Getting started with Volunteering

As summer approaches, many of you may be looking for things to pass the time and keep you occupied and productive. Volunteering is a great way to do that and also have a positive impact on your community, especially through hardships like the pandemic. One of the few good things about the pandemic is the way people have come together to support each other, whereas it was the Clap for Carers or organising free school meals for children and families during the holidays. There are many ways to volunteer, depending on what you think suits you and the skills you have, but they are all incredibly beneficial for you and the people who are helped.

Currently, the NHS is looking for volunteers to help with the vaccine roll-out program and delivering food and supplies to NHS workers and people who are too vulnerable or shielding to be able to get supplies themselves. For this, you will perhaps need a drivers license or a bike or a method of transporting goods. In addition, organisations like St Johns ambulance are looking for volunteers to help deal with the pandemic, whilst also getting you trained and certified in first aid which can be an incredibly useful skill to have

Due to the current climate, food banks and homeless shelters are facing a massive surge in the number of people using their facilities, so are always looking for more volunteers. Whether you have specialised skills such as education, first aid or you are completely new to this and simply want to work in a charity shop to help raise money, there are many opportunities available just through a quick google search. 

For the more adventurous spirits, there are also incredible opportunities to volunteer abroad. This may be more difficult now due to travel restrictions, but many places are still looking for help. You could work in marine rescue, environment conservation, education, female empowerment and much more. These experiences can be incredibly fun not only from being able to travel and make a difference, but from also picking up new skills and meeting people from all over the world and different walks of life. You don’t need to know anything to work for these organisations - most simply require you to be able to speak english or another common language fluently and have a drive to learn and help others. These are often more of an expense however, as there is the cost of travel and accommodation that needs to be factored in, but a lot of the time the organisation you are working with will cover part or all of the cost. 

It’s also something that you can learn a lot from - you develop leadership skills, teamwork skills, empathy, organisation and possibly more specialised skills and is an incredibly rewarding experience. It is important to recognise our privilege during times like this - we are able to afford even the basic necessities like regular meals and shelter, but there are so many who cannot, so helping out whenever you can makes a huge difference.