Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you're just starting out on a career path and are unsure what you want to do, volunteering
can be an opportunity to gain relevant work experience. If you know, for example, that you
want a career in retail, a stint with Oxfam will teach you a surprising amount. Many char-
ity shops recognise this and offer training. Careers in the charity sector are also extremely
popular and can be quite hard to get into, so a period of voluntary work will demonstrate
your commitment and willingness to learn.
Volunteering for a while can also be useful for those who are maybe thinking of a career
change or development. For example you could use your skills to develop a charity's web-
site, or perhaps you have experience of marketing or campaigning.
While you're volunteering your services you can also use the time to find out more about
the organisation's work, whom to talk to about training or qualifications and about work
opportunities within the organisation.
What can you do?
Before contacting organisations it is a good idea to think about what you would like to do
in terms of the activity and type of organisation you would like to work for. There's good
advice on this at: www.volunteering.org.uk/IWantToVolunteer
The UK has its share of threatened environments and species, homeless people and the eco-
nomically disadvantaged, and those with physical disabilities or mental health problems. In
some ways, therefore, the choices for projects to join are no different in the UK from the
ones you'd be making if you were planning to join a project abroad.
Cash-strapped hospitals are always in need of volunteers - Great Ormond Street Children's
Hospital in London is a good example. They look after seriously ill children and need vo-
lunteers to play with the children and make their stay less frightening. It also runs a hospital
radio station - Radio Lollipop - in the evenings and on Sundays, for which it needs volun-
teers.
Or you could help with a youth sports team, get involved in a street art project, or with
a holiday camp for deprived inner-city youngsters - there are many options and there are
any number of inner-city organisations working to improve relations between, and provide/
identify opportunities for, people from different ethnic groups, faiths and cultures.
Remember, though, that any volunteer work you do that puts you directly in contact with
young people and other vulnerable groups, such as people with mental health problems, or
care of the elderly, is likely to mean you'll need a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check
for both their protection and yours. In some cases, you'll have to pay for this yourself.
Where to start?
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