volunteering-programme

It is well documented how important volunteering is for those seeking meaningful paid employment, especially where someone hasn’t got a lot of work experience or is trying to secure work in a different sector.

Volunteering helps to improve job search options and increases peoples chances of securing work over someone who hasn’t volunteered where they have similar levels of qualifications and experience. The reason volunteering helps is because it gets people into a routine, improves their confidence, improves mental health and offers a great opportunity for the volunteer to make connections with people in the industry they want to gain paid employment.

If a volunteering programme focuses on developing the individual and is not just seen as a way of an employer gaining free labour people can develop their skills and experience. It is easy to see why this would be looked upon favourable when the volunteer applies for paid employment.

A good volunteering programme

The structure of a volunteering programme is important. A good volunteering programme designed to support people into paid employment will focus on developing the volunteer and provide support in taking them out of their comfort zone. This will open up new avenues for gaining paid employment as the volunteer starts to realise what they are good at.

CV development, job search and career progression should be at the heart of a volunteering programme although introduced carefully. There should be a focus on moving the volunteer into paid employment in an appropriate timescale for them. It is important that the volunteer doesn’t stay in their comfort zone of their voluntary role for too long.

Action Plan

At the start of a volunteering programme an action plan should be agreed. A strong coaching approach should be adopted to support the volunteer into paid employment through building up their confidence, enhancing their options for work, increasing their opportunities and having a clearly defined exit strategy from the programme.

Progression from the opportunity is key to determining how successful the programme has been for the volunteer. This doesn’t have to be into paid employment, it might be onto training and/or the opportunity for the volunteer to work with other people who can support them with their journey into paid employment. What is important is that there is progression and the volunteer doesn’t revert back to the situation they were in prior to the starting the programme.

If anyone is interested in finding out about volunteering programmes for their clients or volunteering opportunities for themselves but not sure where to go please get in touch via my contact form. I will be more than happy to direct you towards appropriate opportunities.

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