Volunteering
While for some people, volunteering is something they do in a year out, many people choose to volunteer regularly, as part of their regular lives. Advantages can include:
- Work experience, it's good for your CV
- Satisfaction from doing something useful
- Meeting people and socialising
- Doing something different to your normal job or study
You may have a clear idea about where you want to volunteer (e.g. a local charity shop, scouts or guides, a youth centre) or you might just want to do something. Here are some places to start looking:
Local Volunteer Organisations
There are lots of local volunteer organisations for young people in Oxfordshire. You can help out directly at some, others help find you places where you can volunteer.
- Key Link: OCVYS
Connexions, Schools and Youth Centres
This is especially good for finding short-term placements, work experience and volunteering opportunities that will help boost your CV.
- Key Link: Oxfordshire Connexions
Look around locally
As well as charity shops, local youth centres, community groups, political organisations and environmental projects all needs volunteers. You can find more opportunities on posters or leaflets on your local parish noticeboard or in your library -- or just ask around about what other people are doing.
Remember that volunteering is a lot like a job; you have to fill in an application form, be trained and remember to turn up. Also, you may not get the placement you want, or something you thought would be interesting may not turn out to be right for you. Don't be discouraged, look around for something else to try. There's so much going on that you will certainly be able to find something that's right for you.
Experience: Volunteering
Gosford Hill student Stuart Lavery, 18, coaches the Chipping Norton and Oxfordshire Under-15 rugby teams, runs the school sailing club and supervises activity trips for children. For the second year running he spent 5 months organising Kidlington’s “Commonwealth Games” in which about 200 children competed in athletics. Why does he volunteer? ‘I do it because I get a sense of achievement when they do something new thanks to my help,’ he says. Source - oxford mail, June 2003
