Volunteer Work

What you can gain from volunteering
As a volunteer you will be giving your time to help charities and community groups improve lives, but volunteering can provide you with many benefits including:

• the chance to have fun doing something you've never tried before
• increased confidence
• a sense of satisfaction and acheivement
• the opportunity to make new friends and contacts with diverse backgrounds and experiences
• increased job and career prospects and new skills - over 70 per cent of employers would hire a candidate with volunteering experience over someone who has never volunteered

First of all, decide how much time you have to give and in what area you would like to volunteer your skill. Some charities are flexible about when you work for them, while others will want you to commit to a regular day.

The next step is to find an organisation and volunteering opportunity that suits you. Look out for volunteer 2012, animal volunteer jobs and volunteering in Wales.