself or future developments and if you develop an interest in a particular issue you should be able to ask to change roles within the organisation. Many volunteers use unpaid work within the voluntary sector as a way of gaining skills and experiences in a particular field in which they wish to have a career. Others use it as a stepping stone to paid employment with a particular voluntary organisation, and, some for pure enjoyment. Whatever, reason you have you should discuss this with your supervisor.

Leaving Your Role

You may have only just started to think about volunteering, but you may need to ask about leaving too. Is the voluntary role time limited, or is your commitment or ability restricted.  Talk about this at the start so you can plan for the future and get the most out of your time as a volunteer.