Get Your Youngster Volunteering For Volunteers’ Week 2019

Get Your Youngster Volunteering For Volunteers’ Week 2019

Is this summer the one that your youngster completes their GCSEs or A-levels? Whether they have finished their post-16 or 18 studies or they are home from university, why not encourage them to volunteer? There is no better time to volunteer than this month as Volunteers’ Week is marked across the country between Saturday, June 1 and Friday, June 7, and there are lots of groups and people in need.

With the exam season soon coming to an end, thousands of young people across the country will be starting to think about their next steps. For some youngsters, the decision might be straightforward, whatever that might be, volunteering is a worthwhile addition to any CV as well as an opportunity for self-discovery whether that is for Volunteers’ Week, this summer or hopefully a lifetime of giving back.

Breaking The Cycle
For many young people, internships and other work experience placements can be limited and costly to be part of, therefore volunteering can give real hands-on experience young people might not otherwise get, and as a result break the vicious cycle facing young people with little or no work experience, resulting in no job.

It Is Good To Give
There is an argument that as well as professional enhancement, volunteering offers tangible health and wellbeing benefits – it really is good to give. Volunteering opens the heart and mind to new people and new situations which young people might otherwise not encounter, volunteering is a very rewarding experience on a human level.

Have A Fun Time
Volunteering helps give those who take part confidence, you can make a difference in your community, meet new people, learn transferable skills and take on new and exciting challenges. Above all else, volunteering is also about having fun! Most volunteers will tell you how that they have a great time, regardless of what they do.

Youth Volunteering In Focus

Volunteering is great addition to a young person’s CV, it shows a willingness to work and learn without the expectation of something in return and it is a useful opportunity to gain valuable work experience, often in an industry or sector they might wish to pursue as a career that they may not otherwise get. 

One such youth volunteer close-to-home is college student, Molly Edwards, 18, who is contributing positively to her local community around her academic studies by volunteering each Thursday at Crawley-based St Catherine’s Hospice, in the charity’s hospitality team since September last year.

Molly says: “I wanted to volunteer to give something back to a local charity, as well as gain invaluable experience in a healthcare setting that I hope will help me in my future career. People are often shocked when I tell them where I volunteer. They don’t expect it, especially from someone my age, but I use my volunteering as a chance to tell people more about the care St Catherine’s provides.” 

For more information about volunteering at St Catherine’s Hospice, visit: www.stch.org.uk