Voluntary Working Basics-What You Should Know

What are Voluntary Workers?

Voluntary workers are people who give of their time freely in order to help organisations were funds or resources are limited. A voluntary worker can come from any walk of life and can, during the time away from voluntary work be employed in any profession you might care to mention.

Voluntary workers can give an hour a week or ten hours a week depending on how much they have to spare and in the same way that every pound donated to an organisation that relies on charitable donations is helpful; more over is the time donated from a person’s busy lifestyle.

There are no limitations set in order to be a voluntary worker; you don’t have to be well educated, well off financially or in a position to be able to provide anything other than your time and dedication to your chosen cause.

What sort of Voluntary Work Can I Do?

From a voluntary point of view there are – again – no limitations on what kind of voluntary work you can do as long as you are prepared to give of your time and help out where needed. Voluntary work can be in your local youth club, community centre, mother and toddlers group, hospital, hospice, charity office, the list is endless. Most organisations run within the community which are funded solely by the generosity of the neighbourhood and local businesses will always have a requirement for voluntary workers to help out as and where possible.

You may decide your talents lay in fundraising in which case your chosen organisation could benefit from your ability to encourage local businesses to donate equipment or money. Or you might decide that your strength lies in working with people in which case many organisations will often have an opening for you in next to no time.

Many organisations – especially those facilitating services for children – will have a need for volunteers who are good with children and can have a positive influence on them. Community groups, youth clubs, cross community groups and other organisations principally in existence to offer help and support to young people should be very much at the top of your list when it comes to deciding where you would like to spend your volunteered hours.

How Can I Volunteer My Time?

If you wish to offer your time to any organisation the first thing you should do is contact them directly – if you are unable to do so then your local council or Local Education Authority (LEA) – should be able to direct your enquiries to the right people. Most organisations – again especially those dealing with children – will ask that you provide a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check or disclosure as it is known. This is so that it can be demonstrated you are not a risk to children, the elderly or any other group which may be categorised as vulnerable.

You should remember to secure your disclosure early on so that you can commence volunteering as soon as possible. The law now states that no individual can work with any of these groups without first having sought a disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

It is advisable to think long and hard about how you wish to offer your services. If – as we have touched on already – your skill lies in fundraising then planning ahead and getting to grips with what areas of an organisation’s funding are lacking is a must. Drawing up an action plan in this instance can only be a good thing.

The Rewards of Voluntary Work

It has to be said that the main reward from Voluntary Work is that of knowing that your time – regardless of how much or how little you spend – is making a difference to someone. The opportunity to spend an hour in the presence of someone who would normally not have any attention or time lavished on them has to be one of the most heart warming feelings and one that in itself is reward enough.